Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav

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The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (Den Kongelige Norske St. Olavs Orden (in Norwegian) or Sanct Olafs Orden (the old Norwegian name)) is a Norwegian order of chivalry that was instituted by King Oscar I of Norway and Sweden on August 21, 1847, as a distinctly Norwegian order. It is named after King Olav II, known for posterity as St. Olav. Nobility was abolished in Norway in 1821. 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 it was not awarded by his successor 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 awarded to individuals as a reward for remarkable accomplishments on behalf of the father country and humanity. Since 1985, the order has only been conferred upon Norwegian citizens, though foreign heads of state are awarded the order as a matter of courtesy.

The reigning monarch awards the order upon the recommendation of a six-member commission, consisting of a chancellor, vice chancellor, the court treasurer, and one representative from the southern, central, and northern parts of Norway. The prime minister nominates the members of the commission, and the monarch approves them. Nominations for the award are directed at the commission through the county mayor.

The order is divided into five classes and may be awarded for either civilian or military contributions, the Collar is awarded as a separate distinction of the Grand Cross to those recipients deemed exceptionally worthy, in descending order of distinction:

• Grand Cross with Collar of St. Olav - 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;
• Grand Cross of St. Olav - awarded to heads of state as a courtesy and in rare cases to individuals for merit; wears the badge on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left chest;
• Commander with Star - wears the badge on a necklet, plus the star on the left chest;
• Commander - wears the badge on a necklet;
• Knight, First Class - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
• Knight - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.

Recipients are expected to return the insignia upon advancement to a higher level of the order, or upon their death. Since it was instituted, it has been awarded approximately 5,000 times. The insignia are produced in Norway by craftsmen.

The Norwegian king also awards the St. Olav Medal in gold and silver for "activities for the benefit of society," but these do not confer upon the recipient membership in an order.

Contents 1 Insignia 2 Ranking 3 Current holders of the Grand Cross 3.1 By country of origin 4 External links

[edit] Insignia

The collar of the Order is in gold, with six enamelled and crowned monograms "O" (for Olav), six enamelled and crowned coat-of-arms of Norway, and 12 gold crosses bottony each flanked by two axes with silver blades and golden shafts (The latter elements 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" (for Olav) appear between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion; the reverse disc bears the motto "Justice and Truth" in Norwegian; both discs are surrounded by a white-blue-white ring. The cross is topped by a crown; 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" (for Olav) between the arms of the cross. The central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion, surrounded by a white-blue-white ring.

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

[edit] 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 15 in the Order of precedence directly after The Lady Chamberlain 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 16.

The medal is ranked third in the general ranking of Norwegian orders and medals for use when wearing more than one medal.

[edit] Current holders of the Grand Cross

This list contains 81 holders of the Grand Cross, 21 of which have also been awarded the Collar and gives the year of their appointment. The list is collated alphabetically by last name, those recipients not possessing a last name, such as royalty and most Icelanders are collated by first name. 5 of the listed are not heads of states or royals, these are marked by names in bold.

This list was last updated on 20 December 2006.

