Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog (Danish: Dannebrogordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known as White Knights to distinguish them from the Blue Knights who were members of the Order of the Elephant. In 1808, the Order was reformed and divided into four classes. The statute of the Order was amended in 1951 by a Royal Ordinance so that both men and women could be members of the Order. Today, the Order of the Dannebrog is a means of honouring and rewarding the faithful servants of the modern Danish state for meritorious civil or military service, for a particular contribution to the arts, sciences or business life, or for working for Danish interests.
| Order of the Dannebrog Dannebrogordenen | |
|---|---|
Order of the Dannebrog, Breast Star of the Grand Cross, unofficial model | |
| Awarded by Sovereign of Denmark | |
| Type | Chivalric order with six grades, one grade augmentation, and one related decoration |
| Established | 12 October 1671 |
| Country | Kingdom of Denmark |
| Ribbon | White with red edges |
| Motto | Gud og Kongen (Danish for 'God and the King') |
| Criteria | Meritorious civil or military service, for a particular contribution to the arts, sciences or business life, or for those working for Danish interests |
| Status | Currently constituted |
| Founder | Christian V |
| Grand Master | Frederik X |
| Grades | Grand Commander (S.Kmd.) Grand Cross (S.K.) Commander 1st Class (K.1) Commander (K.) Knight 1st Class (R.1) Knight (R.) |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order of the Elephant |
| Next (lower) | Medal of Merit |
| Related | Decoration of the Cross of Honour of the Dannebrog |
Grand Commander
Knight Ribbon bars of the Order | |