The Order Virtuti Militari (Latin for "For Military Virtue") was created in 1792 and is Poland's highest military decoration for valor in the face of the enemy and one of the oldest military decorations in the world still in use . Some of the heroic actions recognized by an award of the Virtuti Militari are equivalent to those meriting the Commonwealth's Victoria Cross, Malaysia's Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa and the U.S. Medal of Honor. It is awarded either for personal heroism or to commanders for leadership.
Awarded in five classes, the order was created in 1792 by Poland's King Stanisław August Poniatowski. Soon after its introduction, however, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was destroyed (1795) in the partitions of Poland, and the partitioning powers abolished the decoration and prohibited its wearing. Since then, the award has been reintroduced, renamed and banned several times, with its fate closely reflecting the vicissitudes of the Polish people. Throughout the decoration's existence, thousands of soldiers and officers, Polish and foreign, several cities and one ship have been awarded the Virtuti Militari for valor or outstanding leadership in war. There have been no new awards since 1989.