The Order of Amarante, or Amarante Order (; ), was a fraternal order of Swedish knights, founded in 1653 by Queen Christina of Sweden at Epiphany. The Order was established in honor and memory of her meetings with the Spanish ambassador Antonio Pimentel de Prado, who originated from Amarante, Portugal. He was also the first to receive the award. The Order was limited to 15 knights, who had to remain unmarried.
Order members were those "who participated in the Queen's most intimate pleasures." Among the original members were (besides the Spanish ambassador) the French ambassador Pierre Chanut, Venetian ambassador Francesco Morosini, Denmark's national steward Corfitz Ulfeldt, Poland's crown chancellor Hieronim Radziejowski, chamberlain Christoph Delphicus zu Dohna, Jacob De la Gardie, Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie and Clas Tott (1630–1674). The Order was also awarded to Władysław IV Vasa, Elector John George of Saxony, and Frederick, Landgrave of Hesse-Eschwege.
The members of the Order had to take part in a supper on Saturday evening at Jacobsdal, called the "Feast of the Gods" in the happy Arcadia. Ulfeldt was god Jupiter, Pimentel was dressed as a war god Mars and Radziejowski as Bacchus into the hall on a barrel with a large vinstop in hand. There were fourteen dancing couples on the first evening.
In 1656, the Order was dissolved. In July 1760, the Order of the Amarant was revived again as the in Stockholm, Sweden by Claes Qvist. The Order holds its ceremony and ball in Stockholm at Grand Hotel every even year since mid of the 19th century.
"Amaranth" derives from Greek (amarantos), "unfading," with the Greek word for "flower," ἄνθος (anthos), factoring into the word's development as "amaranth." The more accurate "amarant" is an archaic variant.
Amaranther Order
The Grand Amaranther Order (Swedish: :sv:Stora Amaranterorden) is the Swedish Fraternal Society which heads the chivalric Order of Amaranth under the patronage of the Monarch of Sweden.
Order of Amaranth
Grades Grand Cross - Special Class - 1st Class - 2nd Class
- Officer - Knight
Grand Masters 2007 - 2017 - Baron Per Taube af Odenkat 2017 - Present - Count Fredrik Taube
Honorary Grand Masters
1952 - 1956 - Princess Estelle Bernadotte 1956 - 1962 - Vacant 1962 - 1964 - Countess Margareta Essen 1964 - 1966 - Baroness Gunhild Platen 1966 - 1968 - Baroness Susan af Ugglas 1968 - 2002 - Position Dormant 2002 - 2004 - Princess Christina of Sweden 2004 - 2006 - Catherine von Heidenstam 2006 - 2008 - Princess Anni-Frid, Countess of Plauen 2008 - 2010 - Princess Marie, Princess of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich 2010 - 2012 - Christina d'Otrante, Duchess of Otrante 2012 - 2014 - Countess Catharina Schinkel 2014 - 2016 - Countess Else Essen 2016 - 2018 - Princess Silvia d'Arenberg, Duchess of Arenberg 2018 - 2020 - Countess Caroline Hamilton 2020 - 2022 - Vacant 2022 - 2024 - Princess Marie Luise of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg 2024 - 2026 - Baroness Anna Bonde 2026 - present - Princess Sophie, Princess of Prussia
Recipients Sweden King Gustaf VI Adolf - Special Class Queen Louise - Special Class (1924) Princess Estelle Bernadotte - Special Class Princess Margaretha Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld - Special Class (1960) Princess Christina - Special Class (1966) King Carl XVI Gustaf - Special Class Queen Silvia - Special Class Tord Magnuson - Special Class
Foreign Grand Cross
Princess Thyra
Prince Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse Princess Marie Luise of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg - Special Class (2022) Princess Natascha of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg - 2nd Class (2022) Prince Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia - Special Class (2026) Princess Sophie, Princess of Prussia - Special Class (2026)
Grand Duke Jean I - Special Class Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte - Special Class
King Olav V - Special Class Princess Astrid - Special Class
Queen Elizabeth II - Special Class (1956) Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh - Special Class (1956) Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon - Special Class (1956) Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester - Special Class (1956) Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester - Special Class (1956)
References
Sources C. G. U. Scheffer, Stora amaranterordens historia (1942).