Sweden has four Official Orders which are State Orders of Sweden.
These are
The Royal Order of the Seraphim, The Royal Order of the Sword,
the Royal Order of the Polar (or North) Star and the Royal Order
of Vasa. From January 1st, 1975 the state orders are not awarded
to Swedish citizens. Only two orders are conferred (the Seraphim and the Polar Star) to foreign and stateless citizen, while
the other two are kept dormant.
This is a great shame for many reasons.
It is a sad fact, that some recent foreign officials have been offended
when they have recieved a Swedish order of merit, because they have
interpreted the order as of lesser value than the many Swedish medals
that our own Swedish officials wear. Since the greater part of the
world have state orders, it would be a sound decision to reinstate
the Swedish orders. It is the only way to create an internationally
comparable system of awards. The Swedish State Orders
was a cheap and efficient way to express the State's appreciation of
Swedish citizens, the style and consistency of the Orders made
the Swedish State Orders on of the most beautiful systems of State
Orders in the world.
Further, each Order carries a unique element.
The Order of the Seraphim is a single-class order which used to be
an order of chivalry parallell to the Order of the Garter.
The Order of the Sword is a military order of merit in five classes,
with two additional classes plus three crosses of merit to bestow
for armed merit when Sweden is in a state of war. The Order of
the North Star was reserved for civil servants and the clergy,
while the Order of Vasa was a "free" Order. The uniqueness, balance
and functions makes it highly desirable to reinstate all four state
orders of Sweden.
In addition, the Royal Order of Carl/Charles XIII is not a state
order but never the less is an official order in the grey-zone of
orders of chivalry and of merit. It has one class only.
Johanniterorden i Sverige (The Order of St John of Sweden)
is a semi-official Order, a status equal to that of the Most
Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.
It has two classes.
The Swedish Royal Orders of Merit
From the memorial on the introduction of Swedish State
Orders to the Secret Committe of the Swedish Parliament 1744:
"No country exists in Europe, that does not
have their own orders of chivalry, excepting Sweden
and the Republic of Holland. They use them partly for their
own subjects, partly for foreign, and crowned heads
believe themselves able to offer them to their equals
and also to wear them /.../. I recollect,
that some Parliament meetings back such a
proposal was voiced, but times and circumstances
were not of the same character as presently. It
is thought peculiar to see Swedish men luminent by
foreign decorations of grace or equally by themselves
made. It seems finally so much more necessary to now
concider such regulations, that could pertain to
such times and people, that should want to court
for decorations of honour at foreign powers,
with loss of their own honour and by sacrificing their
fatherland. It seems more adventurous to change
such matters without introducing orders of chivalry
of our own; it seems finally so much more necessary
to consider such regulations /.../."
(Carl Hårleman, my translation)
In 1748, the first set of statutes was established
by King Fredrik I, modelled after the system of King
Louis XIV with multiple classes. The Royal orders picked
up many influences from the earlier Swedish sodalities
and dynastic orders from King Erik XIV onwards. The
more dominant opinion in Swedish litterature is that
King Erik XIV was in fact the first to establish an
order of chivalry, while all previous reported orders
are the result of misunderstandings, misinterpretations
and - of course - a desire to glorify the past of
Sweden. For instance, The Royal Order of the Seraphim
was "resurected" by the statutes of 1748 rather than
instigated. There is no conclusive evidence to support
the claim that there was an Order of the Seraphim in
Sweden instigated by King Magnus Ladulås during
the 12th century.
The design...
Kunglig Majestäts Orden (KMO)
- The (Chancellery of the) Royal Majesty's Orders
The Swedish State Orders are managed by functionairies
of the Chancellery of the Royal Majesty's Orders under
the leadership of His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, who
is Grand Master of the orders (the title was "Lord and
Master" 1748-1974). The institution resides in the
Royal Palace in Stockholm. The main chapter deals
primarily with the financial business and is convened
on the "Grand Day of Orders", April 28, which
is the birthday of the instigator King Fredrik I.
Most orders are awarded in extra chapters, primarily
on the Gustav Day (June 6).
The Royal Swedish Orders has be awarded to women
since 1952.
The Royal Order of the Seraphim
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The grand uniform of the Seraphim (-1844) |
The lesser uniform of the Seraphim (-1844) |
- The collar of the Order consists of 11 seraphs och 11 golden
blue enameled patriarchial crosses.
- The ribbon of the Order is light blue (heavenly blue)
since "this is the origin of the powers of My Lord the King"
(the mercy of God).
