▁after ▁the ▁War , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁recip ients ▁were ▁retired ▁from ▁employ ment . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁Kn ights ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁enjoy ▁an ▁income ▁above ▁their ▁tax ▁allow ance , ▁a ▁small ▁ann u ity ▁was ▁granted ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁those ▁recip ients , ▁pay able ▁to ▁the ▁wid ow ▁or ▁minor ▁children ▁on ▁death . ▁The ▁allow ance ▁was ▁also ▁granted ▁to ▁those ▁that ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁former ▁Aust ro - H ung arian ▁armed ▁forces ▁who ▁became ▁Italian ▁citizens ▁after ▁an nex ation . ▁ ▁The ▁order ▁was ▁best owed ▁by ▁dec ree ▁of ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁Republic , ▁its ▁head , ▁on ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Def ence . ▁A ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁cha ired ▁the ▁council , ▁which ▁investig ated ▁applications ▁made ▁by ▁el ig ible ▁parties ▁to ▁the ▁municipality ▁of ▁residence . ▁With ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁surv iving ▁Kn ights ▁of ▁Vitt orio ▁Ven eto ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁order ▁fell ▁into ▁ab ey ance ▁and , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁it ▁was ▁formally ▁w ound - up ▁by ▁repe al ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁legisl ation . ▁It ▁was ▁rev ived ▁anyway ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁being ▁still ▁ab ey ant . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁List ▁of ▁Italian ▁orders ▁of ▁kn ighth ood ▁Military ▁Order ▁of ▁Italy ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Pres iden za ▁della ▁Repub blica ▁- ▁Le ▁On or ific enze