Romania, People's Republic. An Order of Tudor Vladimirescu, V Class Star

Three-piece construction, in die-stamped bronze gilt, measuring 49 mm (w) x 51.5 mm (h), vertical pinback, light contact, near extremely fine.

Footnote: The Order was instituted on April 13, 1966 in five classes and two medals soon after Nicolae Ceauşescu became First Secretary of the Communist Party of Romania, to be awarded for political merit and service to the Socialist Republic of Romania. Tudor Vladimirescu (ca 1780-1821) was a revolutionary leader who sought to overthrow the Greek Phanariot rule of the Romanian provinces subject to Ottoman overlordship. Vladimirescu had fought with Russian forces in the Russo-Turkish wars of 1806-1812 and this, together with his perceived "progressive" and nationalist outlook made him the ideal Romanian hero for the early Ceauşescu era. Vladimirescu was executed by the Greeks at Târgovişte on June 7, 1821, ironically the same place where Ceauşescu was executed in December 1989.