127-498: Viggo Peter Mortensen Jr. R ( Danish: [ˈviko ˈmɒːtn̩sn̩] ; born October 20, 1958) is an American actor, musician, and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including nominations for three Academy Awards for Best Actor , three BAFTA Awards , four Golden Globe Awards , and an Independent Spirit Award . Mortensen made his film debut as Moses Hochleitner in Peter Weir 's 1985 thriller Witness . Through
254-799: A bachelor's degree in 1980 in Spanish studies and government. After graduating, Mortensen moved to Europe and lived in the United Kingdom and Spain before returning to Denmark. There he took various jobs such as driving trucks in Esbjerg and selling flowers in Copenhagen . In 1982, he returned to the United States to pursue an acting career. Mortensen's first film role was in the Woody Allen film The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), but his scenes were deleted from
381-624: A subsoil of flint-layered limestone deposited in the Danian period some 60 to 66 million years ago. Some greensand from the Selandian is also present. There are a few faults in the area, the most important of which is the Carlsberg fault which runs northwest to southeast through the centre of the city. During the last ice age, glaciers eroded the surface leaving a layer of moraines up to 15 m (49 ft) thick. Geologically , Copenhagen lies in
508-467: A 24-hour period during the winter months while summer temperatures have been known to rise to heights of 33 °C (91 °F). Because of Copenhagen's northern latitude, the number of daylight hours varies considerably between summer and winter. On the summer solstice, the sun rises at 04:26 and sets at 21:58, providing 17 hours 32 minutes of daylight. On the winter solstice, it rises at 08:37 and sets at 15:39 with 7 hours and 1 minute of daylight. There
635-524: A B.A. in archaeology and has been working at Perceval Press , which was founded by his father. Mortensen and Cervenka lived in Idaho for three years. They separated in 1992 and divorced in 1997. Since 2009, he has been in a relationship with Spanish actress Ariadna Gil . Though the couple reside in Madrid , Mortensen spends much of his time in the United States, and has stated, "I am a citizen and longtime resident of
762-460: A city go back at least to the 11th century. Substantial discoveries of flint tools in the area provide evidence of human settlements dating to the Stone Age . Many historians believe the town dates to the late Viking Age , and was possibly founded by Sweyn I Forkbeard . The natural harbour and good herring stocks seem to have attracted fishermen and merchants to the area on a seasonal basis from
889-603: A dangerous desert race for a contest prize. Mortensen starred in David Cronenberg 's 2005 film A History of Violence as a family man revealed to have had an unsavory previous career. He was nominated for a Satellite Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for this role. In the DVD extras for A History of Violence , Cronenberg related that Mortensen is the only actor he had come across who would come back from weekends with his family with items he had bought to use as props on
1016-496: A day. July is the warmest month with an average daytime high of 21 °C. By contrast, the average hours of sunshine are less than two per day in November and only one and a half per day from December to February. In the spring, it gets warmer again with four to six hours of sunshine per day from March to May. February is the driest month of the year. Exceptional weather conditions can bring as much as 50 cm of snow to Copenhagen in
1143-533: A documentary, The Revolution Televised , about the 2016 presidential election and the protests in the aftermath of the Democratic National Convention . Since 2018, Mortensen has been a member of the Catalan NGO Òmnium Cultural , a pro-independence organization dedicated to promoting Catalan culture and language in the arts and the public sphere. After Vox , a far-right Spanish party, published
1270-644: A fluent proficiency in Spanish while his father managed poultry farms and ranches. He was baptized Lutheran , the tradition of his father. When Mortensen was 11 and his brothers 8 and 6, their parents divorced. In 1969, the three boys returned with their mother to the United States, where Viggo spent the rest of his childhood in Northern New York State. He graduated from Watertown High School in 1976. He attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York , earning
