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ORDO HUNGARIAE
History
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 On the 18th of May 1754 a group of Hungarian aristocrats gathered in the castle of Enying in high secrecy
for an unusual meeting. The purpose of the assembly was to found an out-and-out Hungarian organization, a truly Hungarian order which they named Ordo Hungariae. The name had to be given in Latin - of course - since this has been the official language of the Kingdom of Hungary, the legislation, the judicatory, the higher levels of administration, the secondary- and higher education, the scientific circles, the parliament and the liturgy ever since the foundation of the Hungarian Kingdom. (It had been the members of the higher aristocracy who opposed the official introduction of the Hungarian language the most, since they feared this would endanger their privileged social position. Despite their attempts, Hungarian was made official language in 1844.)
The aristocrats have long since requested Her Majesty Maria Theresia (ruled 1740-1780) to found a Hungarian merit order, however this only happened in 1764 when she founded the Royal Hungarian Order of St. Stephen /Insignis Ordo Sancti Stephani Regis Hungariae Apostolici/. (Funding this order was most probably a gesture towards the Hungarian nobility after receiving the title “Apostle King” from Pope Clement XIII, despite her being a woman.) In 1757 she founded the Militar Maria Teresien Order and in 1764 the Royal Hungarian Order of St. Stephen. But both of these orders were established for the purpose of rewarding the ones loyal to the Habsburg dynasty, who in turn received the noble title for their services.
This explains the discontent of the aristocracy towards the young Queen, which replaced the initial sympathy and gallant support shown towards her. The goal was the creation of an order which, opposed to the ones founded by the Queen, served the interests of Hungary and worked as a balance against the aspirations and politics of Vienna, to assimilate the Hungarian people into the empire. 
The Ordo Hungariae functioned as a secret society for a long period of time, its activity was therefore, at the time, not well documented. This is the reason we cannot find too many details in archives regarding the persons involved with the order, or their actions. One of the noble families to be brought in connection with the funding of the order is the Baron Sina family. The Sina family moved from the territory of the Turkish Empire first to Vienna, later to Pest. The family of Greek-, Macedonian- and Albanian lineage adapted quickly to the conditions present in the Habsburg Empire and had a successful career, many of its members became wealthy businessmen. The presumed funder of the order, Baron György Sina was also its first Grandmaster. The family had the most success in the banking sphere. A bronze plaque on the Chain Bridge in Budapest is proof that the first bridge to be erected between the two cities was built on behalf of Count István Széchenyi and was financed by Baron György Sina (great-great-grandson of the founder) who was a successful banker at the time. The financier of the project had 7 years before his death, in which he could enjoy the enormous advantages of the permanent link between the two sides of the river Danube.
Since the order was founded by members of the Hungarian aristocracy it was self explanatory that only nobles could enter their ranks. Also those could be made members – as a reward – of Ordo Hungariae whose deeds served, and indefeasibly contributed to the motherland’s glory and safety. Keeping the existence of the order a secret also had to be of highest priority therefore all members were under the pledge of secrecy.
 Usually knight orders have their own clothing by which they are differentiated from other orders through the colors or symbols they are using. The members of Ordo Hungariae could not afford to risk their incognito. This meant that the order did not have any “special” clothing for a long period of time, which could have led to the unveiling of the organization. They declared the usual festive clothing of the nobility to be their uniform, thereby not drawing any attention to themselves. Later at the beginning of the 19th century, as the so called “díszmagyar” (Hungarian gala clothing, highly decorated and magnificent robing) became the symbol of noble identity and descendance in the ranks of the Hungarian aristocracy, it also became the featured uniform of Ordo Hungariae. Military officers wore their military uniforms to meetings and festive occasions. The collar of the order was only to be worn by the grandmaster.
During the early years the initiation ceremonies had to be held in complete secrecy. The newly initiated pledged their oath of allegiance to the Holy Crown of Hungary. The dominant color of the order was, and still to this day is, the middle toned green. After the unveiling of the order the time has come to develop own symbols. The cape of the initiated knights is white, while their neck-cross is hanging from a green band and has the Holy Crown in its middle.
Nowadays women may also join the order. They receive the title “Lady” after the initiation ceremony. The Lady wears her cross on the chest hanging from a green ribbon, combined with the white cape and the wide green band of the Grand Cross scarf-wise over the right shoulder, on festive occasions and ceremonies.
Those can apply with success to be a member of the order who through their exemplary life, benignant trait, charitable work, generosity andnoble soul deserve to be a knight of Ordo Hungariae.
On behest of the Grandmaster the Court of Nobles has been restituted in the near past.
By the congruent decision of the funders the legitimacy, succession and protection of the more than 250 year old Ordo Hungariae is provided by the Holy Crown of Hungary. The Holy Crown’s authentic duplicate is present, accompanied by the crown-guards, at initiation ceremonies.
The Ordo Hungariae has moved abroad for decades during the 20th century, but it was always led by Hungarian Grandmasters and a few months after the 250th anniversary of the order’s funding, in 2005 it has finally returned to Hungary.
The anniversary of the order’s funding is celebrated on the 19th of March every year, therefore the date of the spring initiations is set to be around this day.
The ideology of the order is based on humane values, moral conduct and on the collaboration or co-operation for the cause of good. The aims and practical actions comply with today’s challenges: caritative work, aid to the ones in need, hold together the Hungarians scattered across the world in the spirit of freedom and independence, maintain Hungarian culture and traditions, protection of the inherited traditions of the order and creation of new ones.
Name and duration of appointment of the Grandmasters of Ordo Hungariae
• Baron György Sina 1754 – 1774
• Count István Adalbert Teleki 1774 – 1782
• Count Elemér Esterházy 1782 – 1809
• Jenő Kowstolszky of Lower- and Higherpetrence 1809 – 1821
• Baron János Kiss 1821 – 1849
• Count Sándor Andrásfalvy 1849 – 1871
• Ferenc Kossuth 1871 – 1884
• Baron József Petréczey 1884 – 1907
• Count István Hunyadi 1907 – 1920
• Count Albert Wasst 1920 – 1944
• Count Imre Mikó 1944 – 1951
• Count Sámuel Mikó 1951 – 2005
• Sir Dr. Csaba Király 2005 –
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