Order of the Falcon

The Order of the Falcon (Icelandic: Hin íslenska fálkaorða) is the only order of chivalry in Iceland, founded by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland on 3 July 1921.[1] The award is awarded for merit for Iceland and humanity and has five degrees. Nowadays, appointments are made on the nomination of the President of Iceland and that of a "five-member council."

Order of the Falcon
Grand Cross star
Awarded by the

President of Iceland
TypeState order
EstablishedJuly 3, 1921
Country Iceland
StatusCurrently constituted
Grand MasterPresident of Iceland
Classes
Collar with Grand Cross Breast Star

Grand Cross
Grand Knight's Cross with Star
Grand Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross


Ribbon of the Order of the Falcon

History and appointments

Christian X, the King of Denmark, ruled Iceland until 17 June 1944. During his royal visit to Iceland in 1921, King Christian X issued the royal decree founding the Icelandic Order of the Falcon.[1] When Iceland became a republic, new statutes were incorporated for the Order on 11 July 1944. The Republic of Iceland replaced the King by an elected President of Iceland who is the designated Grand Master of this Order. It may be awarded to both Icelanders and citizens of other countries for achievements in Iceland or internationally.[1] A five-member council makes recommendations on awards to the Grand Master, who then grants the award. However, the Grand Master may award the Order without recommendations from the Order Council.[2] The Grand Master and the Chairman of the Order Council then sign the Letters Patent, which is given to those who receive the awards.

Classes
Grand Cross sash and sash badge
Knight's Crosses on current suspension and older crown suspension

The Order has five classes:[3]

  1. Collar with Grand Cross Breast Star (Keðja ásamt stórkrossstjörnu), only for heads of state
  2. Grand Cross (Stórkross)
  3. Grand Knight's Cross with Star (Stórriddarakross með stjörnu)
  4. Grand Knight's Cross (Stórriddarakross)
  5. Knight's Cross (Riddarakross)

Insignia

The collar is gilded metal; it consists of links bearing the Icelandic coat-of-arms and blue-enamelled discs bearing the white falcon.

The badge consists of a gilt cross, enamelled in white, with a blue-enamelled central disc bearing the white falcon.

The star is a silver, eight-pointed star. For the Grand Cross class it has the badge of the Order superimposed upon it. For the Grand Knight with Star class it has a blue-enamelled central disc bearing the white falcon.

The ribbon is blue with white-red-white border stripes. It is worn on the left shoulder.

In summary:

  • Collar with Grand Cross Breast Star – wears the badge on a collar plus a star on the left chest;
  • Grand Cross – wears the badge on a sash on the left shoulder, plus a star on the left chest;
  • Grand Knight's Cross with Star – wears the badge on a necklet, plus a star on the left chest;
  • Grand Knight's Cross – wears the badge on a necklet;
  • Knight's Cross – wears the badge on a chest ribbon.

If a holder is promoted to a higher rank, the lower rank's insignia must be returned. The insignia is retained during the recipient's lifetime, but it must be returned to the Icelandic Government upon his or her death.

Ribbon bars
Collar with Grand Cross
Grand Cross
Grand Knight's Cross with Star
Grand Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross

Notable recipients

Politicians and heads of state

Artists and entertainers
  • Iceland Björk Guðmundsdóttir (singer, songwriter), 1997
  • Iceland Helga Bachmann (actress)
  • Iceland Ragga Gísla (singer, composer, actor), 2012[5]
  • Iceland Ólöf Pálsdóttir (sculptor), 1970
  • Iceland Steinunn Thorarinsdottir (sculptor)
  • Iceland Vladimir Ashkenazy (pianist, conductor)
  • Iceland Stefán Karl Stefánsson (actor, singer), 2018
  • Iceland Edda Björgvinsdóttir (actress), 2018
  • Iceland Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir (actress), 2023
  • Denmark Erling Bløndal Bengtsson (cellist)
  • United States Brad Leithauser (writer, poet, scholar), awarded 2005.
  • Denmark Victor Borge (Børge "Victor" Rosenbaum) (concert pianist, entertainer)
  • Iceland Þorkell Sigurbjörnsson, Icelandic composer, awarded 1993.
  • Iceland Jónas Jónasson (composer, radio host), 2006
  • Iceland Páll Ísólfsson (organist, composer, radio host), 1940[6]