1397-497: A huge increase in the population. In 1840, Copenhagen was inhabited by approximately 120,000 people. By 1901, it had some 400,000 inhabitants. By the beginning of the 20th century, Copenhagen had become a thriving industrial and administrative city. With its new city hall and railway station , its centre was drawn towards the west. New housing developments grew up in Brønshøj and Valby while Frederiksberg became an enclave within
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#17328697568111524-623: A military veteran suffering from radiation poisoning in The Reflecting Skin . The Reflecting Skin was Mortensen's first film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival . The following year, Mortensen starred as Frank Roberts in Sean Penn 's directorial debut The Indian Runner . Sandy Dennis , who played Frank Roberts's mother in the film and was a personal friend of Mortensen, was dying of ovarian cancer during filming. Mortensen described
1651-473: A modest fortress on the little island of Slotsholmen in 1167 where Christiansborg Palace stands today. The construction of the fortress was in response to attacks by Wendish pirates who plagued the coastline during the 12th century. Defensive ramparts and moats were completed, and by 1177 St. Clemens Church had been built. Attacks by the Wends continued, and after the original fortress was eventually destroyed by
1778-447: A naval bombardment of Copenhagen from 2 to 5 September. The bombardment, which saw the deployment of Congreve rockets , killed 195 civilians and wounded 768, along with burning approximately 1,000 structures, including the Church of Our Lady . Copenhagen's defenders were unable to respond to the bombardment effectively due to relying on an old defence-line whose limited range could not reach
1905-525: A number of banking and financial institutions have been established. Educational institutions have also gained importance, especially the University of Copenhagen with its 35,000 students. Another important development for the city has been the Copenhagen Metro , the railway system which opened in 2002 with additions until 2007, transporting some 54 million passengers by 2011. On the cultural front,
2032-815: A professional car thief in Prison . He also guest starred as a police detective on the hit TV series Miami Vice . In 1988, Mortensen played a minor part as Green, the abusive husband of Jewel ( Molly Ringwald ), in Fresh Horses. The following year, Mortensen appeared in a minor role as Hans in Tripwire . Mortensen made three film appearances in 1990: Edward "Tex" Sawyer, a member of a cannibalistic family in Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III , John W. Poe in Young Guns II , and Cameron Dove,
2159-564: A red enamelled border, for the Knights in silver, and for everyone else in gold or silver gilt. At the top of this cross is the royal cypher of the bestowing monarch, crowned with the distinctive Danish royal crown On its front, the cross bears the royal cyphers of Christian V at its centre, as well as the motto of the Order: Gud og Kongen (God and the King) on its arms. On its reverse are found
2286-680: A related decoration, known as the Cross of Honour (D.Ht., short for Dannebrogordens Hæderstegn ). The insignia of the Order must be returned upon the death of the holder. The Dannebrogordenens Hæderstegn (Cross of Honour of the Order of the Dannebrog) in modern times is only awarded to Danes on whom the Order of the Dannebrog has already been bestowed. It is also worn by members of the Danish royal family. Its badge
2413-473: A result of continued British fears that Denmark would ally with France, another British fleet led by Admiral James Gambier was dispatched to Copenhagen with orders to seize or destroy the Dano-Norwegian navy. The British published a proclamation demanding the surrender of the Dano-Norwegian fleet, and the Danish responded with "what amounted to a declaration of war". Gambier's forces responded by carrying out
2540-514: A reward for very meritorious service to Denmark. Grand Cross with Breaststar with Diamonds is most often given to high-ranking officers of the Royal Court, such as Hofmarskals . Finally, the Grand Commander grade is given only to 8 people. The reigning monarch is always a Grand Commander, and he/she may give the grade to 7 others, most often close family. Award of the Order of the Dannebrog
2667-480: A tough but adoring father, a grieving widower and a passionate defender of his wife's final wishes, and Mortensen plays all these notes, and more with subtlety and grace". In 2018, he starred in the film Green Book . Mortensen portrayed Tony Lip , an Italian-American bouncer hired to drive and protect pianist Don Shirley ( Mahershala Ali ) on a tour through the Jim Crow South from 1962 to 1963. Reflecting on
