Order of Charles XIII

The Order of Charles XIII
King Charles XIII of Sweden wearing the cross of the order (in red)
Awarded by The Monarch of Sweden
Type	Single grade order of merit
Eligibility	High-ranking Christian Freemasons
Awarded for	Service to Freemasonry.
Status	Currently constituted
Grand Master	His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Grades (w/ post-nominals)	Knight (RCXIII:sO)
Established	1811
First induction	1811

The Order of Charles XIII (Swedish: Carl XIII:s orden) is a Swedish order of knighthood, founded by King Charles XIII in 1811. The Lord and Master of the Order is the King of Sweden, currently His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf. The order can only be conferred on Freemasons of Protestant faith. The membership of the order comprises:

• Three clerical members.

• Thirty lay members and never more than 7 non-Swedish members, each holding the XI (honorary and highest) degree of the Swedish Rite of Freemasonry.

There can never be more than 33 persons who have the order at the same time. (Men of royal blood are additional).

The insignia consists of a red St George cross, in the centre a white globe with the monogram of the institutor, two opposite letters C surrounding XIII, in gold. On the reverse the globe has the letter B in gold in an equilateral black and gold edged triangle. The cross is surmounted by a closed golden crown. The insignia is worn around the neck in a red ribbon.

The order uses a knight's gown, introduced 1822, and new knights are dubbed.

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of Sweden

References

• http://www.mastermason.com/lodge850/Reading/sweedishrite.htm
• http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Knighthood
• http://www.frimurarorden.se/eng/index.html (English webpage of the Swedish Grand Lodge of Masons)
• Tom C Bergroth, Kungl. Carl XIII:s Orden 1811 - "til uppmuntran och belöning för medborgerliga och välgörande bemödanden til nödlidandes och allmänt gagn" (2002), ISBN 91-974123-3-3