Medal of the Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus; Italy, 20th century. Silver and enameled gold. Measurements: 9 x 2 cm. Weight: 82 g (total). The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood granted by the Royal House of Savoy. It is the second oldest order of chivalry in the world, as its lineage dates back to 1098 AD, and is one of the few orders of chivalry recognized by papal bull, in this case by Pope Gregory XIII. Formerly, the order was granted by the Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946) with the heads of the House of Savoy as kings of Italy. Originally a knightly order of noble character, it was restricted to subjects of noble families with proof of at least eight noble great-grandparents. The military and noble character of the order was and still is combined with a Roman Catholic character. After the abolition of the monarchy and the foundation of the Italian Republic in 1946, the legacy of the order is maintained by the pretenders of the House of Savoy and the Italian throne in exile.