- Time Period: Pre World War I
- Institution: 1748
- Country: Sweden
The Royal Order of the Seraphim, known in Swedish as Kungliga Serafimerorden, was established by King Frederick I on February 23, 1748, along with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Polar Star.
The order, named after the Seraphim, a category of angels, is the highest order of chivalry in Sweden. It consists of a single class, conferring the title of Knight (referred to as Member for women and Member of the Cloth for clergymen).
In 1975, as part of a reorganization of Swedish orders, appointments of Swedish citizens to the various orders ceased (except for foreign heads of state). In 1995, revisions to the law allowed for conferrals upon members of the royal family and on December 20, 2022, the Swedish Government issued a new regulation repealing the 1974 restriction, thereby once again permitting conferrals of the Royal Orders to Swedish citizens, effective from February 1, 2023.
The History of the Order of the Seraphim
Upon its establishment in 1748, the knights of the Order of thr Seraphim were tasked with overseeing the major hospitals and mental asylums in Sweden, notably the Seraphim Hospital in Stockholm, which remained a prominent medical institution until its closure in 1980.
However, as the 19th century progressed, this obligation became obsolete due to the establishment of professional boards of physicians and other experts, rendering the supervision by the Knights of the Seraphim unnecessary.
The Order of the Seraphim Design
The emblem of the Order features a white-enamelled gold Maltese Cross, with a gold patriarchal cross adorning each arm and gold seraphim positioned between the arms, their wings encompassing the central medallion.
On the obverse medallion, blue enamel serves as the backdrop for a white-enamelled “IHS” Christogram, flanked by three gold crowns above and representations of the three nails used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ below. The reverse medallion, also in blue enamel, bears the white-enamelled letters “FRS” (Fredericus, Rex Sueciae, Frederick King of Sweden), honoring the Order’s founder. The emblem is suspended from a royal crown crafted from gold and enamel.
The star of the Order mirrors the design of the badge’s front side, excluding the royal crown. However, it is entirely crafted from silver, with the central medallion enameled like that on the badge but larger in size.
The ribbon is pale blue, a hue referred to in Sweden as seraphim blue.
