The Order of the Elephant (or Elefantordenen in Danish) is Denmark’s highest honor and a prestigious order of chivalry. Though it has roots in the 15th century, it was officially established in its current form in 1693.
The Order traces back to a 15th-century religious confraternity, the Fellowship of the Mother of God, limited to Danish aristocrats. The confraternity’s badge depicted the Virgin Mary and Child within a crescent moon, hung from an elephant-themed collar. Although the confraternity dissolved after the Reformation in 1536, King Frederick II continued using an elephant badge, inspired by the confraternity’s chaplain’s insignia.
In its current form, the Order was established on 1 December 1693 by King Christian V, limited to 30 noble knights plus the Grand Master (the king) and his sons. In 1958, the statutes were amended to allow both men and women to join.
The Order’s emblem, featuring an elephant and a castle, is inspired by the Indian howdah, a carriage mounted on an elephant’s back, a design the Danes encountered during their colonial rule in parts of India. The Indian howdah has been replaced with a European castle, but the elephant rider remains.
The Order of the Elephant Design
The Order of the Elephant features a gold collar made up of alternating elephants and towers. The elephants’ covers bear the letter “D” for Dania, the medieval Latin name for Denmark. The collar is typically worn only on New Year’s Day during the Danish monarch’s New Year’s Court and on major occasions like coronations or jubilees.
Originally, knights wore a distinctive habit on very solemn occasions, consisting of a white doublet, breeches, stockings, and shoes, with a red mantle lined in white and embroidered with the Order’s star. A short white shoulder cape with gold flames and the Order’s collar was worn over this. The ensemble was completed with a black hat featuring a plume of white and red ostrich feathers.
The Badge
The badge is a white-enameled gold elephant with blue housings, approximately 5 cm high. It carries a pink-enameled watch tower adorned with diamonds. A colorfully attired Moorish mahout sits in front of the tower, holding a golden rod. The elephant has a diamond on its forehead and smaller diamonds for eyes, a cross of five diamonds on its right side, and the reigning monarch’s crowned monogram on its left. The badge can be hung from the collar or tied to the sash via a large enameled gold ring at the top of the tower. About 72 such elephants exist at the Order’s chancery or in circulation, with an estimated total of around 100, including those in museums.
The Star
The star of the Order is an eight-pointed silver star with smooth rays. It features a red enamel disc with a white cross at the center, surrounded by a silver laurel wreath, and is worn on the left side of the chest.
The Sash
The sash is made of light-blue silk moiré, 10 cm wide for men and 6 cm wide for women. It is worn over the left shoulder, with the elephant resting on the right hip. The collar is not worn when the sash is used.
