Order of the Star of India of India and other flags used to represent British India. The order was the fifth most senior British order of chivalry, following the Order of the Garter, Order of the Thistle, Order of St Patrick and Order of the Bath. It was the senior order of chivalry associated with the British Raj; junior to it was the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, and there was also, for women only, the Imperial Order of the Crown of India. Several years after the Indian Mutiny and the consolidation of Great Britain's power as the governing authority in India, it was
Order of the British Empire may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to the numbers restricted to the Order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British Orders of Chivalry, with over 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. Though men can be knighted separately from an order of chivalry, women cannot, and so the rank of Knight/Dame Commander of the Order is the lowest rank of damehood, and second-lowest of knighthood (above Knights Bachelor). Because of this,