Name	Title, Position	Grand Cross with Collar	Grand Cross	Year of appointment
Abdullah II	King of Jordan		X	2000
Valdas Adamkus	President of Lithuania		X	1998
Martti Ahtisaari	10th President of Finland		X	1994
Akihito	Emperor of Japan	X	X	2001, 1953
Albert II	King of Belgium	X		1964
Andrew	Prince of the United Kingdom		X	1988
Astrid	Princess of Norway	X		1956
Beatrix	Queen of the Netherlands	X		1964
Benedikte	Princess of Denmark		X	1974
Bhumibol Adulyadej	King of Thailand	X		1960
Kjell Magne Bondevik	former Prime Minister of Norway		X	2004
Carl XVI Gustaf	King of Sweden	X		1974
Carl Philip	Prince of Sweden		X	2005
Charles	Crown Prince of the United Kingdom	X		1978
Jacques Chirac	President of France		X	2000
Christina	Princess of Sweden		X	1992
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi	former President of Italy		X	2001
Constantine II	former King of the Hellenes	X		1964
Emil Constantinescu	former President of Romania		X	1999
Cristina	Princess of Spain		X	1995
Désirée	Princess of Sweden		X	1992
Edward	Prince of the United Kingdom		X	1988
Elena	Princess of Spain		X	1995
Elizabeth II	Queen of the United Kingdom	X		1955
Felipe	Crown Prince of Spain		X	1995
Frederik	Crown Prince of Denmark		X	1990
Árpád Göncz	former President of Hungary		X	1999
Haakon	Crown Prince of Norway	X		1991
Knut Magne Hagen	former secretary to the King		X	2000
Harald V	King of Norway	X Grand Master		1955, 1991
Hassan	Prince of Jordan (former Crown Prince)		X	2000?
Henri	Grand Duke of Luxembourg		X	1996
Henrik	Prince Consort of Denmark	X		1968
Roman Herzog	former President of Germany		X	1998
Jean	Grand Duke of Luxembourg	X		1964
Joachim	Prince of Denmark		X	1991
Juan Carlos I	King of Spain	X		1982
Kaare Langlete	former Master of the Royal Household		X	1993
Mauno Koivisto	9th President of Finland	X		1983
Jørgen Hårek Kosmo	former President of the Norwegian Parliament		X	2005
Aleksander Kwaśniewski	former President of Poland		X	1996
Lilian	Princess of Sweden		X	1992
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva	President of Brazil		X	2003
Madeleine	Princess of Sweden		X	2005
Ferenc Mádl	former president of Hungary		X	2002
Nelson Mandela	former President of South Africa		X	1998
Margrethe II	Queen of Denmark	X		1958
Margriet	Princess of the Netherlands		X	1964
Maria Teresa	Grand Duchess of Luxembourg		X	1964
Märtha Louise	Princess of Norway	X		1989
Mary	Crown Princess of Denmark		X	2005
Masako	Crown Princess of Japan		X	2001
Mathilde	Crown Princess of Belgium		X	2003
Medferiashwork	former Crown Princess of Ethiopia		X	1956
Mette-Marit	Crown Princess of Norway		X	2001
Michiko	Empress of Japan		X	2001
Naruhito	Crown Prince of Japan		X	2001
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson	President of Iceland		X	1998
Paola	Queen of Belgium		X	1997
Philip	Prince Consort of the United Kingdom	X		1952
Philippe	Crown Prince of Belgium		X	2003
Ragnhild	Princess of Norway		X	?
António Ramalho Eanes	17th President of Portugal	X		1978
Rania	Queen of Jordan		X	2000
Richard	Prince of the United Kingdom		X	1973
Arnold Rüütel	3rd President of Estonia		X	2002
Jorge Sampaio	former president of Portugal		X	2004
Silvia	Queen of Sweden		X	1982
Sirikit	Queen of Thailand		X	1965
Carsten Smith	former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway		X	2003
Sofía	Queen of Spain		X	1982
Sonja	Queen of Norway	X		1972
Tomohito	Princess of Japan		X	2001
Guntis Ulmanis	former President of Latvia		X	1998
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir	4th President of Iceland	X		1982
Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga	President of Latvia		X	2000
Victoria	Crown Princess of Sweden		X	1995
Lech Wałęsa	former President of Poland		X	1995
Marianne von Weizsäcker	former first lady of Germany		X	1986
Richard von Weizsäcker	former President of Germany		X	1986
Willem-Alexander	Crown Prince of the Netherlands		X	1996

