Order of Saint Olav

Order of Saint Olav Sankt Olavs Orden
Cross of the Order of St. Olav
Awarded by King of Norway
Type	Chivalric order with five degrees
Motto	RET OG SANDHED (Justice and Truth)
Awarded for	remarkable accomplishments on behalf of the country and humanity
Status	Currently constituted
Grand Master	King Harald V
Grades	Knight Grand Cross with Collar Knight/Dame Grand Cross Knight/Dame Grand Commander Knight/Dame Commander Knight/Dame Officer Knight/Dame
Precedence
Next (higher)	None (formerly the Order of the Norwegian Lion)
Next (lower)	Order of Merit
Riband of the Order of St. Olav

The Order of Saint Olav (Norwegian: Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or Sanct Olafs Orden, the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry that was instituted by King Oscar I of Norway and Sweden on August 21, 1847, as a distinctly Norwegian order. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Nobility was abolished in Norway in 1821. Just before the union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905, the Order of the Norwegian Lion was instituted in 1904 by King Oscar II, but it was not awarded by his successor Haakon VII. The Order of St. Olav thus became the kingdom's only order of chivalry for the next 80 years. The Grand Master of the order is the reigning monarch of Norway. It is awarded to individuals as a reward for remarkable accomplishments on behalf of the country and humanity. Since 1985, the order has only been conferred upon Norwegian citizens, though foreign heads of state and royalty are awarded the order as a matter of courtesy.

The King awards the order upon the recommendation of a six-member commission, none of who may be a member of the government, consisting of a chancellor, vice chancellor, the Lord Chamberlain (acting as treasurer), and three other representatives. The Lord Chamberlain nominates the members of the commission, and the monarch approves them. Nominations for the award are directed at the commission through the county governor.

The order is divided into five classes and may be awarded for either civilian or military contributions, in descending order of distinction. The collar is awarded as a separate distinction of the Grand Cross to those recipients deemed exceptionally worthy.

The insignia are expected to be returned either upon the receiver's advancement to a higher level of the order or upon his or her death. Since it was instituted, the order has been awarded approximately 19,500 times. The insignia are produced in Norway by craftsmen.

The Norwegian king also awards the St. Olav's Medal (St. Olavsmedaljen) in silver "for services in advancing knowledge of Norway abroad and for strengthening the bonds between expatriate Norwegians and their descendants and their country of residence". The medal does not confer upon the recipient membership in an order.