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#17328697568112794-458: A tweet depicting Mortensen as Aragorn fighting various social movements, including pro-Catalan separatists, during the campaign for the 2019 Spanish general election , Mortensen wrote a letter to the editor criticizing the depiction saying, "Not only is it absurd that I, the actor who embodied this character... and a person interested in the rich variety of cultures and languages that exist in Spain and
2921-676: A variety of artistic endeavors including painting, poetry, music, and photography. Mortensen composed and performed music for films including The Lord of the Rings soundtrack , and has collaborated with guitarist Buckethead on several albums. In 2002, Mortensen founded Perceval Press to publish his works and the works of little-known artists and authors. Mortensen was born in Watertown, New York , on October 20, 1958, to Grace Gamble ( née Atkinson ; July 8, 1928 – April 25, 2015) and Viggo Peter Mortensen Sr. (May 8, 1929 – March 2, 2017). His mother
3048-605: A year later. Two years earlier, Mortensen's mother had also died from complications of the condition. Mortensen was a close friend of Icelandic painter Georg Guðni Hauksson until the latter's death in 2011. He had long been an admirer of Georg Guðni's work as a landscape artist, and the two published books together as well as maintaining a close friendship. Mortensen has expressed a liking for association football, ice hockey and baseball. His favorite teams include Argentine club San Lorenzo de Almagro , English team Fulham , Spanish team Real Madrid , Turkish team Beşiktaş , and both
3175-499: Is Bellevue Beach . It is 700 metres (2,300 ft) long and has both lifeguards and freshwater showers on the beach. The beaches are supplemented by a system of Harbour Baths along the Copenhagen waterfront. The first and most popular of these is located at Islands Brygge , literally meaning Iceland's Quay, and has won international acclaim for its design. Copenhagen is in the oceanic climate zone ( Köppen : Cfb ). Its weather
3302-418: Is Mortensen's first play in Spanish. The play is about a man and woman confined either in a psychiatric hospital or prison together. During production, Mortensen's mother became ill and he pulled out of the initial premiere date, the first time he had ever done so for a project. The play premiered from November 4 to December 18. During production for the 2012 film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , Mortensen
3429-559: Is also an author, with various books of poetry, photography, and painting published. His poems are written in English, Danish, and Spanish. With anthropologists Federico Bossert and Diego Villar, he has written several works related to ethnography of natives in South America, specifically in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Some of the published books co-authored by Mortensen are Sons of
3556-1025: Is by far the largest municipality, with the historic city at its core. The seat of Copenhagen's municipal council is the Copenhagen City Hall ( Rådhus ), which is situated on City Hall Square . The second largest municipality is Frederiksberg, an enclave within Copenhagen Municipality. Copenhagen Municipality is divided into ten districts ( bydele ): Indre By , Østerbro , Nørrebro , Vesterbro/Kongens Enghave , Valby , Vanløse , Brønshøj-Husum , Bispebjerg , Amager Øst , and Amager Vest . Neighbourhoods of Copenhagen include Slotsholmen , Frederiksstaden , Islands Brygge , Holmen , Christiania , Carlsberg , Sluseholmen , Sydhavn , Amagerbro , Ørestad , Nordhavnen , Bellahøj , Brønshøj , Ryparken , and Vigerslev . Most of Denmark's top legal courts and institutions are based in Copenhagen. A modern-style court of justice, Hof- og Stadsretten ,
3683-658: Is featured on The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King soundtrack, singing "Aragorn's Coronation" (the name of the extended version of this song in the 3rd original sound track is "The Return of the King"), the words by Tolkien and the music composed by Mortensen. In the extended DVD edition of the first Lord of the Rings movie, The Fellowship of the Ring , he sings the song " The Lay of Beren and Lúthien ". Mortensen holds dual American and Danish citizenship. He has stated that he
3810-575: Is handled by the Maritime and Commercial Court of Copenhagen . Established in 1862, the Maritime and Commercial Court ( Sø- og Handelsretten ) also hears commercial cases including those relating to trade marks, marketing practices and competition for the whole of Denmark. Denmark's Supreme Court ( Højesteret ), located in Christiansborg Palace on Prins Jørgens Gård in the centre of Copenhagen,
