Established on 7 May 1765 by Stanislas August
Poniatowsky, the independent king of Poland, the Order of Saint Stanislas was adopted as a
Russian Order in 1831 by Emperor Nicholas I, who served as its Grand Master until 1917.
Classes:
Three
Criteria:
Initially awarded to persons who exemplified "Christian virtues," the Order of Saint Stanislas entitled recipients of the first class to hereditary nobility. It was also awarded for a distinguished career in civil or military service. For military valor, recipients received it with crossed swords.
