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Tunisian Order of Glory

The Tunisian Order of Nichan Iftikhar or
The Order of Glory (1835-1957)

The Tunisian Order of Glory (Nichan Iftikhar) was founded in a single class in approximately 1835 by Mahmud Bey Mustafa bin Mahmud Bey 1835-37, although some place its establishment at an earlier date and credit its inception to Husayn II bin Mahmud Bey. It traces its lineage to the Ottoman decoration of a similar name. It would become the principal Tunisian Order under the French Colonial Rule.

Ottoman Order of Glory Type 2
(Courtesy Private French Collection)

The Ottoman Order of Glory was instituted in 1831 as an award of general merit. The order came in one class, a breast badge suspended either by a hook shaped pin (type 1) or a ribbon (type 2).
Some sources indicate that the Turkish Order became obsolete after the Mejidie Order was introduced in 1852, but type 2 examples were awarded as late as the reign of Abdulhamid II (1876-1909). Great variations exist in this order and little hard information is available regarding design criteria.
The first awards of the Tunisian Order to foreigners did not begin until the Order was expanded to five classes in 1843 by Ahmad I bin Mustafa Bey. Later, Muhammad III al-Sadiq bin Husayn Bey standardized the design of the Order. In 1882 the Order was expanded to six classes under French influence. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the order had become an award for long and noteworthy service to the colonial regime. In early years, a Tunisian subject, who was promoted to first class, was required to turn in the second-class badge. This accounts for the rarity of the second-class badges.

The obverse design was that of an oval badge, bearing the name of the ruling Bey in its green-enameled center, suspended by a jeweled bow. Designs seem to have varied widely, based on the rank of the recipient and the manufacturer’s interpretation of the Sultan’s cipher. Later, the badge became a ten-pointed silver star with alternating green and red points and with rays in the angles, with the reigning Bey's name in the green-enameled center medallion. The center is surrounded by a jeweled circlet and suspended by a jeweled bow. The reverse is plain. The ribbon is light olive-green with two narrow red stripes toward each edge.

The Order was issued during the following reigns:

Mustafa bin Mahmud Bey 1835-37
Ahmad I bin Mustafa Bey 1837-55
Muhammad II bin Husayn Bey 1855-59
Muhammad III al-Sadiq bin Husayn Bey 1859-82
Ali III bin Husayn Bey 1882-1902
Muhammad IV al-Hadi bin Ali Bey 1902-6
Muhammad V al-Nasir bin Muhammad Bey 1906-22
Muhammad VI al-Halib bin Mamoun Bey 1922-29
Ahmed II bin Ali Bey 1929-42
Muhammad VII al-Munsif bin Muhammad Bey 1942-43
Muhammad VIII al-Amin bin Muhammad Bey 1943-57

I. THE MEDALS

Mustafa Bey (1835-37) awarded in a single class

Ahmad Bey (1837-55)
Awarded in a single class until 1843
Awarded in 5 classes from 1843

Plaque

Second Class Neck Badge

Third Class

Muhammad Bey (1855-59)

Third Class

Locally Manufactured Type 2 Commander and French-Made Officer Class with Muhammad Bey Cypher

The 1st model of this reign (above) was an oblong gold medallion encrusted with fine stones and the seal with the Bey in its center and surrounded by 16 diamonds, surmounted by a star and crescent. The size of the medallion as well as the number of precious stones and their value varied with the 4 classes of the Order. The second model created after 1857 in the modern style was much less expensive to produce.