3937-593: Is home to the University of Copenhagen , the Technical University of Denmark , Copenhagen Business School , and the IT University of Copenhagen . The University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, is the oldest university in Denmark. Copenhagen is home to the football clubs F.C. Copenhagen and Brøndby IF . The annual Copenhagen Marathon was established in 1980. Copenhagen is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in
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4064-447: Is often used as a tool of diplomacy. If a foreign country has an Order that they give to foreign diplomats in their country, then their diplomats in Denmark can be given an Order of the Dannebrog. To be eligible, the foreign ambassador must have resided in Denmark for at least three years. With the death of King Constantine II of Greece in 2023, one Grand Commander position is available. The number of Grand Commanders never exceed 8. It
4191-636: Is possible for membership in the Order to be revoked. Before 1808, membership had only been revoked on two occasions – Peder Griffenfeld who was charged with treason, and Samuel Christoph von Plessen [ da ] (1640–1704) who was charged with looting and gross misconduct. In more recent times, it has been revoked on the basis of criminality, such as Peter Adler Alberti (1910), Erik Ninn-Hansen (1995), Peter Brixtofte (2008) and Christian Kjær (2019). Foreigners have also had their membership revoked. Several prominent Nazi officials, such as Hermann Göring and Konstantin von Neurath , were awarded
4318-514: Is similar to the badge of the Order, but all in silver. It is worn on a ribbon (by gentlemen) or bow (by ladies), with rosette , on the left chest. Each Danish ministry has a quota of Knights and Knights 1st class that they may use at their discretion. It is most often given to high-ranking officers of the police , armed forces and emergency services . Also used for politicians in Folketinget after 8 years of elected service. Ministers are given
4445-407: Is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager , separated from Malmö , Sweden , by the Øresund strait. The Øresund Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road. Originally a Viking fishing village established in the 10th century in the vicinity of what is now Gammel Strand , Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the early 15th century. During the 16th century, the city served as
4572-482: Is subject to low-pressure systems from the Atlantic which result in unstable conditions throughout the year. Apart from slightly higher rainfall from July to September, precipitation is moderate. While snowfall occurs mainly from late December to early March, there can also be rain, with average temperatures around the freezing point. June is the sunniest month of the year with an average of about eight hours of sunshine
4699-492: Is the cultural , economic and governmental centre of Denmark; it is one of the major financial centres of Northern Europe with the Copenhagen Stock Exchange . Copenhagen's economy has developed rapidly in the service sector , especially through initiatives in information technology , pharmaceuticals and clean technology . Since the completion of the Øresund Bridge , Copenhagen has increasingly integrated with
4826-570: Is the busiest airport in the Nordic countries . Copenhagen's name ( København in Danish), reflects its origin as a harbour and a place of commerce. The original designation in Old Norse , from which Danish descends, was Kaupmannahǫfn [ˈkɔupˌmɑnːɑˌhɔvn] (cf. modern Icelandic : Kaupmannahöfn [ˈkʰœipˌmanːaˌhœpn̥] , Faroese : Keypmannahavn ), meaning 'merchants' harbour'. By
4953-514: Is therefore a difference of 10 hours and 31 minutes in the length of days and nights between the summer and winter solstices. According to Statistics Denmark , the urban area of Copenhagen ( Hovedstadsområdet ) consists of the municipalities of Copenhagen , Frederiksberg , Albertslund , Brøndby , Gentofte , Gladsaxe , Glostrup , Herlev , Hvidovre , Lyngby-Taarbæk , Rødovre , Tårnby and Vallensbæk as well as parts of Ballerup , Rudersdal and Furesø municipalities, along with
5080-588: The de facto capital of the Kalmar Union and the seat of the Union's monarchy, which governed most of the modern-day Nordic region as part of a Danish confederation with Sweden and Norway . The city flourished as the cultural and economic centre of Scandinavia during the Renaissance . By the 17th century, it had become a regional centre of power, serving as the heart of the Danish government and military . During
