History

This Medal was founded via a Royal Decree in 1902.

It was awarded as a gift from the reigning King and Princes to high ranking Italian military personnel and civilians for rendering exceptional service to the Royal Family. The Medal was frequently conferred upon foreigners for special service to the House of Savoia.

There are two main versions of this Medal.

The medals issued first were awarded from 1902-1936, before the formation of the Italian Empire. These medals may feature the engraved mark "REGIA ZECCA," "L.GIORGI," or no mark at all, and have the reverse inscription "RICORDO."

The medals issued second were awarded from 1936-1946, after Italy was declared an Empire. These medals feature the engraved mark "Z" and have the reverse inscription “FERT” repeated four times within the decorative border on the reverse medallion. The reverse medallion may also contain the engraved details of the recipient on the reverse medallion.