10

HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF

[ANNO 1818.

concluded at Paris, on the 5th day of November 1815, between Us andtheir Imperial and Royal Majesties the Emperors of Austria and Russia,and His Majesty the King of Prussia, it was provided and declared, that, inorder to fix the destiny of the Seven Ionian Islands, and to ensure the Inde-pendence, Liberty, and Happiness of the Inhabitants thereof, the Islands ofCorfu, Cephalonia, Zante, Santa Maura, Ithaca, Paxo, and Cerigo, with theirDependencies, should thenceforward form a single, free, and independent State,under the denomination of The United States of the Ionian Islands, and shouldbe placed under the immediate and exclusive Protection of Us, Our Heirs andSuccessors, Kings of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; inpursuance of which Treaty the Constitutional Charter unanimously agreed to bythe Legislative Assembly of the United Ionian States hath been submitted toUs, and received Our gracious sanction and ratification ; And whereas at theglorious and ever memorable era, when the peace and tranquillity of Europewere re-established by Us, in conjunction with Our Imperial and Royal Allies,the Emperors of Austria and Russia, and the King of Prussia, certain Treatieswere made (under date the 23rd day of May 1814) between Us, Our saidImperial and Royal Allies, and His Majesty the King of France, whereby itwas declared that the Sovereignty of the Island of Malta and its Dependenciesshould thenceforward be ceded unto Us, Our Heirs and Successors, in full andentire right, possession, and dominion ; in execution of which Treaties We haveassumed and taken upon Us the Sovereignty of the said Island of Malta andits Dependencies; And whereas it hath in all ages been the custom of wiseand beneficent Princes to distinguish Merit, Virtue, and Loyalty by publicmarks of Honour, in order that eminent services may stand acknowledged to theworld, and create in others a laudable emulation ; And whereas We, Protector ofthe United States of the Ionian Islands, and Sovereign of the Island of Maltaand its Dependencies, being desirous of affording to the said United States ofthe Ionian Islands, and to the said Island of Malta, a public and signal testi-mony of Our affectionate regard, by the institution of an Order of Knighthood,whereby the auspicious event of the said United States of the Ionian Islandsbeing placed under Our Royal Protection, and the said Island of Malta beingplaced under Our Rule and Sovereignty, may be commemorated; and bywhich We may at the same time be enabled to reward conspicuous Merit andLoyalty, did by Our Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the 27th day of Aprillast, under the Great Seal of Our said United Kingdom of Great Britain and