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Order of St. Olav

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  • Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav
  • Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden

St.Olavsordens kraschan - Livrustkammaren - 30274
Grand Cross set of the Order (1st type)
Awarded by

King of Norway
TypeChivalric order with five degrees
Established21 August 1847; 177 years ago (1847-08-21)
MottoRET OG SANDHED
(Justice and Truth)
CriteriaRemarkable accomplishments on behalf of the country and humanity
StatusCurrently constituted
Grand MasterKing Harald V
Grades
  • Grand Cross with Collar
  • Grand Cross
  • Commander with Star
  • Commander
  • Knight 1st Class
  • Knight
Precedence
Next (higher)Medal for Outstanding Civic Service
Next (lower)Royal Norwegian Order of Merit

Riband of the Order of St. Olav

The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (Norwegian: Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or Sanct Olafs Orden, the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav.[1]

Just before the union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905, the Order of the Norwegian Lion was instituted in 1904 by King Oscar II, but no appointments were awarded by his successor, King Haakon VII. The Order of St. Olav thus became the kingdom's only order of chivalry for the next 80 years. The Grand Master of the order is the reigning monarch of Norway. It is used to reward individuals for remarkable accomplishments on behalf of the country and humanity. Since 1985, appointments to the order has only been conferred upon Norwegian citizens, though foreign heads of state and royalty may be appointed as a matter of courtesy.

Grades and classes

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The reigning monarch of Norway is the order's Grand Master.[2] The order consists of three grades, of which two are divided into two classes,[1] and may be awarded for either civilian or military contributions, in descending order of distinction. The collar is awarded as a separate distinction of the Grand Cross to those recipients deemed exceptionally worthy.

  • Grand Cross (Storkors)  – awarded to heads of state as a courtesy and in rare cases to individuals for merit; wears the badge on a collar (chain), plus the star on the left chest. If the collar is not worn the badge may be worn on a sash on the right shoulder;
  • Commander, which is divided into two classes:
    • Commander with Star (Kommandør med stjerne)  – wears the badge on a necklet, plus the star on the left chest;
    • Commander (Kommandør)  – wears the badge on a necklet;
  • Knight, which is divided into two classes:
    • Knight 1st Class (Ridder av 1. klasse)  – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
    • Knight (Ridder)  – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.
Ribbon bars

Grand Cross with Collar
Grand Cross
Commander with Star
Commander
Knight 1st Class
Knight

Insignia

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The Star of The Order of Saint Olav
Design of the collar of the Order of St. Olav since 1906.

The collar of the Order is in gold, with five enamelled and crowned monograms "O", five enamelled and crowned coat-of-arms of Norway, and 10 gold crosses bottony each flanked by two battle axes with silver blades and golden shafts (The latter element is also featured in the coat of arms of the Church of Norway).

The badge of the Order is a white enamelled Maltese Cross, in silver for the knight class and in gilt of the higher classes; crowned monograms "O" appear between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion rampart bearing a battle-axe; the reverse disc bears the King Oscar's motto «Ret og Sandhed»  – "Justice and Truth" in Norwegian; both discs are surrounded by a white-blue-white ring. The cross is topped by a crown;[3] military awards have crossed swords between the crown and the cross.

The star of the Order for the Grand Cross is an eight-pointed silver star with faceted rays, bearing the obverse of the badge of the Order (minus the crown on the top).

The star for Commander with Star is a silver faceted Maltese Cross, with gilt crowned monograms "O" between the arms of the cross. The central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion rampart bearing a battle axe, surrounded by a white-blue-white ring.[4]

The ribbon of the Order is red with white-blue-white edge stripes.[1]

In very exceptional circumstances the Order may be awarded "with diamonds", in which case a ring of diamonds replaces the white-blue-white enamel ring surrounding the central disc on the front of the badge as well as in the crown.[5][6]

The insignia are expected to be returned either upon the receiver's advancement to a higher level of the order or upon his or her death. The insignia are produced in Norway by craftsmen.

