Honour medal of Foreign Affairs

Known for a long time as the President's medal, the Honour medal of Foreign Affairs (French: "médaille d'honneur des affaires étrangères") is a state decoration bestowed by the French Republic in the form of an honour medal for work. It was originally created by a Royal decree of 28 July 1816 as a single grade medal to reward acts of courage displayed by French nationals on foreign soil. An 1861 Imperial decree saw it be split into the silver and gold grades. The year 1887 saw the addition of swords to the medal for award to both French or allied military personnel for acts of courage in favour of the French in time of war. Although still bestowed in wartime for courage, the modern award is now aimed at rewarding civil servants of the ministry for Foreign Affairs.