# Order of Vasa > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Order_of_Vasa > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Order_of_Vasa.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Vasa > Source revision: 1319225446 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Swedish order of chivalry "Vasaorden" redirects here. For the royal barge, see [Vasaorden (barge)](/source/Vasaorden_(barge)). Royal Order of Vasa Kungliga Vasaorden Knight 1st Class Cross of the Swedish Order of Vasa (1945) Awarded by the monarch of Sweden Type Five grade order of merit Established 1772 Royal house Bernadotte Eligibility Swedish and foreign citizens Awarded for Services to agriculture, mining, art, trade, industry, crafts and education. Status Active (since 1 February 2023) Sovereign King Carl XVI Gustaf Chancellor Svante Lindqvist[1] Grades Commander Grand Cross (KmstkVO) Commander 1st Class (KVO1kl) Commander (KVO) Knight/Member 1st Class (RVO1kl) Knight/Member (RVO) Statistics First induction 1772 Last induction 28 May 2025 Precedence Next (higher) Royal Order of the Polar Star Next (lower) Order of Charles XIII Ribbon bar of the order The **Royal Order of Vasa** ([Swedish](/source/Swedish_language): *Kungliga Vasaorden*) is a Swedish [order of chivalry](/source/Order_of_chivalry) founded on 29 May 1772 by [King Gustav III](/source/Gustav_III). It is awarded to Swedish citizens for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. ## History The order was founded on 29 May 1772 by [King Gustav III](/source/Gustav_III). Its name is derived from the [House of Vasa](/source/House_of_Vasa). Membership was unrestricted by birth or education, as opposed to the other orders which were reserved for nobility, military personnel or the learned professions. During the [union between Sweden and Norway](/source/Union_between_Sweden_and_Norway), the Order of Vasa was often awarded to Norwegians until the [Order of Saint Olav](/source/Order_of_Saint_Olav) was founded in 1847. Following significant reforms to the Swedish honours system in 1974, the Order of Vasa and the [Order of the Sword](/source/Order_of_the_Sword) were considered dormant and membership in the [Order of the Seraphim](/source/Order_of_the_Seraphim) and the [Order of the Polar Star](/source/Order_of_the_Polar_Star) were restricted to foreigners and, after 1995, the royal family. In 2019, a parliamentary committee was instructed to establish guidelines on how to re-introduce the Swedish orders, including the Order of Vasa, 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 presented a [bill](/source/Bill_(law)) on the subject to the [Riksdag](/source/Riksdag) on 19 April 2022. Following the passage of the bill 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 again and reactivated the Order of the Sword and the Order of Vasa, which came in effect from 1 February 2023.[3][4][5] On 21 March 2024, the order was awarded for the first time since 1974 to, among others, the members of [ABBA](/source/ABBA).[6] The Swedish [royal barge](/source/Royal_barge) *[Vasaorden](/source/Vasaorden_(royal_barge))* takes its name from the order. ## Grades 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* – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest; and - *Knight* – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest. Before 2023, clergymen and women were not made knights; instead, they were made *Ledamot av andliga ståndet* ("Member of the Cloth") and *Ledamot* ("Member"), respectively. However, since 2023, the order makes no distinction among clergy, men and women.[7] Additionally, the *Badge of Vasa* and the [Vasa Medal](/source/Vasa_Medal) were both worn on a ribbon on the left chest. ## Investiture Before 1975 each royal order had its own investiture ceremony. When the royal orders were reinstated, however, this practice was not restored. Instead, a new state ceremony was created in which all recipients of all orders are awarded. The new ceremony is held in the White Sea Hall of the Stockholm Palace, decorated with the banners and insignia of the royal orders. After the King and Queen have been announced by the Herald of the Royal Orders, by tapping his staff on the floor twice, and have made their entrance to the Seraphim March, the Chancellor of the Royal Orders makes an introductory speech and the King himself delivers a speech. Each recipient of each order is, one by one, one order at a time from highest to lowest in rank, announced and called upon by the Deputy Chancellor of the Royal Orders to receive the insignia from the King and shake his hand. After all recipients of a certain order have received their awards, the fanfare of that order is performed before the investiture of members of the next order begins. This ceremony was first held on 31 May 2024.