Imperial Order of Saint Charles The Imperial Order of Saint Charles was created by Maximilian I on April 10, 1866. It was awarded exclusively to women who excelled in the service of their community. The Order honoured Saint Charles Borromeo, Patron Saint of Empress Carlota, sovereign of the Order. It was divided into two classes: the Grand Cross, awarded to only 24 Ladies; and the Cross, without any limit upon the number of women who might receive it. Grand Crosses Some Ladies Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Charles include: Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom Elizabeth of Bavaria, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary (Sissi), consort of Franz Joseph I of Austria, Charlotte's sister-in-law Marie Henriette of Austria, Queen of Belgium, consort of Leopold II of Belgium, Charlotte's sister-in-law Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily, former Queen of France, consort of Louis Philippe I, Charlotte's maternal grandmother Queen Isabella II of Spain Amélie of Leuchtenberg, Empress Dowager of Brazil, 2nd consort of Pedro I of Brazil Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies, Empress of Brazil, consort of Pedro II of Brazil Princess Leopoldina of Brazil Louise of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark, consort of Christian IX of Denmark Eugenia María de Montijo de Guzmán, Empress of France, consort of Napoleon III María Manuela Kirkpatrick de Closebrun, Countess of Montijo y de Teba, Empress Eugénie's mother Princess Anne Murat, Duchess of Mouchy, daughter of Prince Lucien Murat Maria Pia of Savoy, Queen of Portugal, consort of Luís I of Portugal Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Queen de Prussia, consort of future William I, German Emperor Victoria, Princess Royal, Future German Empress and Queen of Prussia, consort of future Frederick III, German Emperor Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark), Empress of Russia, consort of Alexander III of Russia Amalie Auguste of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony, consort of John of Saxony Josephine of Leuchtenberg, Queen Mother of Sweden & Norway, consort of Oscar I of Sweden Louise of the Netherlands, Queen of Sweden & Norway, consort of Charles XV of Sweden Gertrudis Enríquez y Sequera de Suárez de Peredo Hurtado de Mendoza, Countess del Valle de Orizaba, her Chamberlain's wife. See also First Mexican Empire Second Mexican Empire Imperial Crown of Mexico Mexican nobility Mexican Honours System Order of the Aztec Eagle References Sources Encuentra.com: The Popes and the Virgin of Guadalupe - in Spanish This article draws heavily on the corresponding article in