Scholars
  • United Kingdom George P. L. Walker (Volcanologist)
  • United Kingdom Andrew Wawn (Philologist)
  • Iceland Thorbergur Thorvaldson, cement chemist, awarded 1939.
  • Iceland Unnur Anna Valdimarsdóttir, Professor of Epidemiology, University of Iceland, awarded 2023.
  • United Kingdom A. R. Taylor, Professor of medieval English, Old Norse and modern Icelandic Studies, University of Leeds, awarded 1963
  • United Kingdom Rory McTurk, Professor of Icelandic Studies, University of Leeds, awarded 2007
  • United Kingdom Mark Watson, archaeologist, dog breeder and benefactor, awarded 1965
  • Australia William Paton Cleland (Surgeon)[7]
  • Sweden Anders Grubb, Professor of Clinical Chemistry, University of Lund, awarded 2007 for research on Icelandic hereditary diseases
  • United States John Lindow, Professor Emeritus of Old Norse and Folklore at University of California, Berkeley, awarded 2018 for scholarly contributions in the area of Icelandic medieval literature.
  • United States Carol J. Clover, Professor of Medieval Studies (Early Northern Europe) and American Film at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • United States Lee M. Hollander, translator of Kierkegaard and academic.
  • Iceland Sigrún Árnadóttir, awarded the Knight's Cross for the translation of several books to Icelandic including Alfie Atkins and for her contributions to Icelandic children's culture.

Other
  • United Kingdom Pike Ward, fisherman who started and developed the Icelandic fishing industry, awarded 1936.
  • Iceland Iceland men's national handball team (Silver medalists in handball at the 2008 Summer Olympics)
  • Iceland Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson (chief goði of the Ásatrúarfélagið), 2018
  • Iceland Friðrik Skúlason (computer scientist), 2018
  • United States David Architzel (Vice Admiral, US Navy)
  • Iceland Guðmundur Kjærnested (Commander, Icelandic Coast Guard)
  • Iceland Sunna Olafson Furstenau (Founder/Pres Icelandic Roots; Þjóðræknisfélag Ísland, INL in USA & Canada), 2017
  • Iceland Orri Vigfússon (Chairman of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund)
  • United States Anna Kisselgoff (Columbia Univ.) Awarded 2002
  • United States James L. Kauffman, Vice-admiral during World War II
  • United States William S. Key, Major General during World War II
  • United Kingdom Sir Arthur Young, police officer
  • Finland Antti Tuuri (Writer) translated some Icelandic sagas
  • Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Koča Popović (Colonel General, YPA)
  • United States John W. White, USAF General, Commander Iceland Defense Force
  • Canada Signy Stefansson Eaton, socialite and philanthropist of Icelandic descent

Notes
  1. "The Order of the Falcon". Website of the President of Iceland. English.forseti.is. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  2. Hieronymussen, Poul Ohm; Lundø, Jørgen, eds. (1968). Eurooppalaiset kunniamerkit värikuvina [Europæiske ordner i farver] (in Finnish). Translated by Karnila, Christer. Porvoo: WSOY. p. 101. OCLC 466954328.
  3. The Fellowship of the Order of the Falcon - website of The Reykjavík Grapevine
  4. Hersey, Linda (24 May 2021). "Sen. Murkowski honored by Iceland's president". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  5. "Ellefu sæmd fálkaorðu". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  6. Árni Heimir Ingólfsson, “Ísólfsson, Páll”, In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press; https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.13946, (accessed 19 November 2023).
  7. Caroline Richmond, Obituary of William Paton Cleland (1912-2005), British Medical Journal, 2005, 330; 1212; pdf
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