5207-618: The Argentine and Danish national teams. His favorite football players are Diego Maradona and Héctor "Bambino" Veira . He is a fan of the Montreal Canadiens and wore a Canadiens shirt underneath his costume throughout the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. During the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Montreal Canadiens, Mortensen introduced one of his idols, Guy Lafleur , to
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5334-534: The Church of Our Lady was constructed on higher ground to the northeast of the town, which began to develop around it. As the town became more prominent, it was repeatedly attacked by the Hanseatic League . In 1368, it was successfully invaded during the Second Danish-Hanseatic War . As the fishing industry thrived in Copenhagen, particularly in the trade of herring , the city began expanding to
5461-553: The Coast Playhouse , Los Angeles, won him a Dramalogue Critics' Award . The play, which revolves around homosexual prisoners in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany, was known for the leading performance by Ian McKellen , with whom Mortensen later costarred in the film trilogy The Lord of the Rings . The same year, Mortensen starred as Jerome Stample in the black comedy Salvation! alongside Exene Cervenka, and played Burke,
5588-484: The Copenhagen Opera House , a gift to the city from the shipping magnate Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller on behalf of the A.P. Møller foundation, was completed in 2004. In December 2009 Copenhagen gained international prominence when it hosted the worldwide climate meeting COP15 . On 3 July 2022, three people were killed in a shooting at Field's mall in Copenhagen. Police chief inspector Søren Thomassen announced
5715-570: The Gunboat War , which lasted until the 1814 Treaty of Kiel . Despite the turmoil the Napoleonic Wars brought to the city, Copenhagen soon experienced a period of intense cultural creativity known as the Danish Golden Age . Painting prospered under C.W. Eckersberg and his students while C.F. Hansen and Gottlieb Bindesbøll brought a Neoclassical look to the city's architecture. In
5842-697: The J. R. R. Tolkien novel. He received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Aragorn, and was ranked No. 15 on a 2015 survey of "The 100 Greatest Movie Characters" conducted by Empire . In The Two Towers DVD extras, the film's swordmaster, Bob Anderson , described Mortensen as "the best swordsman I've ever trained." Mortensen often performed his own stunts, and even the injuries he sustained during several of them, including two broken toes, did not dampen his enthusiasm. At one point during filming of The Two Towers , Mortensen, Orlando Bloom , and Brett Beattie (stunt double for John Rhys-Davies ) all had painful injuries, which led to Peter Jackson jokingly referring to
5969-609: The Moltke Mansion , Yellow Palace and the Vestindisk Pakhus were funded with profits made from the Danish slave trade. In the second half of the 18th century, Copenhagen benefited from Denmark's neutrality during the wars between Europe's main powers, allowing it to play an important role in trade between the states around the Baltic Sea. After Christiansborg was destroyed by fire in 1794 and another fire caused serious damage to
6096-744: The Nazi authorities sought to arrive at an understanding with the Danish government. The 1943 Danish parliamentary election was also allowed to take place, with only the Communist Party excluded. But in August 1943, after the government's collaboration with the occupation forces collapsed, several ships were sunk in Copenhagen Harbor by the Royal Danish Navy to prevent their use by the Germans. Around that time
6223-516: The Reformation in Denmark in the late 1530s. In disputes prior to the Reformation of 1536, the city which had been faithful to Christian II , who was Catholic, was successfully besieged in 1523 by the forces of Frederik I , who supported Lutheranism . Copenhagen's defences were reinforced with a series of towers along the city wall. After an extended siege from July 1535 to July 1536, during which
6350-763: The Royal Theatre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts . During the 18th century, the Danish slave trade , which began during the 17th century, underwent a rapid expansion. Between 1660 and 1806, Danish merchants, many of them based out of Copenhagen, transported approximately 120,000 enslaved Africans to the Danish West Indies . These merchants were mostly affiliated with the slave-trading Danish West India Company and Danish Asiatic Company , both of which were headquartered in Copenhagen. Many buildings in Copenhagen, such as
