| Order of Saint Elizabeth St. Elisabethenorden | |
|---|---|
Badge and sash of the order. | |
Awarded by   Electorate of Bavaria, Kingdom of Bavaria | |
| Type | Feminine Order |
| Royal house | House of Wittelsbach |
| Status | House Order |
| Founder | Electress Elisabeth Auguste |
| Sovereign | Franz, Duke of Bavaria |
| Grand Mistress | Princess Elisabeth |
| Chancellor | Princess Sophie |
| Grades | Grand Mistress Dame Dame, Special Class Dame, 1st Class Dame, 2nd Class |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Royal Order of Saint Hubert |
| Next (lower) | Royal Order of Max Joseph |
| Equivalent | Royal Order of Saint George for the Defense of the Immaculate Conception |
Ribbon bar of the order | |
The Order of Saint Elizabeth was an all-female chivalric and charitable order in the Kingdom of Bavaria. The following excerpt is from The Orders of Knighthood, British and Foreign (1884):
The first Consort of the Elector Charles Theodore of the Palatinate, Elizabeth Augusta, daughter of the Palatine Joseph Charles Emanuel of Schultzbach, founded this Order for ladies in honor of her sainted patroness and namesake on 18 October 1766, as a purely charitable institution for the poor. It was confirmed on 31 January 1767, by Pope Clement XII, and endowed with various indulgencies. The Catholic religion and the Seize Quartiers – the proof of noble descent running through sixteen generations of their own or their husband’s ancestors – are indispensable conditions for candidates. The Grand Mistress is, however, empowered to nominate and unlimited number of ladies, from Princely Houses and her own Court, as also six other married or widowed ladies of noble, but not ancient descent. The nomination takes place either on Easter or on Saint Elizabeth’s Day (19 November). The entrance fee is four ducats. The badge is a white enameled cross, representing on one side Saint Elizabeth dispensing charity to the poor, and on the other, the initials of the founder. It is worn on the left breast by a blue ribbon with a red border. No Member can appear in public without it, except by fine of one ducat. The King appoints the Grand Mistress.
