It was founded on 11 February 1759 by Karl Eugen, Duke of Württemberg as the Militär-Carls-Orden, and was renamed the Militärverdienstorden on 11 November 1806 by King Friedrich I.

It became obsolete with the fall of the Württemberg monarchy in the wake of Germany's defeat in World War I.

The order came in three classes: Generally, the rank of the recipient determined which grade he would receive.

[1] The badge of the order was a white-enameled gold cross pattée with curved arms and slightly concave edges.

Around the white-enameled center medallion was a blue-enameled gold ring bearing on both sides the motto "Furchtlos und trew" ("Fearless and loyal").