History

This Order was founded by Alexander I on April 29, 1879 to commemorate his accession to the rank of Prince of Bulgaria, but it was not formally instituted until 1880.

The Order was first conferred to recognize meritorious service in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. It continued to be awarded as a means of encouraging bravery during battle, and to recognize Bulgarian and foreign military personnel who exemplified heroism on the battlefield.

The Order awards were conferred in two divisions, wherein the higher grades were awarded to Officers, and the lower grades were awarded to Non-Commissioned Officers and enlisted men. The awards conferred upon Non-Commissioned Officers and enlisted men were also known as the Military Bravery Cross.

During the People’s Republic of Bulgaria the Order was reduced to three grades. Following 2003, the Order may be conferred upon civilians, as well as military personnel, in recognition of heroic acts that contribute to the Bulgarian state and society.

The obverse inscription translates to "For Bravery".

The Type I Order awards always feature the date "1879" in the reverse inscription, but they do feature several varying design elements. For instance, the obverse and reverse inscriptions may be written on a gold-coloured or green enamel background, and the Grand Cross awards may have skulls and crossbones added to the crossed swords.

The Grand Cross was only conferred upon the ruler of Bulgaria, who held the position of Grand Master of the Order.