Ordre de l'Union Parfaite


The Ordre de l'Union Parfaite was created by Queen consort Sophie Magdalene of Denmark and Norway on 7 August 1732 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of her happy marriage with King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway. It was given to both men and women. Its motto was In felicissimæ Unionis Memoriam.
Conferral of the Order ceased after the death of the Queen on 7 May 1770.
The French name can be translated as Order of the Perfect Union or Order of Friendship. The use of French was not unusual in the eighteenth century royal Danish court or in Sophie Magdalene's German homeland, where other such examples exist, such as the Ordre pour le Mérite and the Ordre de la Sincérité.

Insignia

[image:Ordre de l'Union Parfaite (Amalienborg Museum).JPG|130px|thumb|right|Badge, Ordre de l'Union Parfaite]
The badge or "jewel" of the Order was a white enamelled cross, each arm of which was capped by a golden crown. Between the arms, a golden Norwegian lion bearing a golden, white-shafted halberd alternated with a red-enamelled, golden-headed Brandenburg eagle. A blue oval medallion, encircled by diamonds, imposed on the center of the cross displayed the crowned intertwined monograms of Sophie Magdalene and Christian VI. The silk ribbon was dark blue, edged with silver.
Gentlemen wore the cross in a left buttonhole of their coats. Ladies bore it on their left breasts.

Recipients

Men

Women