[8][9][10][11] ## Insignia and habit - The *collar* of the Order is of gold, consisted of four [sheaves](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sheaf) (the emblem of [King Gustav Vasa](/source/Gustav_I_of_Sweden)), four white-enamelled [nettle](/source/Urtica) leaves each bearing a shield in white above red (the emblem of [Holstein](/source/Holstein), where King Adolf Frederik, the father of King Gustaf III, was born and from which his family, the House of [Holstein-Gottorp](/source/Holstein-Gottorp), took its name) and eight crowned blue shields bearing the [Three Crowns](/source/Three_Crowns), the emblem of Sweden, each flanked by a pair of [caduceus](/source/Caduceus) and a pair of [cornucopia](/source/Cornucopia). - The *badge* of the Order is a white-enameled [Maltese Cross](/source/Maltese_Cross), in silver for the Knight class, in [gilt](/source/Gilding) 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 green [breeches](/source/Breeches) and a green [doublet](/source/Doublet_(clothing)) with padded shoulders, both with white [piping](/source/Piping_(sewing)), a white sash with a gold [fringe](/source/Fringe_(trim)) around the waist and a green [mantle](/source/Mantle_(clothing)) with a white lining. The star of the Order was embroidered over the left breast of both the doublet and the mantle. A black [top hat](/source/Top_hat) with gold hat band and a [plume](/source/Plume_(feather)) of white [ostrich](/source/Ostrich) and black [egret](/source/Egret) feathers and a pair of green [boots](/source/Boot) with gilded spurs completed the habit. The collar of the Order was worn over the shoulders of the doublet. Ribbon bars Commander Grand Cross Commander 1st Class Commander Knight 1st Class Knight ## Recipients (since 2023) Year Name Citizenship Main occupation Grade 21 March 2024[12] Antonia Ax:son Johnson Sweden Director Commander Grand Cross (KmstkVO) Benny Andersson Artist Commander First Class (KVO1kl) Agnetha Fältskog Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Reuss) Björn Ulvaeus Eva Rydberg Actress Commander (KVO) Bettan Byvald Socionom Knight First Class (RVO1kl) Thomas Sjöström Business Area Manager Knight (RVO) 30 April 2025[13] Marie Ehrling Sweden Director Commander First Class (KVO1kl) Nina Stemme Hovsångare Gunilla Arhén Director Commander (KVO) Ole Wiggo Bang Former opera director of Wermland Opera Marie Göranzon Malmsjö Actress Håkan Lans Doctor of Technology, honoris causa Crister Stark Director Karin Bodin Director Knight First Class (RVO1kl) Ulf Elfving Journalist Ingrid Le Roux Physician Knight (RVO) Staffan Braw Business Developer Vasa Medal Kim Norman Photographer ## Images - The royal barge built for Gustav III, named *[Vasaorden](/source/Vasaorden_(barge))*, is still used on rare ceremonial occasions - Star and [collar](/source/Livery_collar) of the order. ## See also - [Orders, decorations, and medals of Sweden](/source/Orders%2C_decorations%2C_and_medals_of_Sweden) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [https://www.kungahuset.se/monarkinhovstaterna/ordnarochmedaljer/aktuellt/aktuelltkmo/personalforandringarvidkunglmajtsorden.5.70c48ec167c5b6b0c114a6a.html](https://www.kungahuset.se/monarkinhovstaterna/ordnarochmedaljer/aktuellt/aktuelltkmo/personalforandringarvidkunglmajtsorden.5.70c48ec167c5b6b0c114a6a.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190126000819/https://www.kungahuset.se/monarkinhovstaterna/ordnarochmedaljer/aktuellt/aktuelltkmo/personalforandringarvidkunglmajtsorden.5.70c48ec167c5b6b0c114a6a.html) 2019-01-26 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) | publisher=Kungahuset (Official page of the [Royal Court of Sweden](/source/Royal_Court_of_Sweden) | access-date = 2022-01-29 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Dir. 2019:76 Kommittédirektiv Det offentliga belöningssystemet, de allmänna flaggdagarna och utformningen av anslaget till hovet"](https://www.regeringen.se/4adb15/contentassets/8592634f24954076a046e836ac6e3d40/det-offentliga-beloningssystemet-de-allmanna-flaggdagarna-och-utformningen-av-anslaget-till-hovet-dir-2019-76.pdf) (PDF) (in Swedish). [Government of Sweden](/source/Government_of_Sweden). 7 November 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Ett offentligt belöningssystem för Sveriges främsta utmärkelser"](https://web.archive.org/web/20241006000404/https://www-regeringen-se.translate.goog/pressmeddelanden/2022/12/ett-offentligt-beloningssystem-for-sveriges-framsta-utmarkelser/?_x_tr_sl=sv&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc) (in Swedish). Justitiedepartementet, Regeringskansliet. 21 December 2022. Archived from [the original](https://www-regeringen-se.translate.goog/pressmeddelanden/2022/12/ett-offentligt-beloningssystem-for-sveriges-framsta-utmarkelser/?