Last modified: 2000-01-21 by phil nelson
Keywords: norway | yacht | scandinavian cross | cross | crown |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
Jan Oskar Engene
On 7 February 1883 the Norsk Forening for Lystseilads (NFL, Norwegian Association for Pleasure Sailing) was formed. By Royal Resolution of 6 December 1884 boats belonging to the NFL was granted the right to use the Norwegian war ensign with the addition of the royal cypher in gold on a white field set in the centre of the cross. At the time, Norway was in union with Sweden under a common king, Oscar II. Consequently, the flag had the Norwegian-Swedish union mark in the canton (originally introduced to the war ensign in 1844) and the cypher of Oscar II on the white field.
Jan Oskar Engene, 1998-SEPT-11
Jan Oskar Engene
In 1903 the NFL reorganized and changed names to Kongelig Norsk Seilforening (KNS, Royal Norwegian Yacht Club). However, the flag of the yacht club remained unchanged until the dissolution of the union with Sweden on 7 June 1905. Upon the dissolution of the union with Sweden, the KNS used for a short time the Norwegian civil ensign.
By Royal Resolution of 27 January 1906 the new king, Haakon VII, granted KNS the right to use the Norwegian war ensign, now without the union mark, with the addition of the royal cypher in gold on a white field in the centre of the cross. Photographic evidence suggests that the KNS flag used a cypher different from the one usually associated with Haakon VII, especially in the later years of his reign. The flag of the KNS carrying the cypher of Haakon VII was used to the end of 1958.
Jan Oskar Engene 1998-SEPT-11
The lion on top of the crown was introduced with the Royal Resolution on the arms of Norway on 14 December 1905 and was even included in the early cypher of Haakon VII. This peculiar element had never appeared on the arms of Norway before and the lion on the crown can only be explained as a misunderstanding made by the artist who did the model artwork for the arms. Apparently he misunderstood the lion found on the helmet in the seal of King Hakon VI and transferred it to the crown on the 1905 arms. The mistake was quickly discovered and the lion gradually disappeared from official representations of the arms, a process finalized with a new Royal Resolution on the arms of Norway dated 19 March 1937. Nevertheless, the lion survived in the emblem and flag of the KNS until Olav V became king. Jan Oskar Engene 1998-SEPT-13
Jan Oskar Engene
Olav V became king upon the death of his father Haakon VII and the cypher of the new king was put on the flag of the KNS. The new flag was hoisted for the first time on 4 May 1958, but the flag with the cypher of Haakon VII was allowed used to the end of 1958 because it took some time to make new flags. The KNS flag with the cypher of Olav V was used to the end of 1991.
Jan Oskar Engene 1998-SEPT-11
Jan Oskar Engene
On 1 January 1992 the latest version of the KNS flag came into use. This version carries the cypher of Harald V who took over the throne upon the death of his father, Olav V. King Harald V has two cyphers, one with a Roman numeral and one with an Arabic numeral. The one with the Roman numeral is used for the KNS flag. The cypher is in metallic gold colour,
outlined in dark brown and with details in red.
Jan Oskar Engene 1998-SEPT-11