Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
Christian IX
The Order of Dannebrog, Knight
(Miniature)
克里斯蒂安九世時期
丹麥國旗勳章, 騎士級
(迷你版)
Item number: M31
Year: AD 1863-1906
Material: Gold and Enamel
Size: 64 x 17 mm
Weight: 3.47 g
Provenance: Dixons Medals 2022
This is the Order of the Dannebrog, Knight class(miniature), established byKing Christian V of Denmark-Norway in AD 1671. Members of the Order, known as the White Knights, correspond to the members of the Order of the Elephant, who were known as the Blue Knights. The Order of the Elephant, originating in Denmark in the 15th century, is the highest honor in Denmark. In AD 1808, King Frederick VI reformed the Order of the Dannebrog, dividing it into four classes, each further sub-divided into different grades and titles:
In AD 1863, the class of Commander was split into two classes(with and without a breast star). In AD 1951, following a royal decree amendment, women were allowed to join the Order. In AD 1952, the rank of Knight was similarly divided into two classes. It is noteworthy that the class of Grand Commander is reserved for persons of princely origin or those members closely related to the Danish royal family.
At present, the Order is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated meritorious service in civil or military capacities, made significant contributions to arts, science, or business, or contributed to Danish interests.
The order features an enameled, red-bordered white cross of the Danish national flag, with a Danish royal crown decorations in each angle between the arms of the cross.Positioned at the center of the obverse is the royal cypher of King Christian V, encircled by the motto of the Order: “Gud og Kongen” (God and the King) on each top of the arms. On the reverse, the royal cypher of King Valdemar II Sejr is at the centerof the cross, linked to the legend of the origin of the Danish national flag.
Legend attributes the adoption of Denmark’s national flag—characterized by a red background bearing a white cross—to King Valdemar II. During the Battle of Lindanise in AD 1219, when King Valdemar II led an expedition to Estonia, the Danish forcesfaced imminent defeat. According to the tale, at a critical moment, a red cloth with a white cross supposedly descended from the sky. This event is said to have turned the tide of fortune for the Danish army, leading to their ultimate victory. This occurrence is believed to be the inspiration for the choice of the red and white cross as the symbol for Denmark’s national flag.
The 12 o’clock arm of the cross bears the royal cypher of King Frederick VI (pertaining to the significant reform of the Order in AD 1808), while the other three arms are inscribed with the accession years of three important figures: Valdemar II (AD 1219), Christian V (AD 1671), and Frederick VI (AD 1808).
Attached to the suspension ring is the Danish crown, with the monogram of the reigning monarch below, main materials of both are gold. Each new monarch introduces a unique letter combination. The featured order, bestowed by Christian IX.
Christian IX, known as the “Father-in-law of Europe,” reigned as the King of Denmark from AD 1863 to AD 1906. His lineage extended across various European royal houses, earning him the moniker. To this day, a majority of reigning and former European royal families trace their ancestry directly to Christian IX. Current European monarchs, such as Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, King Charles III of the United Kingdom, King Philippe of Belgium, are his direct descendants.
Ascending the throne during a challenging period, he successfully navigated Denmark through constitutional changes and the Second Schleswig War. Christian IX fostered a new era of diplomacy by strategically marrying his children into European royal houses, earning him the moniker. His descendants went on to play significant roles in various European monarchies, earning him the reputation of the “Father-in-law of Europe.” Christian IX’s reign was characterized by his diplomatic acumen, modernization efforts, and the establishment of lasting royal connections across Europe.
Generally, the width of a Knight-class Order of the Dannebrog insignia falls within the range of 40-50 millimeters, with a weight of approximately 20 grams. However, this specific medal has a width of 17 millimeters and a total weight of only 3.47 grams, indicating it is a miniature version likely crafted by private artisans. During that era, many recipients would commission local jewelers to create scaled-down or miniature versions of the insignia for easier portability or as substitutes when official replacements were needed. The image below illustrates a price list from the early times, showing various sizes and materials offered by private craftsmen.
此徽章的外形是一個琺瑯材質的帶紅色邊框的白色丹麥國旗十字,十字架臂間的各個角落各有一頂丹麥王冠,在徽章正面十字架的中心刻有騎士團創始人克里斯蒂安五世的皇家記號,十字架四個頂端的文字則為該騎士團的訓言: Gud og Kongen(上帝和國王)。
在此勳章的背面,十字架的中心有丹麥國王瓦爾德馬二世 (Valdemar II Sejr)的皇家記號,傳聞瓦爾德馬二世國王與丹麥使用紅底白十字作為國旗的來由有關。瓦爾德馬二世國王在公元1219年的林達尼斯戰役中遠征愛沙尼亞時,一度屈居下風差點落敗,傳說中此時天空飄下一片帶白十字的紅布,讓丹麥軍隊的運勢轉變,贏得勝利。