6477-621: The Sundance Film Festival . Mortensen had based the story on his own family's history, including his parents suffering from dementia. The film is dedicated to his brothers, Charles and Walter Mortensen. During the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020, Mortensen along with fellow Lord of the Rings actors Sean Astin , Sean Bean , Orlando Bloom , Billy Boyd , Ian McKellen , Dominic Monaghan , Miranda Otto , John Rhys-Davies , Andy Serkis , Liv Tyler , Karl Urban , Elijah Wood , writer Philippa Boyens , and director Peter Jackson joined actor Josh Gad 's YouTube series Reunited Apart , which reunites
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#17328697568116604-455: The star but larger and with faceted silver instead of white enamel and without the silver rays of the star . The ribbon of the Order is white silk moiré with red borders, the national colours of Denmark. The Order originally had a distinctive habit worn by the knights (after 1808, by the Knights Grand Cross) on very solemn occasions. The habit consisted of a white doublet , white breeches , white stockings and white shoes, over which
6731-620: The Øresund to the east, the strait of water that separates Denmark from Sweden, and which connects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea . The Swedish city of Malmö and the town of Landskrona lie on the Swedish side of the sound directly across from Copenhagen. By road, Copenhagen is 42 kilometres (26 mi) northwest of Malmö , Sweden, 85 kilometres (53 mi) northeast of Næstved , 164 kilometres (102 mi) northeast of Odense , 295 kilometres (183 mi) east of Esbjerg and 188 kilometres (117 mi) southeast of Aarhus by sea and road via Sjællands Odde . The city centre lies in
6858-508: The 11th century and more permanently in the 13th century. The first habitations were probably centred on Gammel Strand (literally 'old shore') in the 11th century or even earlier. The earliest written mention of the town was in the 12th century when Saxo Grammaticus in Gesta Danorum referred to it as Portus Mercatorum , meaning 'Merchants' Harbour' or, in the Danish of the time, Købmannahavn . Traditionally, Copenhagen's founding has been dated to Bishop Absalon 's construction of
6985-407: The 18th century, Copenhagen suffered from a devastating plague outbreak and urban conflagrations . Major redevelopment efforts included the construction of the prestigious district of Frederiksstaden and the establishment of cultural institutions such as the Royal Theatre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts . The city also became the centre of the Danish slave trade during this period. In 1807,
7112-463: The 2009 film Reclaiming The Blade , in which he discussed his passion for the sword and his sword-work in films such as The Lord of the Rings and Alatriste . Mortensen also talked about his work with Bob Anderson , the swordmaster on The Lord of the Rings , Alatriste , Pirates of the Caribbean and many others. In 2009, Mortensen performed in The People Speak , a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of
7239-409: The British ships and their longer-range artillery. A British landing force of 30,000 men entered and occupied Copenhagen; during the battle, the British suffered almost 200 casualties, while the Danish suffered 3,000. Virtually the entire Dano-Norwegian fleet was surrendered to the British, who either burnt them or brought them back to Britain. Denmark declared war on Britain, leading to the outbreak of
7366-429: The English term for the city was adapted from its Low German name, Kopenhagen . Copenhagen's Swedish name is Köpenhamn , a direct translation of the mutually intelligible Danish name. The city's Latin name, Hafnia , is the namesake of the element hafnium . Although the earliest historical records of Copenhagen are from the end of the 12th century, recent archaeological finds in connection with work on
7493-401: The Forest and Skovbo . Mortensen's bibliography includes: Mortensen is a painter and photographer. His paintings are frequently abstract and often contain fragments of his poetry therein. His paintings have been featured in galleries worldwide, and many of the paintings of the artist he portrayed in A Perfect Murder are his own. Mortensen experiments with his poetry and music by mixing
7620-430: The Future alongside Kristen Stewart with filming beginning in August 2021. Mortensen will also reunite with Lisandro Alonso on the film Eureka . Mortensen and Caleb Landry Jones will star together in the Vietnam War thriller Two Wolves which will be directed by documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney . He wrote, directed, and stars in a Western film titled The Dead Don't Hurt . It also stars Vicky Krieps and it
