List of Norwegian monarchs' mottos

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The Royal mottos or valgspråk/valspråk of the Norwegian monarchs are an old tradition, permanent since the reign of Christian II of Denmark and Norway. The latest three kings have adopted the same motto as their personal motto, Alt for Norge, that has a particularly high standing as it became one of the main symbols of the Norwegian struggle during the German occupation of Norway in World War II.

List

Regent Reign Royal motto (in Norwegian) English translation
Christian II 1513 – 1523 Så var det beskikket Thus it was ordained
Frederick I 1523 – 1533 Mitt håp er Gud alene My hope is God alone
Christian III 1537 – 1559 Skje Herrens vilje The Lord's will be done
Frederick II 1559 – 1588 Intet uten Gud Nothing without God
Christian IV 1588 – 1648 Fromhet styrker riket Piety strengthens the realm
Frederick III 1648 – 1670 Herren vil være mitt forsyn The Lord will be my guide
Christian V 1670 – 1699 Med fromhet og rettferdighet With piety and justice
Frederick IV 1699 – 1730 Herren er min hjelper The Lord is my aid
Christian VI 1730 – 1746 For Gud og folket For God and the people
Frederick V 1746 – 1766 Ved forsigtighet og bestandighet By caution and consistency
Christian VII 1766 – 1808 Fedrelandets kjerlighet min berømmelse The love of the fatherland my reward
Frederick VI 1808 – 1814 Gud og den rettferdige sak God and the just cause
Christian Frederik 1814 Gud og fedrelandet God and the fatherland
Karl II 1814 – 1818 Folkets vel min høyeste lov The welfare of the people my highest law 1
Karl III 1818 – 1844 Folkets kjærlighet min belønning The love of the people my reward
Oscar I 1844 – 1859 Rett og sannhet Right and truth
Karl IV 1859 – 1872 Land skal med lov bygges A country should be built on law
Oscar II 1872 – 1905 Broderfolkenes vel The good of the brother peoples
Haakon VII 1905 – 1957 Alt for Norge All for Norway 2
Olav V 1957 – 1991 Alt for Norge All for Norway
Harald V 1991 – Alt for Norge All for Norway

See also


Note: (1) Compare with the motto of the U.S. state of Missouri (1821): "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law". Originally from Cicero's De Legibus, Book III, Part III, Sub. VIII. (2) The present royal motto is not easily translated into English: the literal meaning is "All for Norway" but this conveys a sense of "Everything for Norway" as opposed "Everybody for Norway" (since "alt" is in neuter gender, and would rarely refer to people). As such, it conveys a meaning of "Give all for Norway", which is interpreted as the readiness (of the sovereign, but maybe also his subjects) to give up or sacrifice everything for Norway.