Eligibility and appointment

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The King makes appointments upon the recommendation of a six-member commission, none of whom may be a member of the government, consisting of a chancellor, vice chancellor, the Lord Chamberlain (acting as treasurer), and three other representatives. The Lord Chamberlain nominates the members of the commission, and the monarch approves them.[7] Nominations to the order are directed at the commission through the county governor.

Princes and Princesses with succession rights to the throne are appointed to the highest degree upon reaching their age of majority.[8]

Ranking

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The Order of St. Olav is the highest civilian honour currently conferred by Norway and only ranks after the military War Cross among all Norwegian decorations still awarded in the general ranking.

In the order of precedence used at the royal court of Norway, bearers of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav with collar are ranked 15th in the order of precedence, directly after the Mistress of the Robes and generals and directly before recipients of the War Cross with Sword. Bearers of the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav are ranked 16th.

Current holders of the Grand Cross

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This list contains holders of the Grand Cross, some of whom have also been awarded the Collar and gives the year of their appointment. The list is collated alphabetically by the last name; those recipients not possessing the last name, such as royalty and most Icelanders are collated by the first name. Six of the listed are not heads of states or royals; these are marked by names in bold. Before the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit was created in 1985, appointments to the Order of St Olav was awarded to members of a foreign delegation during state visits. Many holders of the Grand Cross who are not heads of state are not listed here.

