Orders, decorations, and medals of Sweden

Orders of Sweden constituting the Royal Order of Knights

The Orders, decorations, and medals of Sweden have a historical basis, reaching back to the 1561 founding of the extinct Order of the Savior. The Royal Order of Knights of Sweden were only truly codified in the 18th century, with their formal foundation in 1748 by Frederick I of Sweden. Significant reforms in 1974 changed the conditions and criteria under which many orders and decorations could be awarded.[1]

In 2019, a parliamentary committee was instructed to establish guidelines on how to re-introduce the Swedish orders, including the Order of the Polar Star, into the Swedish honours system, and how Swedish citizens again can be appointed to Swedish orders.[2] The committee presented its findings in September 2021 and the Government declared that a bill on the subject would be presented to the Riksdag on 19 April 2022. The bill passed the Riksdag by a large majority on 19 June 2022.

On 20 December 2022, the Swedish Government published a new regulation that repealed the 1974 regulation, and once again opened the Royal Orders to Swedish citizens and reactivated the Order of the Sword, Order of the Polar Star and Order of Vasa, which came into effect from 1 February 2023.[3][4]

Chart comparing Swedish medal size scale to millimeters scale

## Orders[edit]

### Royal orders of knighthood[edit]

* Royal Order of the Seraphim (Serafimerorden)[5]
* Order of the Sword (Svärdsorden)[6]
* Order of the Polar Star (Nordstjärneorden)[7]
* Order of Vasa (Vasaorden)[8]
* Order of Charles XIII (Carl XIII:s orden)[9]

### Orders of knighthood under royal patronage[edit]

* Order of St John in Sweden (Johanniterorden)[10]

### Fraternal orders under royal patronage[edit]

* Swedish Order of Freemasons (Svenska Frimurare Orden)
* Order of Coldin (Coldinuorden)
* Par Bricole (Par Bricole)
* Order of Svea (Svea Orden)
* Geatish Society (Götiska Förbundet)
* Order of Neptune (Neptuniorden)
* Order of Amarante (Stora Amaranterorden)
* Order of Innocence (Innocenceorden)

## Decorations and medals of the Royal Orders[edit]

* Seraphim Medal
* Medal of the Sword
* Royal Order of Vasa - Silvercross (Vasasign)
* Medal of the Royal Order of the Polar Star - 8th size
* Medal of the Royal Order of Vasa in Gold, 5th size
* Medal of the Royal Order of Vasa in Silver, 5th size

## Royal Medals presented by the King[edit]

* Royal Jubilee Commemorative Medals
* H. M. The King's Medal[11]
* Litteris et Artibus
* Prince Eugen Medal
* Prince Carl Medal

## Royal Medals presented by the Government[edit]

* Illis Quorum[12]
* Medal for Commendable Deeds
* Medal for Civic Virtue
* Medal for Diligent Reindeer Husbandry

## War decorations[edit]

* Royal Order of the Sword \- Grand Cross - Knight 1st Class (dormant - last awarded 1942)
* Royal Order of the Sword \- Grand Cross - Knight (dormant)
* For Valour in the Field, Gold (awarded only in time of war)
* For Valour at Sea, Gold (awarded only in time of war)
* Royal Order of the Sword War Cross in Gold (never awarded)
* Swedish Armed Forces Medal of Merit in gold with sword (2009-) (highest military award in peacetime)
* Swedish Armed Forces Medal for Wounded in Battle, Gold (only awarded posthumously)
* For Valour in the Field, Silver (awarded only in time of war)
* For Valour at Sea, Silver (awarded only in time of war)
* Royal Order of the Sword War Cross in Silver (never awarded)
* Swedish Armed Forces Medal of Merit in silver with sword (2009-)
* Swedish Armed Forces Medal for Wounded in Battle, Silver
* Royal Order of the Sword War Cross in bronze (never awarded)

## Military medals[edit]

Military medals:[13]

* Swedish Armed Forces Medal for Wounded in Battle (2011–)
* gold (only posthumously awarded)
* silver with star (repeatedly awards)
* silver
* Swedish Armed Forces Medal of Merit (1995–2007)
* gold with swords
* silver with swords
* gold
* silver
* Swedish Armed Forces International Service Medal of Reward with Swords (1995–2007)
* gold
* silver
* Swedish Armed Forces Medal of Merit (2008–)
* gold
* silver
* Swedish Armed Forces Conscript Medal (2002–2010)
* Swedish Armed Forces Reserve Officer Medal (2003/2008–)
* gold
* silver
* Swedish Armed Forces Service Medal for National Defense (2015-)
* gold with Three Crowns ribbon device
* gold
* silver
* bronze
* Swedish Armed Forces International Service Medal (1991/1994/2012–)
* bronze
* with medal clasp (Name of the mission area)
* with medal clasp and laurel wreath (Honorary Award)
* with medal clasp and palm (Field hospital in Saudi Arabia)
* with medal clasp and crossed spears (Somalia)
* with medal clasp and Star (Liberia)
* with medal clasp and a Dromedary (Early missions in Afghanistan)
* with medal clasp and laurel wreath (Georgia OSSE, Former Yugoslavia)

