THE FIRST MONTENEGRIN STATE ORDER OF MERIT was instituted as a single class Order, on the base of a Constitutional Act of four articles, by Prince Danilo I Petrović Njegoš (º1826, †1860) on St. George’s Day April 23/May 5, 1852 “in order to honor the courage and the accomplishments of his subjects and of all those who dedicated themselves to defend the holy thing of the fatherland independence” [1].

Described as a solid silver cross in the first article [2] of the Constitutional Act, the very first insignia of the Order is in fact a silver-plated bronze cross pattée with convex extremities and a slightly longer bottom arm.
The badge measures 46x36mm, and its granulated arms have a dual flat and smooth border. Also, when article 1. states that the cross should bear the inscriptions “Danil I Knjaz Crne Gore” and “Za Nezavisnost Crne Gore” in Serbian, the first crosses bear finally on their obverse central medallion, on four lines, the Russian Cyrillic inscription “ДАНИЛЬ И — КНЯЭЬ — ЦРНОГОРС-КІИ” (Danil I Knjaz Crnogorski/Danilo I Montenegrin Prince) [3]; and on the reverse, on four lines too, “ЭА — НЕЭАВИСИМОСТЬ — ЦРНЕ — ГОРЕ — 1852-3” (Za Nezavisimost Crne Gore/For Independence of Montenegro — 1853-3) [4]. The ribbon of the Order is in white silk moire with red strips near border, folded in triangular shape, according to the second article [5] of the Constitutional Act.

Rapidly, in the end 1852-beginning 1853, after a minor rearangement of the statutes, a new design is introduced.
The cross is now made of solid silver; its arms are en plein enamelled black with a white strip in the rim, when the central medallion is in guilloché red enamel with gilded text. The shape of the inscriptions changes to a center line encircled by another line of text: On the obverse, “КНЯЭЬ” (Prince) encircled by “ДАНИЛЬ И” (Danil I) on top and “ЦРНОГОРС-КІИ” (of Montenegro) on bottom; on the reverse, the figures “1852-3” encircled by “ЭА НЕЭАВИСИМОСТЬ” (For Independence of) on top and “ЦРНЕ ГОРЕ” (Montenegro) on bottom.

The first real amendment of the statutes occurs on St. Goerge’s Day April 23/May 5, 1861, when Prince Nikola I introduces two upper degrees, Grand Cross and Commander, with specific insignias; the old cross becoming a third class, Knight.

The badge of the upper classes is a 60mm diameter solid silver cross pattée with four arms of equal length and convex extremities, en plein enamelled blue with guilloché red and en plein white strips on the border. Typically, the central medallion, edged in chipped silver, bears on the obverse an applied gilded princely crowned Cyrillic monogram "ДI" (for Danil I), on guilloché red enamel, encircled by “КНЯЭЬ ЦРНОГОРСКІИ” in Russian Cyrillic (Prince of Montenegro), on en plein blue enamel. On the reverse, the applied gilded figures “1852-3”, on guilloché red enamel, are encircled by “ЭА НЕЭАВИСИМОСТЬ ЦРНЕ ГОРЕ” in Russian Cyrillic (For Independence of Montenegro), on en plein blue enamel. The guilloché enamelled red roundel and the en plein enamelled blue circle are themselves encircled by a band of en plein white enamel. The cross is a pendant from a gilded crown with flowing pendelia.

The breast star of Grand Cross has a diameter of 82mm and is composed of 16 alternating faceted and plain rays, to which is applied the obverse badge of the Order. Occasionally, for special recipients, the gilded appliqué items of the badge are replaced by others with same design but in solid gold.
The badge of Grand Cross is suspended from a 100mm wide silk moire sash with rosette , white with 12mm wide red strips near border; the one of Commander from a 60mm wide neck ribbon. The Grand Cross sash is worn over the right shoulder and rosette on the left hip; the accompanying breast star is worn upon the left side of the chest.

On April 23/May 5, 1873, the second reorganisation of the Order expands the field of rewards to civilian merits [6], establishes a Grand Chancellery [7] and adds an intermediary class of Grand Officer between those of Grand Cross and Commander. The breast star of Grand Officer is similar to the one of Grand Cross, but has a diameter of 74mm; the accompanying badge is suspended from a hanging ribbon.

In 1893, a third reform of the statutes establishes a fourth class, resulting from a reclassification of the existing class of Knight. Its badge is similar to those of the upper degrees, but has a diameter of 38mm with a triangular ribbon, and is worn upon the left side of the chest. The old cross becomes then a fifth class, named “Cross of Danilo I”. After the Balkan War (1912-1913) and the fourth statutes amendment of 1913, on the obverse central medallion of the Cross of Danilo I, the primary Russian Cyrillic inscription is replaced by the princely crowned Cyrillic monogram “ДI” (for Danil I) encircled by “КНЯЭЬ ЦРНОГОРСКІИ” (Prince of Montenegro).

In 1919, after the forfeiture of the Montenegrin Monarchy (November 13/26, 1918), the integration of Montenegro to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (December 6/19, 1918) and the recognition of the new Kingdom on January 29, 1919 by the Allied Supreme Council, the Order of Danilo I is abolished by the new government [8] and ceases to exist as a State Order of the Kingdom S.C.S. to be attached first to King Nikola I (still recognised by Allies as King of Montenegro), then de facto to the Head of the Royal House of Montenegro.

Throughout the history of the Order, insignias were produced by several famous medallists, the best-known being Arthus Bertrand, Beranger & Magdalaine (Paris, France; medallist’s mark «Bertrand»), A. Chobillion (Paris, France; medallist’s mark «AC in triangle»), D. Cravanzola (Roma, Italy; medallist’s mark «CRAVANZOLA»), R. Marschall (Vienna, Austria; medallist’s mark «R. MARSCHALL»), Vincent Mayer (Vienna, Austria; medallist’s mark «VM»), C.F. Rothe & Neffe (Vienna, Austria; medallist’s mark «FR»), A. Ryabkov (St. Petersburg, Russia; medallist’s mark «AP»), G.A. Scheid (Vienna, Austria; medallist’s mark «G.A. SCHEID») and Silberberg (Hamburg, Germany; medallist’s mark «S») [9] [10].