Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index The Légion d'honneur (in English: Legion of Honor) is an order of merit given by the Government of France. First instituted by Emperor Napoleon I on May 19, 1802, it is one of the most prestigious French awards and the country's highest civilian honor. The order is conferred upon men and women, either French citizens or foreigners, for outstanding achievements in military or civil life. The award consists of five classes. In descending order of distinction, they are: Grand Cross; Grand Officer; Commander; Officer; Chevalier (Knight). See also: State decoration List of prizes, medals, and awards This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.