Order of the Polar Star

The Royal Order of the Polar Star
Kungliga Nordstjärneorden
Cross and star of the order
Awarded by The Monarch of Sweden
Type Five grade order of merit
Motto Nescit Occasum (It knows no decline)
Day 28 April
Eligibility Until 1975: Swedish and foreign persons
Since 1975: Foreign citizens and members of the Swedish Royal Family
Awarded for Until 1975: Civic merits, for devotion to duty, for science, literary, learned and useful works and for new and beneficial institutions.
After 1975: Services to Sweden
Status Currently constituted
Grand Master King Carl XVI Gustaf
Chancellor Ingemar Eliasson[1]
Grades (w/ post-nominals) Commander Grand Cross (KmstkNO)
Commander 1st Class (KNO1kl)
Commander 2nd Class (KNO2kl)
Knight 1st Class (RNO1kl)
Knight (RNO)
Established 1748
First induction 1748
Precedence
Next (higher) Order of the Sword
Next (lower) Order of Vasa

1748 - 1975
2013 - present (for princes)

1975 - present
Ribbon bars of the order
Cross and riband of a Commander Grand Cross
Collar of the Order of the Polar Star and the badge of the order
For the private order in Norway, see Order of the Polar Star (Norway).

The Order of the Polar Star (Swedish: Nordstjärneorden) is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim.

The Order of the Polar Star was until 1975 intended as a reward for Swedish and foreign "civic merits, for devotion to duty, for science, literary, learned and useful works and for new and beneficial institutions".

Its motto is, as seen on the blue enameled centre of the badge, Nescit Occasum, a Latin phrase meaning "It knows no decline". This is to represent that Sweden is as constant as a never setting star. The Order's colour is black. This was chosen so that when wearing the black sash, the white, blue and golden cross would stand out and shine as the light of enlightenment from the black surface. The choice of black for the Order's ribbon may also have been inspired by the black ribbon of the French Order of St. Michael, which at the time the Order of the Polar Star was instituted was also awarded to meritorious civil servants. At present, the ribbon of the Order is blue with yellow stripes near the edges (i.e., the national colors, but the reverse of the Order of the Sword's yellow tibbon with blue stripes near the edges). Women and clergy men are not called knight or commander but simply as Member (Ledamot).

After the reorganization of the orders in 1975 the order is only awarded to foreigners and members of the royal family. It is often awarded to foreign office holders (such as prime and senior ministers) during Swedish state visits. It is also awarded to junior members of royal families who would not qualify for the more prestigious Royal Order of the Seraphim.

Grades

The Order has five degrees:

  1. Commander Grand Cross (KmstkNO) - Wears the badge on a collar (chain) or on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left chest;
  2. Commander 1st Class (KNO1kl) - Wears the badge on a necklet, plus the star on the left chest;
  3. Commander (KNO) - Wears the badge on a necklet;
  4. Knight 1st Class (RNO1kl/LNO1kl[note]) - Wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
  5. Knight (RNO/LNO[note]) - Wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.

Note: ^ Clergymen and women become ledamöter (Members) instead of knights.

This order also has a medal, "the Polar Star Medal".

Insignia and habit

Ribbon bars (since 1975)
Commander Grand Cross
Commander 1st Classe
Commander
Knight 1st Classe
Knight

See also

References

Citations

  1. "Hovkalender 2010" (PDF). Riksmarskalkämbetet (Office of the Marshal of the Realm). ISSN 0281-1456. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-10-30. Retrieved 2010-07-07.

Sources

  • (Swedish) Per Nordenvall, Kungliga Serafimerorden 17481998. Stockholm : Kungl. Maj:ts orden, 1998. ISBN 978-91-630-6744-0
  • (Swedish) Royal Court of Sweden, www.royalcourt.se
  • Orders and Decorations of Europe in Color by Paul Hieronymussen and protographed by Aage Struwing; English translation by Christine Crowley. The MacMillan Company. New York, 1967. Originally published as Europaeiske Ordner I Faever @ Politikens Forlag, 1966. Color plates # 28-32; text pp. 126–127.
  • The Orders of Chivalry from the Original Statutes of the Various Orders of Knighthood and other Sources of Information by J. H. Lawrence-Archer. London: W. H. Allen and Company, 13 Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, S. W. Publishers to the India Office. 1887.

External links

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