Order "Carlos Manuel De Céspedes".

[Taz]

Awarded for outstanding National Merit.

La Orden Nacional de Mérito Carlos Manuel de Céspedes dejó de ser un instituto ordenal con la reforma de 1979, por la que perdió su gobierno y desde entonces perdió el protagonismo que disfrutaba en la vida política del país como la orden más importante del Estado cubano, especialmente a partir del establecimiento de la Orden Nacional José Martí, en 1972. En conclusión, Cuba ha perdido su condecoración más importante y se hace inminente su revitalización como una verdadera orden. Aquella que fuera una orden de constante regulación jurídica y cuyas joyas eran altamente apreciadas tanto dentro como fuera de Cuba, se ha convertido en una condecoración fantasma por cuanto no se concede hace muchos años ni tiene un gobierno propio, lo cual la invalida como instituto honorífico. Desde el punto de vista jurídico, la orden es actualmente una mera condecoración independiente, con una deficiente legislación orgánica, de juzgarla por orden, aunque de hecho no lo sea por la omisión de elementos esenciales que caracterizan este tipo de institutos.

Sirvan estas líneas para recomendar la revisión de nuestras órdenes de Estado y en general de todo el sistema cubano de condecoraciones, que reclama nuestra inmediata atención para su estudio científico. También es objetivo de este trabajo conmemorar el octogenario de la institución honorífica más antigua de nuestro país que continúa, al menos jurídicamente, vigente.


Rough Translation

The National Order of Merit "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes" stopped being a ordenal institute with the 1979 reform, by which his government lost and since then he lost the protagonism that enjoyed in the political life of the country like the most important order of the Cuban State, specially from the establishment of the National Order Jose Martí, in 1972. In conclusion, Cuba is lost its more important decoration and its revitalización like a true order becomes imminent. That that outside an order of constant legal regulation and whose jewels highly were appreciated as much inside as outside Cuba, has become a ghost decoration inasmuch as it has not been granted for many years nor it has an own government, which the invalida one like honorary institute. From the legal point of view, the order is at the moment a mere independent decoration, with a deficient organic legislation, to judge it by order, although in fact it is not it by the omission of essential elements that characterize this type of institutes.

Serve these lines to recommend the revision of our orders of State and in general of all the Cuban system of decorations, that demands our immediate attention for its scientific study. Also he is objective of this work to commemorate the octogenario of the older honorary institution of our country that continues, at least legally, effective.

[Taz]

This Order although a pre-Castro decoration was ratified in the decreto Ley #30 in Chapter II, Article 3.

Created by decree Nº 486, of April 18, 1926 and modified by Law Nº 586, of October 7, 1959, which will be awarded to to Cuban and foreign citizens, Chiefs of State or Government, political or state leaders who outstand in the struggle for the national liberation of the peoples, the friendship shown towards the Cuban Revolution, or for the international prestige reached on behalf of the peoples and for outstanding contributions to the consolidation of peace and pacific coexistence.

[Taz]

Here is the Castro era version of the award.

[Esteban_cool]

Personally, I like the old version better than the Castro one.

[Taz]

Originally Posted by Esteban_cool

Personally, I like the old version better than the Castro one.

I agree in that point Esteban,

The newer Castro era one can't compare with the jeweller made earlier Order.

Regards Eddie.

[Blanco]

Orden "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes"

[Taz]

Thanks for the pic :)

Regards Eddie

[Taz]

Additional images

[Taz]

Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo (April 18, 1819 Bayamo, Oriente – February 1874 San Lorenzo, Oriente) was a Cuban planter who freed his slaves and made the declaration of Cuban independence in 1868 which started the Ten Years' War.
Céspedes was a landowner and lawyer in eastern Cuba, near Bayamo, who purchased La Demajagua, an estate with a sugar plantation, in 1844 after returning from Spain. On October 10, 1868, he made the Grito de Yara (Cry of Yara), declaring Cuban independence, which began the Ten Years' War. That morning, after sounding the slave bell that indicated to his slaves it was time for work, they stood before him waiting for orders, and Céspedes announced they were all free men, and were invited to join him and his fellow conspirators in war against the Spanish government of Cuba. He is called Padre de la Patria (Father of the Country). In April 1869 he was chosen President of the Republic of Cuba in Arms.
The Ten Years' War was the first serious attempt to achieve independence from Spain, and to free all slaves. The war was fought between two groups. In the East of Cuba the tobacco planters and farmers, joined by mulattos and some slaves, fought against the West of Cuba, with its sugarcane plantations (which required many slaves) and the forces of the Spanish Governor-General. Hugh Thomas summarises thus: The war was a conflict between criollos (creoles, born in Cuba) and peninsulares (recent immigrants from Spain). The Spanish forces and the peninsulares, backed by rich Spanish merchants, were at first on the defensive, but in the longer run their greater resources told.
Céspedes was deposed in 1873 in a leadership coup. Spanish troops killed him in February 1874 in a mountain refuge, as the new Cuban government would not let him go into exile and denied him an escort. The war ended in 1878 with the Pact of Zanjón. The pact did make concessions: liberation of all slaves and Chinese who had fought with the rebels, no action for political offences; but not freedom for all slaves, and no independence. The Grito de Yara had achieved something, though not enough; but it had lit a long-burning fuse. Lessons learned there were later put to good use in the Cuban War of Independence.
Céspedes was married twice. The first to Maria del Carmen de Cespedes y del Castilo and they had Maria del Carmen, Oscar, and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes y Cespedes. He married the second time to Ana Maria de Quesada y Loinaz (1842–1910) and they had 3 children, Gloria (1871–?), Oscar and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada (1871–1939), who was briefly President of Cuba after Gerardo Machado was deposed in 1933. In San Lorenzo before he died, Carlos Manuel met a widow, Francisca (Panchita) Rodriguez. Carlos Manuel and Panchita became lovers and produced a son, Manuel Francisco de Cespedes y Rodriguez.
He named Oscar, his fifth son, after his late second child Oscar, who was shot by a Spanish firing squad. The Spanish authorities wanted to exchange Oscar's life for Céspedes' resignation as President of the Republic of Cuba. He famously answered that Oscar was not his only son, because every Cuban who had died for the revolution he started, was also his son.
He had been, before the conflict, something of a musician, and he was part-composer of a romantic song called La Bayamesa.
His portrait was on the 10 pesos bills in Cuba until 1960 when it was moved to the 100 pesos bill. A municipality in Camagüey Province, Carlos M. de Cespedes was named after him.