7747-410: The Gaza Strip . In October 2023, Mortensen signed the Artists4Ceasefire open letter to President Joe Biden , calling for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war . In May 2024, Mortensen criticized Javier Milei 's Argentine government, calling him a "clown" and "a puppet of the political right". Mortensen has received numerous accolades throughout his career. His portrayal of Aragorn in The Lord of
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#17328697568117874-433: The Nazis started to arrest Jews , although most managed to escape to Sweden . In 1945 Ole Lippman , leader of the Danish section of the Special Operations Executive , invited the British Royal Air Force to assist their operations by attacking Nazi headquarters in Copenhagen. Accordingly, air vice-marshal Sir Basil Embry drew up plans for a spectacular precision attack on the Sicherheitsdienst and Gestapo building,
8001-403: The Order of the Dannebrog is a means of honouring and rewarding the faithful servants of the modern Danish state for meritorious civil or military service, for a particular contribution to the arts, sciences or business life, or for working for Danish interests. The badge of the Order is a white enamelled Dannebrog cross (i.e., a cross pattée , the lower arm being longer than the others) with
8128-402: The Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known as White Knights to distinguish them from the Blue Knights who were members of the Order of the Elephant . In 1808, the Order was reformed and divided into four classes. The statute of the Order was amended in 1951 by a Royal Ordinance so that both men and women could be members of the Order. Today,
8255-412: The Order, but it was later revoked. Below is a list of jewelers who have made the insignia for the Order: Anton Michelsen was made a part of Royal Copenhagen A/S, which is now the supplier. Copenhagen Copenhagen ( Danish : København [kʰøpm̩ˈhɑwˀn] ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark , with a population of 1.4 million in the urban area . The city
8382-495: The Rings trilogy earned him nominations for the SAG Award for Outstanding Cast , winning for the final installment The Return of the King (2003). Order of the Dannebrog [REDACTED] Grand Cross [REDACTED] Commander 1st Class [REDACTED] Commander [REDACTED] Knight 1st Class The Order of the Dannebrog ( Danish : Dannebrogordenen ) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V . Until 1808, membership in
8509-562: The Rings: Fellowship of the Ring , which occurred between the September 11 attacks and the Second Gulf War , Mortensen appeared in an interview wearing a t-shirt on which he had wrote, "No More Blood for Oil." In 2009, Mortensen signed a protest stating that the Toronto International Film Festival 's "Spotlight on Tel Aviv " program implicitly condoned the Israeli occupation and marginalization of Palestinians . In 2015 he donated $ 1,000 to Irish political party Sinn Fein . Mortensen endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders for U.S. president during
8636-489: The Swedish province of Scania and its largest city, Malmö, forming the Øresund Region . With several bridges connecting the various districts, the cityscape is characterised by parks, promenades, and waterfronts. Copenhagen's landmarks such as Tivoli Gardens , The Little Mermaid statue, the Amalienborg and Christiansborg palaces, Rosenborg Castle , Frederik's Church , Børsen and many museums, restaurants and nightclubs are significant tourist attractions. Copenhagen
8763-428: The United States and am attached to its landscapes, history, and people." He has owned property in Sandpoint, Idaho , and spends time there when not filming movies. Mortensen has talked about his family's struggles with dementia , seeing both of his parents, three of his four grandparents, aunts, uncles, and his stepfather battle the condition. In 2016, Mortensen traveled to New York to take care of his father, who died
8890-562: The area originally defined by the old ramparts , which are still referred to as the Fortification Ring ( Fæstningsringen ) and kept as a partial green band around it. Then come the late-19th- and early-20th-century residential neighbourhoods of Østerbro , Nørrebro , Vesterbro and Amagerbro . The outlying areas of Kongens Enghave , Valby , Vigerslev , Vanløse , Brønshøj , Utterslev and Sundby followed from 1920 to 1960. They consist mainly of residential housing and apartments often enhanced with parks and greenery. The central area of