[edit] By country of origin

Country	Name	Title, Position	Grand Cross with Collar	Grand Cross	Year of appointment
Belgium	Albert II	King	X		1964
	Mathilde	Crown Princess		X	2003
	Paola	Queen		X	1997
	Philippe	Crown Prince		X	2003
Brazil	Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva	President		X	2003
Denmark	Benedikte	Princess		X	1974
	Frederik	Crown Prince		X	1990
	Henrik	Prince Consort	X		1968
	Joachim	Prince		X	1991
	Margrethe II	Queen	X		1958
	Mary	Crown Princess		X	2005
Estonia	Lennart Meri	2nd President		X	1998
	Arnold Rüütel	3rd President		X	2002
Ethiopia	Medferiashwork	former Crown Princess		X	1956
Finland	Martti Ahtisaari	10th President		X	1994
	Mauno Koivisto	9th President	X		1983
France	Jacques Chirac	President		X	2000
Germany	Roman Herzog	former President		X	1998
	Marianne von Weizsäcker	former first lady		X	1986
	Richard von Weizsäcker	former President		X	1986
Greece	Constantine II	former King	X		1964
Hungary	Árpád Göncz	former President		X	1999
	Ferenc Mádl	former president		X	2002
Iceland	Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson	President		X	1998
	Vigdís Finnbogadóttir	4th President	X		1982
Italy	Carlo Azeglio Ciampi	former President		X	2001
Japan	Akihito	Emperor	X	X	2001, 1953
	Masako	Crown Princess		X	2001
	Michiko	Empress		X	2001
	Naruhito	Crown Prince		X	2001
	Tomohito	Princess		X	2001
Jordan	Abdullah II	King		X	2000
	Hassan	Prince (former Crown Prince)		X	2000?
	Rania	Queen		X	2000
Latvia	Guntis Ulmanis	former President		X	1998
	Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga	President		X	2000
Lithuania	Valdas Adamkus	President		X	1998
Luxembourg	Henri	Grand Duke		X	1996
	Jean	Grand Duke	X		1964
	Maria Teresa	Grand Duchess		X	1964
Netherlands	Beatrix	Queen	X		1964
	Margriet	Princess		X	1964
	Willem-Alexander	Crown Prince		X	1996
Norway	Astrid	Princess	X		1956
	Kjell Magne Bondevik	former Prime Minister		X	2004
	Haakon	Crown Prince	X		1991
	Knut Magne Hagen	former secretary to the King		X	2000
	Harald V	King	X Grand Master		1955, 1991
	Kaare Langlete	former Master of the Royal Household		X	1993
	Jørgen Hårek Kosmo	former President of the Norwegian Parliament		X	2005
	Märtha Louise	Princess	X		1989
	Mette-Marit	Crown Princess		X	2001
	Ragnhild	Princess		X	?
	Carsten Smith	former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway		X	2003
	Sonja	Queen	X		1972
Poland	Aleksander Kwaśniewski	former President		X	1996
	Lech Wałęsa	former President		X	1995
Portugal	António Ramalho Eanes	17th President	X		1978
	Jorge Sampaio	former president		X	2004
Romania	Emil Constantinescu	former President		X	1999
South Africa	Nelson Mandela	former President		X	1998
Spain	Cristina	Princess		X	1995
	Elena	Princess		X	1995
	Felipe	Crown Prince		X	1995
	Juan Carlos I	King	X		1982
	Sofía	Queen		X	1982
Sweden	Carl XVI Gustaf	King	X		1974
	Carl Philip	Prince		X	2005
	Christina	Princess		X	1992
	Désirée	Princess		X	1992
	Lilian	Princess		X	1992
	Madeleine	Princess		X	2005
	Silvia	Queen		X	1982
	Victoria	Crown Princess		X	1995
Thailand	Bhumibol Adulyadej	King	X		1960
	Sirikit	Queen		X	1965
United Kingdom	Andrew	Prince		X	1988
	Charles	Crown Prince	X		1978
	Edward	Prince		X	1988
	Elizabeth II	Queen	X		1955
	Philip	Prince Consort	X		1952
	Richard	Prince		X	1973

[edit] External links

• Official website on the order (Norwegian)
• Unofficial website on The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (In English with translations to French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Spanish, Dutch, Russian, Chinese and Japanese)
• The Collection of Henrik Revens Website features orders and medals of Norway as well as other Nordic countries.