Order of Vasa
Encyclopedia
The Royal Order of Vasa (Kungliga Vasaorden) was a Swedish Royal order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It was instituted on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....

. It was unrestricted by birth or education and could therefore be awarded to anyone (as opposed to the Order of the Polar Star
Order of the Polar Star
The Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....

, which was intended as a reward for the learned professions). It was the most junior of all the Swedish orders. It was often awarded to Norwegian subjects of the dual monarchy until Oscar I founded the Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1847. Since 1974 the order is no longer conferred: officially it has been declared an order in "resting", along with the Order of the Sword
Order of the Sword
The Order of the Sword is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the Order of the Seraphim and the Order of the Polar Star.Awarded to officers, and originally intended as an award for bravery and particularly long or useful service, it...

.

The Order had five classes:
  • Commander Grand Cross - wears the badge on a collar (chain) or on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left chest;
  • Commander 1st Class - wears the badge on a necklet, plus the star on the left chest;
  • Commander - wears the badge on a necklet;
  • Knight 1st Class (Member 1st Class for women and clergymen) - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
  • Knight (Member for women and clergymen) - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;


Additionally, the Badge of Vasa and the Medal of Vasa, were both worn on a ribbon on the left chest.

Insignia

  • The collar of the Order is of gold, consisted of four sheaves (the emblem of King Gustav Vasa
    Gustav I of Sweden
    Gustav I of Sweden, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known simply as Gustav Vasa , was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death....

    ), four white-enamelled nettle
    Nettle
    Nettles constitute between 24 and 39 species of flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae, with a cosmopolitan though mainly temperate distribution. They are mostly herbaceous perennial plants, but some are annual and a few are shrubby...

     leaves each bearing a shield in white above red (the emblem of Holstein
    Holstein
    Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....

    , where King Adolf Frederik, the father of King Gustaf III, was born and from which his family, the House of Holstein-Gottorp
    Holstein-Gottorp
    Holstein-Gottorp or Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp is the historiographical name, as well as contemporary shorthand name, for the parts of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein that were ruled by the dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp. Other parts of the duchies were ruled by the kings of Denmark. The...

    , took its name) and eight crowned blue shields bearing the Three Crowns
    Three Crowns
    Three Crowns is a national emblem of Sweden, present in the Coat of Arms of the Realm of Sweden, and composed by three yellow or gilded coronets ordered two above and one below, placed on a blue background....

    , the emblem of Sweden, each flanked by a pair of caduceus
    Caduceus
    The caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings...

     and a pair of cornucopia
    Cornucopia
    The cornucopia or horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form...

    .

  • The badge of the Order is a white-enameled Maltese Cross
    Maltese cross
    The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...

    , in silver for the Knight class, in gilt
    Gilding
    The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...

     for Knight 1st Class and above; crowns appeared between the arms of the cross. The central oval disc, which was identical on both sides, featured a golden sheaf on a black enamel background, surrounded by a red enamel ring bearing the legend Gustaf 3. Instiktare 1772 ("Instituted by Gustaf III, 1772"). The badge hangs from a royal crown. During the early days of the Order, the badge consisted of the oval disc only.

  • The Badge of Vasa is similar to the knight's silver badge of the Order, but the cross had no white enamel.

  • The star of the Order is a silver Maltese Cross with a silver sheaf in the centre. That of Grand Cross also had the abovementioned nettle leaf emblem in silver between the arms of the cross.

  • The ribbon of the Order is green.

  • Formerly the Order also had a distinctive green and white habit worn on formal occasions such as at chapters of the Order. The habit included breeches
    Breeches
    Breeches are an item of clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles...

    , waistcoat
    Waistcoat
    A waistcoat or vest is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear, and as the third piece of the three-piece male business suit.-Characteristics and use:...

    , coat
    Coat
    Coat can refer to any one of the following: *Coat, a layer of a certain substance, usually paint.*Coat , the natural fur coat of an animal.*Coat , an article of clothing for humans.*Coat , the natural fur coat of a dog....

    , cape and a black top hat
    Top hat
    A top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...

     with a plume
    Plume
    Plume may refer to:In science:* Plume , the form of effluent in water or emissions in air* Eruption column, or volcanic plume, a column of hot volcanic ash and gas emitted into the atmosphere during an explosive volcanic eruption...

     of white ostrich
    Ostrich
    The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...

     and black egret
    Egret
    An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...

    feathers.

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