The thesis analyzes the role of honorary orders during the First Reign, understanding them as a key element in the constitution of the Brazilian Imperial State. Those who received an award granted by the emperor were required to provide services to him and to the state, so that the widespread use of these resources shows that D.Pedro used it as an instrument to create political alliances locally constructed. The orders were a significant element of the mental representations of the Brazilian society on the nineteenth century, because its members ascend hierarchically. Thus it fulfilled the desire of distinction that permeated the society by the existence of a strong aristocratic feeling. The importance of these elements is evidenced not only by the amount of awards granted, but also by the major concern raised in the discussions of these elements held in Parliament and in media. Those who were willing to discuss the constitution of the new state reflected also on the role of these instruments and its links to the kind of society and political project associated with them.