Frederick VIII
The Order of Dannebrog, Knight
(Full size)
腓德烈八世時期
丹麥國旗勳章, 騎士級
(官方版)
Item number: M32
Year: AD 1906-1912
Material: Gold and Enamel
The results after XRF testing
royal cypher of RVIII | crown | |
Au | 50.344% | 82.477% |
Ag | 4.007% | 6.865% |
Pb | 3.918% | |
Cu | 6.022% | 8.872% |
Size: 161 x 37 mm
Weight: 15.41 g
Provenance: Livepool Medals 2022
This is the Order of the Dannebrog, Knight class, established by King 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, 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 forces faced 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 Frederick VIII, is distinctive as he had a short reign of only six years.
Frederick VIII, the eldest son of Christian IX, served as Crown Prince for over 40 years, ascending to the throne at the age of 62. Due to his late accession, his health remained frail, and he passed away at the age of 68 in Hamburg, Germany.
物件編號: M32
年代: 公元 1906-1912 年
材質: 黃金, 琺瑯
XRF分析結果
腓德烈八世皇家記號 | 皇冠 | |
金 | 50.344% | 82.477% |
銀 | 4.007% | 6.865% |
鉛 | 3.918% | |
銅 | 6.022% | 8.872% |