History

After the Mexican forces expelled the invading French army of Maximilian I in 1867, the constitutional Mexican government approved the Cross for the Second French Intervention (Cruz por la Intervención Francesa) on August 5, 1867. The Cross was founded to reward the Mexican military personnel and citizens who fought against the French army and its conservative Mexican allies at the Second French Intervention from 1862 to 1867.

The Cross was established with three grades that denote the rank of the recipient. I Class Cross was awarded to Generals and Chiefs, while II Class Cross was conferred upon Officers, and III Class Cross upon enlisted men. These Crosses were organized into two classes that differ in the inscription, the Cross for combat and Cross for general support.

The Cross for combat features an obverse inscription that can be translated to "He Fought the French Intervention and its Allies from 1861 until 1867, Prize to Patriotism" and a reverse inscription that can be translated to "He Saved the Independence and the Republican Institutions, Badge of Constancy and Courage."

The Cross for general support features an obverse inscription that can be translated to "He Help to the Defense of the Republic against the French army, Prize to Patriotism" and a reverse inscription that can be translated to "He Fought for the Independence and the Republican Institutions, Badge of Courage."