Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen
{{Short description|Hungarian state honour}}
{{Distinguish|Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary}}
{{Infobox order
| title = Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen
| image = Magyar Szent István-rend Nagykeresztje.jpg
| caption = Sash of the Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen
| awarded_by = President of Hungary
| type = State decoration
| established = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2011}}
| eligibility = Awarded in recognition of the most special merits, outstanding life's work and significant international achievements in the service of Hungary.
| status = Currently constituted
| first_induction = 2013
| higher = none
| lower = Hungarian Corvin Chain
| image2 = File:Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen Ribbon Bar.svg
| image_size2 = 120
| caption2 = Ribbon bar of the Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen
| motto = Publicum meritorum praemium (Award for public service)
}}
The Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen (Hungarian: Magyar Szent István Rend) is the highest state honour bestowed by the President of Hungary. The order is made up of one grade and is awarded in recognition of the most special merits, outstanding life's work and significant international achievements in the service of Hungary. A maximum of 3 awards are permitted to be awarded to Hungarians per year.{{Cite web |title=2011. évi CCII. törvény - Nemzeti Jogszabálytár |url=https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2011-202-00-00.15# |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=njt.hu}}
History
The order's origins can be traced back to an order of chivalry founded in 1764 by Queen Maria Theresa which lasted upon the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918. The order was subsequently revived in 1938 following a decree by Hungary's Regent Miklós Horthy, thereby renaming the order as the Royal Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen ({{langx|de|Königlich Ungarischer Sankt-Stephans-Orden}}, {{langx|la|Ordo Equitum Sancti Stephani Regis (Hungariae) Apostolici}}) and acting as its Grand Master. Following the proclamation of the Second Hungarian Republic in 1946, the order was terminated. Finally, in 2011, the order was revived by Presidential decree as the Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen.{{Cite web|title=Kitüntetések|url=https://www.keh.hu/kituntetesek/1514-Kituntetesek&pnr=1|access-date=2022-01-29|website=www.keh.hu}}{{cite web|title=Kiállítás nyílt a Szent István-rend világáról a Magyar Nemzeti Múzeumban|url=http://kdnp.hu/news/kiallitas-nyilt-szent-istvan-rend-vilagarol-magyar-nemzeti-muzeumban|access-date=21 August 2018}}{{cite web|last=Lajos|first=Csordás|date=8 May 2014|title=A zöld szárú kereszt lovagjai|url=http://nol.hu/kultura/a-zold-szaru-kereszt-lovagjai-1460657|access-date=21 August 2018}}
Insignia
The insignia included in the presentation box, from left-to-right & top-to-bottom, feature:
- Breast star
- Sash
- Ribbon bar
- Miniature
- Alternative medal
- Rosette
Magyar Szent István-rend-férfi tagozat.jpg|Male insignia of the order
Magyar Szent István-rend-női tagozat.jpg|Female insignia of the order