## See also[edit]

* List of honours of the Swedish royal family by country
* List of honours of Sweden awarded to heads of state and royalty

## References[edit]

1. ^ Orders, Swedish Royal Court Archived 2010-07-22 at the Wayback Machine, date accessed 2011-04-22.
2. ^ "Dir. 2019:76 Kommittédirektiv Det offentliga belöningssystemet, de allmänna flaggdagarna och utformningen av anslaget till hovet" (PDF) (in Swedish). Government of Sweden. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
3. ^ "Ett offentligt belöningssystem för Sveriges främsta utmärkelser" (Media Release) (in Swedish). Justitiedepartementet, Regeringskansliet. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
4. ^ "Förordning om Sveriges främsta utmärkelser" (PDF). Svensk författningssamling (SFS 2022:1800) (in Swedish). Regeringskansliet. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
5. ^ "The Order of the Seraphim - Sveriges Kungahus".
6. ^ "The Order of the Sword - Sveriges Kungahus".
7. ^ "The Order of the Polar Star - Sveriges Kungahus".
8. ^ "The Order of Vasa - Sveriges Kungahus".
9. ^ "Orders - Sveriges Kungahus".
10. ^ Kungahuset, The Orders in Sweden
11. ^ Medals, Swedish Royal Court, date accessed 2011-04-24
12. ^ Medals and Awards Archived 2013-02-05 at the Wayback Machine, Government of Sweden, 31 August 2010.
13. ^ Laestadius, Patrik, ed. (2015). Reglemente: uniformsbestämmelser 2015 : Unibest FM 2015 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Swedish Armed Forces. pp. 604–605. SELIBR 19513428. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2017-01-23.

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Orders, decorations, and medals of Sweden

Orders|

| Orders of His Majesty the King
See also: Royal family order#Sweden|

Royal Order of the Seraphim (Seraphim Medal)
Royal Order of the Sword (Medal of the Sword)
Royal Order of the Polar Star (Medal of the Polar Star)
Royal Order of Vasa (Vasa Medal)

|

Official royal order of chivalry|

Royal Order of Charles XIII (only for members of the Swedish Order of Freemasons)

Semi-official order of chivalry with royal patronage|

Order of Saint John in Sweden (de facto only for male members of the House of Nobility)

Defunct|

* Order of the Saviour
* Order of Agnus Dei
* Order of Jehova
* Ordre de l'Harmonie
* Order of Amarante
* Order of the Name of Jesus

Medals|

| Royal|

* Seraphim Medal
* H. M. The King's Medal
* Litteris et Artibus
* Royal Jubilee Commemorative Medals
* Prince Eugen Medal
* Prince Carl Medal

|

Swedish
Armed Forces|

* Medal of Merit
* Gold
* Silver
* Medal for Wounded in Battle
* Gold
* Silver
* Reserve Officer Medal
* Gold
* Silver
* International Service Medal
* Service Medal for National Defence
* Gold
* Silver
* Bronze
* Basic Training Medal
* Home Guard Medal of Merit
* Gold
* Silver
* Home Guard Silver Medal
* Home Guard Bronze Medal

* Home Guard Service Medal

Governmental|

* Illis quorum
* Sui memores alios fecere merendo
* Medal for Noble Deeds
* Medal for Civic Virtue
* Medal for Diligent Reindeer Husbandry
* For Zealous and Devoted Service of the Realm

Defunct|

* For Valour in the Field
* For Valour at Sea
* For Courage and Fierceness at Sea during Perilous Time
* Medal of Merit
* International Service Medal of Reward

Fraternal orders
with royal patronage|

* Swedish Order of Freemasons
* Order of Coldin
* Par Bricole
* Order of Svea
* Geatish Society
* Order of Neptune
* Order of Amarante
* Order of Innocence

* Sweden portal

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Orders, decorations, and medals by country

Africa|

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Former|

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Americas|

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Former|

* Mexican Empire

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Former|

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Europe|

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Oceania|

* Australia
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Former|

* Hawaii

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