Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Order of the White Eagle was a Royal Order in the Kingdom of Serbia (1883 - 1918) and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918 - 1945). The Order had five classes and was conferred on Serbian and Yugoslav citizens for achievements in peace or war, or for special merits to the Crown, the state and nation. In the period between 1883 and 1898 Order of the White Eagle was the highest award in the Kingdom of Serbia. In 1898 the Royal Order of Milo the Great took precedence over the White Eagle and in 1904 the former was replaced by the Order of the Kara or e's Star. King Milan I of Serbia instituted the Order of the White Eagle on 23 January 1883, concurrently with the Order of St. Sava. Serbia was proclaimed a Kingdom on 22 February (Old Style, in Gregorian calendar 5 March) 1882.