Orders, decorations, and medals of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan personal bravery, achievement, or service are rewarded with honours by the King. The honours system consists of two types of award:


 * Orders are used to recognise merit in terms of achievement and service – of either a civil or military nature;
 * Medals are used to mark commemorative events, service on a particular operation or in a specific theatre, long or valuable service, and good conduct.

Appointments to the various orders and awards of other honours are usually published in the kingdom's Official Gazette.

Brief history
The modern country of Jordan has its origin in the Arab Revolt and its campaign against the Ottoman Empire led by the Hashemite ruler of Mecca Sharif Hussein Bin Ali. Following the success of the Revolt, Sharif Hussein established several awards to mark his victory. Several Hashemite states came into existence after the Revolt, and Jordan as the only remaining one today continues to award those orders created by Sharif Hussein.

Modern honours
As the head of state, the Sovereign is the fount of honour, but over time their responsibility has been passed over to the government of the day. Most honours in Jordan are now directly nominated and vetted by ministries or military branches and only approved by the King at a final stage by royal decree. Although some awards are still given at the direct initiative of the King. Various orders have been created (see below) as well as awards for military service, bravery, merit, and achievement which take the form of medals or badges. Most medals are not graded. Each one recognises specific service so there are normally set criteria which must be met. These criteria may include a period of time and will often delimit a particular geographic region or to mark a specific anniversary or event.

Independence Day and Army Day Honours
Honours in Jordan are usually published and awarded on important anniversaries, namely Independence Day on May 25 and Army Day on June 10. Investitures are usually presided over by the King and attended by members of the Royal Family and televised to the country.

Current Orders
The current system in Jordan is made up of 10 civil orders and four military orders. They are ordered in seniority per Jordanian law.