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OMSD Journal

The OMSD Journal is published approx. 2 times a year.

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OMSD Books

OMSD has published several books with content related to orders and medals.

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OMSD Publishing

Ordenshistorisk Forlag is a publisher who - independent from OMSD - publishes books about orders and medals.

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Related Documents
Related documents

The Order of Queen Caroline Mathilde

(in french and danish only)
Ribbon Guide

Click here to see a list of ribbons for Danish orders and medals.

The OMSD Collection

The OMSD Collection is a collection of orders, medals etc. donated to OMSD.

The Order of Queen Caroline Mathilde

The Order of Queen Caroline Mathilde was instituted by the Queen in 1771 on the King's birthday (January 29th). It had only a short life, as it was obsoleted on the 17th of January 1772 when the Queen was exiled.


The order could be awarded to both men and women, but the no. of members could never exceed 24. Holders of the order instituted by the previous queen - the Order of Fidelity - had to return this order if they were awarded the Order of Mathilde.


At the time of institution of the order, the following persons were awarded:


  1. King Christian VII
  2. Queen Caroline Mathilde
  3. Dowager Queen Juliane Marie
  4. Prince Frederik
  5. Baroness von Schimmelmann
  6. Mrs. General von Gähler
  7. Countess Holstein of Holsteinsborg
  8. Lt.Gen. Carl Schach
  9. Minister Adolph Siegfried Count von der Osten
  10. Lt.Gen. Peter Elias von Gähler
  11. Chamberlain von Brandt
  12. Minister Struense

No other documented bestowals are known.


Order of Mathilde - the badge of the order

The presumed appearance
of the badge

The badge of the order


No surviving badges of the order are known to exist, so the description is based on paintings and descriptions from the period.


The badge is a crowned 'M' in an oval ring. Both crown, monogram and ring are set with diamonds. Around the ring is a laurel wreath set with pearls. The ribbon is red with silver stripes.


Men wear the order around the neck ("en sautoir"), while women wear the badge from a bow on the chest.


The only two preserved copies of the statutes of the order reside in the National Archives ("Rigsarkivet").


Sources:

Grandjean, H.F "De Kongelige Danske Ridderordener" (1903)

Stevnsborg, Lars "Kongeriget Danmarks Ordener, Medaljer og Hæderstegn" (2005)

Andersen, Carl "Rosenborg - Mindeblade fra De Danske Kongers Kronologiske Samling" (1867)