Country Name Charge Grand Cross
with Collar 		Grand Cross Year
 Argentina Mauricio Macri Former President YesY 2018
 Austria Heinz Fischer 2007
 Belgium Albert II Former King YesY 1964
Mathilde Queen YesY 2003
Paola Former Queen 1997
Philippe King 2003
 Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva President
 Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov Former President 2006
 Croatia Ivo Josipović 2011
 Denmark Benedikte Princess 1974
Frederik X King (when Crown Prince) YesY 2024, 1990
Joachim Prince 1991
Margrethe II Former Queen (when Princess) YesY 1958
Marie Princess YesY 2014
Mary Queen (when Crown Princess) 2005
Christian Crown Prince (when Prince) 2023
 Estonia Arnold Rüütel Former President 2002
Toomas Hendrik Ilves 2014
 Finland Alexander Stubb President 2024
Sauli Niinistö Former President 2012
Tarja Halonen 2000
Martti Ahtisaari 1994
Mauno Koivisto 1983
Urho Kekkonen 1960
Tellervo Koivisto Former President's wife 1983
 Germany Joachim Gauck Former President 2014
Horst Köhler 2007
Marianne von Weizsäcker Former first lady 1986
 Iran Farah Pahlavi Former Empress 1965
 Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson Former President 2017
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson 1982
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir YesY
 Italy Sergio Mattarella President YesY 2016
 Japan Akihito Emperor Emeritus YesY 2001, 1953
Masako Empress (when Crown Princess) 2001
Michiko Empress Emerita
Naruhito Emperor (when Crown Prince)
Nobuko Princess
 Jordan Abdullah II King 2000
Hussein Crown Prince 2020
Hassan Prince (when Crown Prince) 1980
Rania Queen 2000
 Latvia Guntis Ulmanis Former President 1998
Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga 2000
Andris Bērziņš 2015
 Lithuania Valdas Adamkus 1998
Dalia Grybauskaitė 2011
 Luxembourg Henri Grand Duke YesY
Maria Teresa Grand Duchess YesY 1996
 Netherlands Beatrix Former Queen (when Princess) YesY 1964
Margriet Princess YesY
Willem-Alexander King YesY 2021, 1996
Máxima Queen 2013
 Norway Astrid Princess YesY 1956
Kjell Magne Bondevik Former Prime Minister YesY 2004
Lars Petter Forberg Former Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household
Åge Bernhard Grutle 2015
Haakon Crown Prince YesY 1991
Magne Hagen Former Cabinet Secretary to the King YesY 2000
Harald V King YesY
Grand Master		 1955, 1991
Ingrid Alexandra Princess YesY 2022
Märtha Louise YesY 1989
Mette-Marit Crown Princess YesY 2016, 2001
Edvard Moser Professor, psychologist and neuroscientist, Nobel laureat 2018
May-Britt Moser
Gry Mølleskog Former Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household 2022
Arne Omholt Former Marshal of the Court 2016
Carsten Smith Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway 2003
Sonja Queen YesY 1972
Sverre Magnus Prince YesY 2023
Berit Tversland Former Cabinet Secretary to the King 2012
 Poland Andrzej Duda President 2016
Bronislaw Komorowski Former President 2012
Aleksander Kwaśniewski 1996
Lech Wałęsa 1995
 Portugal António Ramalho Eanes YesY 1978
Aníbal Cavaco Silva YesY 2008
 Romania Emil Constantinescu 1999
 South Korea Moon Jae-in 2019
 Slovakia Andrej Kiska YesY 2018
Ivan Gašparovič 2010
 Slovenia Borut Pahor 2019
Danilo Türk 2011
 Spain Cristina Princess 1995
Elena
Felipe King
Juan Carlos I Former King YesY 1982
Sofía Former Queen YesY
 Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf King YesY 1974
Carl Philip Prince YesY 2005
Christina Princess 1992
Daniel Prince 2022
Désirée Princess 1992
Madeleine 2005
Silvia Queen 1982
Victoria Crown Princess 1995
 Thailand Sirikit Former Queen YesY 1965
 Turkey Abdullah Gül Former President YesY 2013
 United Kingdom Charles III King YesY 1978
Andrew Prince and Duke of York YesY 1988
Edward Prince and Duke of Kent
Richard Prince and Duke of Gloucester 1973
  • Order of Saint Olav Grand Cross with swords badge 1st Type
    Order of Saint Olav Grand Cross with swords badge 1st Type
  • Order of Saint Olav Grand Cross with swords badge 2nd Type
    Order of Saint Olav Grand Cross with swords badge 2nd Type
  • Order of St Olav - Commander
    Order of St Olav - Commander
  • Order of St Olav - Commander
    Order of St Olav - Commander
  • Order of St Olav - Commander
    Order of St Olav - Commander
  • Order of St. Olav Grand Cross badge
    Order of St. Olav Grand Cross badge
  • Order of St. Olav Grand Cross Star
    Order of St. Olav Grand Cross Star
  • Order of St. Olav Knights Class
    Order of St. Olav Knights Class
  • Order of St. Olav Grand Cross Star - 2nd Type
    Order of St. Olav Grand Cross Star - 2nd Type
  • Order of St. Olav Grand Cross Star - 1st Type
    Order of St. Olav Grand Cross Star - 1st Type
  • Order of St. Olav Collar and Star
    Order of St. Olav Collar and Star
  • Order of St. Olav Grand Officer Star - 1st Type
    Order of St. Olav Grand Officer Star - 1st Type
  • Order of St. Olav Grand Officer Badge - 1st Type
    Order of St. Olav Grand Officer Badge - 1st Type
  • Order of St. Olav Knight - 1st Type
    Order of St. Olav Knight - 1st Type

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Hieronymussen & Lundø 1968, p. 102.
  2. ^ Statutes, §2
  3. ^ Hieronymussen & Lundø 1968, fig. 8, p. 102.
  4. ^ "Utnevnelse til St. Olavs Orden". Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  5. ^ "1071-1072 (Norges statskalender / 1940)". runeberg.org (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  6. ^ "1011-1012 (Norges statskalender / 1947)". runeberg.org (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  7. ^ section 5, Statues of the Order of St. Olav
  8. ^ section 3, Statues of the Order of St. Olav

Works cited

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  • Hieronymussen, Poul Ohm; Lundø, Jørgen, eds. (1968). Eurooppalaiset kunniamerkit värikuvina [Europæiske ordner i farver] (in Finnish). Translated by Karnila, Christer. Porvoo: WSOY. OCLC 466954328.
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