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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 the Armed Fist

- None exists
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 the Armed Fist

After the Kalmar War against Sweden (1611-1613), King Christian IV decided to reward those noblemen who had distinguished themselves in the war. As a result the Order of the Armed Fist was instituted on December 2nd, 1616.


On the day of the institution 12 persons (all noblemen) were knighted. This is the only known bestowal.


Order of the Armed Fist - badge

An example of a badge of the order
(Rosenborg Castle)

The 12 knights were:


  1. Christen Friis
  2. Albret Skeel
  3. Jørgen Lunge
  4. Breide Rantzau
  5. Gert Rantzau
  6. Anders Bille
  7. Ditlev Rantzau
  8. Anders Sinklar (Andrew Sinclair)
  9. Jens Sparre
  10. Marqvardt Pentz
  11. Ulrik Sandberg
  12. Jørgen Skeel

The badge of the order is possibly manufactured and delivered in 1617, as the known badges carry this date.


In 1634 King Christian IV offered the two remaining knights (Christen Friis and Albret Skeel) to exchange the order with the Order of the Elephant.


The badge of the order


The badge is a blue enamelled arm in gold set with diamonds and carrying an iron sword. The badge is worn from a blue ribbon around the neck (connected to the badge with two gold chains).


Order of the Armed Fist - prototype

'Prototype' of a badge of the order
with the monogram of King Christian V
(Rosenborg Castle)

Three preserved badges are known to exist - one badge resides in the collection at Rosenborg Castle and another at the Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød.


The third badge (pictured in Berghman) is in an unknown private collection.


Rosenborg Castle also has 'prototype' badges with the monogram of King Christian V, which indicates that at some point it was considered to revive the order.


There are no known statutes for the order.










Sources:

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

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

Berghman, Arvid "Nordiska Ordnar och Dekorationer" (1949)