Order of Viesturs

Order of Viesturs Viestura ordenis
File:Viestura ordenis.jpg Grand Cross of the order with swords
Type	5 class Order, with three honor medals. Awarded with swords (military) and without (civil).
Awarded for	merit in service to the armed forces; safeguarding and strengthening national security and social order; defense of the country's borders.
Presented by	Latvia
Motto	Confortamini et pugnate (Be strong and fight)
Established	11 August 1938
File:LAT Order of Viesturs civ BAR.svg Ribbon for civil awards File:LAT Order of Viesturs mil BAR.svg Ribbon for military awards
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of the Three Stars
Next (lower)	Cross of Recognition

The Order of Viesturs (Latvian: Viestura ordenis) is a Latvian state order founded in 1938, which was temporarily discontinued in 1940 by the Soviet occupation of Latvia, but was re-established in 2004. The order is named after the medieval historical figure King Viesturs of ancient Semigallia. Currently it is the highest military-related award still awarded by Latvia.

Classes of the Order

The order is awarded in the following classes:

• Grand Cross: Cross is worn suspended from a sash worn over the shoulder with a breast star.
• Grand Officer: Cross is worn suspended from the neck with a breast star
• Commander: Cross is worn suspended from the neck
• Officer: Cross is worn suspended from a ribbon with rosette worn on the chest
• Knight: Cross is worn suspended from a ribbon worn on the chest.

The order also has three medals that may be awarded in the civil or military divisions:

• Gold Medal
• Silver Medal
• Bronze Medal

1st class with swords	1st class	1st class with swords, dames	1st class, dames
File:LAT Order of Viesturs mil BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs civ BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs mil BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs civ BAR.svg
File:LVA Order of Viesturs 1 sword.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 1.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 1 sword d.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 1 d.JPG
2nd class with swords	2nd class	2nd class with swords, dames	2nd class, dames
File:LAT Order of Viesturs mil BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs civ BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs mil BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs civ BAR.svg
File:LVA Order of Viesturs 2 sword.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 2.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 2 sword d.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 2 d.JPG
3rd class with swords	3rd class	3rd class with swords, dames	3rd class, dames
File:LAT Order of Viesturs mil BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs civ BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs mil BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs civ BAR.svg
File:LVA Order of Viesturs 3 sword.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 3.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 3 sword d.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 3 d.JPG
4th class	5th class
File:LAT Order of Viesturs mil BAR.svg File:LAT Order of Viesturs civ BAR.svg	File:LAT Order of Viesturs mil BAR.svg File:LAT Order of Viesturs civ BAR.svg
File:LVA Order of Viesturs 4.JPG	File:LVA Order of Viesturs 5.JPG

References

• The State Decorations of Latvia, Office of the President of Latvia
• Order of Viesturs