History

The Merit Medal (Medalla al Mérito) was founded in Mexico by Maximiliano I on October 14, 1863. The Medal was instituted to reward citizens and military personnel who backed, and supported, the Mexican empire since 1861.

The Medal was granted in two different epochs. In 1863, the Medal featured an imperial Mexican eagle, while in 1865, the Medal presented the portrait of Maximiliano I.

The Medal was authorized with a basic design for both civilian and military awards. However, the inscriptions were different for each one. In addition, some military versions featured a surmounted trophies of arms. The Medal consisted of three classes; I Class Medal, II Class Medal, and III Class Medal.

In MedalBook, this Medal is classified into two types. Type I includes the awards granted for civil merit, while Type II consists of the awards for military merit.

In Type I, the Merit Medal for civil merit was awarded to Maximiliano's followers for political, diplomatic, and administrative service to the empire.

The 1863 Medal features an obverse inscription that can be translated to "To Civil Merit," and a reverse inscription that translates to "Mexican Empire." The 1865 Medal presents an obverse inscription that can be translated to "Emperor Maximilian," and a reverse inscription that translates to "To Civil Merit."