_x_tr_sl=sv&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc) (Media Release) on 6 October 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Förordning om Sveriges främsta utmärkelser"](https://svenskforfattningssamling.se/sites/default/files/sfs/2022-12/SFS2022-1800.pdf) (PDF). *Svensk författningssamling (SFS 2022:1800)* (in Swedish). Regeringskansliet. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Sunnqvist, Martin (30 January 2023). ["Det är nytt med vårt nya ordenssystem"](https://www.svd.se/a/76qkgv/det-ar-nytt-med-vart-nya-ordenssystem) (in Swedish). Svenska Dagbladet. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Ordnar till tretton exceptionella svenskar"](https://kungligmajestatsorden.se/nyhetsarkiv/nyheter/2024-03-21-ordnar-till-tretton-exceptionella-svenskar). *Kungl. Maj:ts Orden* (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-21. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["STATUTES FOR THE ROYAL SWEDISH ORDERS (adopted on 15 February 2023)"](https://kungligmajestatsorden.se/download/18.516d7c47186a1c5d5561fdc3/1678188499162/Ordensstadgar.pdf) (PDF) (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-23. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Rätzer, Johan BratellSarah (2024-05-31). ["Abba återförenas inför kungen – får unik utmärkelse | Nöje | Expressen"](https://www.expressen.se/noje/abba-aterforenas-infor-kungen-far-unik-utmarkelse/). *www.expressen.se* (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-06-19. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Rådegård, Isabella (2024-05-31). ["Abba-medlemmarna har fått kunglig orden"](https://www.svt.se/kultur/abba-medlemmarna-far-kunglig-orden). *SVT Nyheter* (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-06-19. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Här blir Abba riddare på Slottet"](https://www.gp.se/kultur-noje/noje-kultur/har-blir-abba-riddare-pa-slottet.593d14b0-1c3b-52dd-bdd4-69a546fba60d). *Göteborgs-Posten* (in Swedish). 2024-05-31. Retrieved 2024-06-19. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** url=[https://www.kungahuset.se/arkiv/nyheter/2024-05-29-ordensforlaningsceremoni-pa-kungl.-slottet](https://www.kungahuset.se/arkiv/nyheter/2024-05-29-ordensforlaningsceremoni-pa-kungl.-slottet) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Ordensförläningar_2024._12-0)** ["Ordnar till tretton exceptionella svenskar"](https://kungligmajestatsorden.se/nyhetsarkiv/nyheter/2024-03-21-ordnar-till-tretton-exceptionella-svenskar). Retrieved 2024-03-21. (in Swedish) Kungl. Maj:ts Orden 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Kungliga riddarordnar för exceptionella insatser"](https://kungligmajestatsorden.se/nyhetsarkiv/nyheter/2025-04-30-kungliga-riddarordnar-for-exceptionella-insatser). *kungligmajestatsorden.se* (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 April 2025. ## Further reading - *Orders and Decorations of Europe in Color* by Paul Hieronymussen and photographed by [Aage Struwing](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aage_Struwing&action=edit&redlink=1) [[da](https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aage_Struwing)]; English translation by Christine Crowley. The MacMillan Company. New York, 1967. Originally published as *Europaeiske Ordner I Faever* @ Politikens Forlag, 1966. Color plates # 33–37; terxt p. 127. - *The Orders of Chivalry from the Original Statutes of the Various Orders of Knighthood and other Sources of Information* by J. H. Lawrence-Archer. London: W. H. Allen and Company, 13 Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, S. W. Publishers to the India Office. 1887. ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Order of Vasa](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Order_of_Vasa). - [The Order of Vasa](https://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/themonarchytheroyalcourt/theswedishmonarchy/orders/theorderofvasa.4.396160511584257f2180004671.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210518120220/https://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/themonarchytheroyalcourt/theswedishmonarchy/orders/theorderofvasa.4.396160511584257f2180004671.html) 2021-05-18 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) at the website of the Swedish Royal Court v t e 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 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 Authority control databases International VIAF National United States --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Order of Vasa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Vasa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Vasa?action=history)). 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