- The cross of the Order is a golden cross of Malta with
white enamel and seraphs in the angles between the cross.
On each arm of the cross, there is a patriarchial cross.
In the center of the obverse, a blue enameled circle with
three golden crowns, a cross made of the three nails of Christ
and the letters IHS
(Iesus Hominum Salvator). The reverse
carries the letters FRS (Fredericus Rex Sueciae).
- The kraschan består av ett malteserkors i
silver med samma utseende som ordenstecknet.
The Order of the Seraphim is Sweden's principal state Order
founded by King Fredrik I on February 23, 1748. It was then
erroranously claimed that it had it's origin in a medieval
Order of Chivalry, founded by Magnus Ladulås. The Order is
today characterized as an Order of Merit, but retains some
streaks of it's former status as an Order of Chivalry.
The Order was until 1974 bestowed upon members of the Royal
Family, prominent Swedish citizens who already were Commanders
Grand Cross of any of the other three Swedish Orders and
occasionally to foreigners, mostly foreign heads of state.
From 1952 women can be bestowed the Order. From January
1, 1975 it could only be bestowed to prominent foreigners
(H M Queen Silvia was bestowed the Order in 1976 as a
foreigner when marrying H M King Carl XVI Gustaf).
This was thought unfortunate because it would eventally
lead to a situation where the Swedish head of state would
not be allowed the Order he or she bestowed to others!
In 1995, the statutes were revised to allow members of
the Royal Family to recieve the Order of the Seraphim
on their 18th birthday. It has only one class:
- Knight (or Member/of the clergy) and Commander of His Majesty's Orders for Swedish citizens
Knight (or Member/of the clergy) of the Order of the Seraphim for foreigners
Reverse of a Cross of Office for the Order
Swedish citizens are styled "Knight and Commander", which
refers to the fact that they are previously Commanders Grand
Cross of one of the other three Swedish state orders. Women are
styled "Member" and priests are styled "Member of the clergy".
Foreigners are bestowed the collar only in exceptional cases.
All Knights (and Members) of the Order of the Seraphim have
rank following the ministers of the government, and are
addressed "Herr" or "Fru" followed by surname, their first
name is never used. They have a Seraphim
coat-of-arms, which is placed in the church of Riddarholmen,
Riddarholmskyrkan, after their death. On the day of the funeral,
the seraphim bell toll is made from the seraphim bell in the church.
1748/1974 Serafimermedaljen (SerafGM) .
The Seraphim Medal
Group D
7th size
Owing to the solemn "resurrection" of the
Order of the Seraphim, a medal was stamped
which since has been awarded
as a reward for unselfish and sucessfull work
in practical charity. The obverse carries the
portrait and titles of King Fredrik I. The reverse
shows the beautiful chain of the Order of the
Seraphim enclosing the inscription: ORDO
EQ. SERAPHIN. RESTAURATUS NATALI REGATUS
LXXIII. The proud periphal inscription is:
PROCERES CUM PRINCIPE NECTIT and at the bottom
the year 1748 is inscribed. Before the
democratization of the Swedish State Orders
during the 19th century, the Seraphim Medal
was en eagerly sought award, in particularly
with the wealthy bourgeois, and several
of the grand bourgeois of the Swedish freedom
and gustavian era was awarded this medal
for pekuniery and administrative efforts
in the promotion of the public healthcare
and charity. Initially the medal was worn
in a golden chain in a waistcoat buttonhole.
Nowadays it is awarded mounted
to a number of thin gold links, fixed so
tightly that they resemble a ribbon and is
worn on the cheast like other medals.
The Seraphim Medal is the first official
medal of merit surmounted by a royal crown
and the only medal which have not changed the
royal portrait to that of the ruling king.
At the death of the medal holder,
the medal - in likeness with the official orders
- should be returned to the treasurer of Kungl. Maj:ts
Orden, as opposed to all other Royal Medals.
The Medal was until 1975 awarded by H M the King
in ordenskapitel and was regarded as a medal of an
order (group E) placed in group A. By decision
of the Chapter of Royal Orders, the medal was put to
the disposal of H M the King in 1974, and
has been awarded by the protocol of the Royal
Court as a Royal Medal (group D) since then.
The Royal Order of the Sword
To be continued...
The Royal Order of the North Star
To be continued...
The Royal Order of the Vasa
To be continued...
The Order of Charles XIIII
The Order of Charles XIII is unique. It is official but is
not a part of the Royal Majesty's Orders. Never the less,
It is stipulated that the Swedish King is the Grand Master
of that Order.
To be continued...
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