9017-416: The arrest of a 22-year-old man and said that the police cannot rule out an act of terrorism. Copenhagen is part of the Øresund Region , which consists of Zealand , Lolland-Falster and Bornholm in Denmark and Scania in Sweden. It is located on the eastern shore of the island of Zealand, partly on the island of Amager and on a number of natural and artificial islets between the two. Copenhagen faces
9144-511: The capital of Denmark when Eric of Pomerania moved his seat to Copenhagen Castle. The University of Copenhagen was inaugurated on 1 June 1479 by King Christian I , following approval from Pope Sixtus IV . This makes it the oldest university in Denmark and one of the oldest in Europe . Originally controlled by the Catholic Church , the university's role in society was forced to change during
9271-463: The cast of popular movies through video-conferencing, and promotes donations to non-profit charities. Mortensen was cast as British cave diver Rick Stanton in the biographical film Thirteen Lives directed by Ron Howard which was released in July 2022. Mortensen was taught cave diving by Stanton personally to prepare for the role. He reunited with David Cronenberg in the horror sci-fi film Crimes of
9398-417: The character, Mortensen stated, "I was attracted to playing Tony in part because it was a different kind of character, but the main thing I liked about him was his heart". Mortensen received his third Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Lip. In 2020, Mortensen released his directorial debut Falling , which he also wrote, produced, composed the score for and starred in alongside Lance Henriksen at
9525-491: The cities of Ishøj and Greve Strand . They are located in the Capital Region ( Region Hovedstaden ). Municipalities are responsible for a wide variety of public services , which include land-use planning, environmental planning, public housing, management and maintenance of local roads, and social security. Municipal administration is also conducted by a mayor , a council , and an executive. Copenhagen Municipality
9652-468: The city consists of relatively low-lying flat ground formed by moraines from the last ice age while the hilly areas to the north and west frequently rise to 50 m (160 ft) above sea level. The slopes of Valby and Brønshøj reach heights of over 30 m (98 ft), divided by valleys running from the northeast to the southwest. Close to the centre are the Copenhagen lakes of Sortedams Sø, Peblinge Sø and Sankt Jørgens Sø. Copenhagen rests on
9779-530: The city in 1795, work began on the classical Copenhagen landmark of Højbro Plads while Nytorv and Gammel Torv were converged. As a result of British fears that Denmark would ally with France , a Royal Navy fleet under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker was dispatched to neutralize the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy . On 2 April 1801, Parker's fleet encountered the Dano-Norwegian navy anchored near Copenhagen. Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson led
9906-559: The city of Copenhagen. The northern part of Amager and Valby were also incorporated into the City of Copenhagen in 1901–02. As a result of Denmark's neutrality in the First World War , Copenhagen prospered from trade with both Britain and Germany while the city's defences were kept fully manned by some 40,000 soldiers for the duration of the war. In the 1920s there were serious shortages of goods and housing. Plans were drawn up to demolish
10033-516: The city supported Christian II's alliance with Malmö and Lübeck , it was finally forced to capitulate to Christian III . During the second half of the century, the city prospered from increased trade across the Baltic supported by Dutch shipping. Christoffer Valkendorff , a high-ranking statesman, defended the city's interests and contributed to its development. The Netherlands had also become primarily Protestant, as were northern German states. During
10160-605: The city was bombarded by a British fleet during the Napoleonic Wars , before the Danish Golden Age brought a Neoclassical look to Copenhagen's architecture. After World War II , the Finger Plan fostered the development of housing and businesses along the five urban railway routes emanating from the city centre. Since the turn of the 21st century, Copenhagen has seen strong urban and cultural development, facilitated by investment in its institutions and infrastructure. The city
10287-481: The city's metropolitan rail system revealed the remains of a large merchant's mansion near today's Kongens Nytorv from c. 1020 . Excavations in Pilestræde have also led to the discovery of a well from the late 12th century. The remains of an ancient church, with graves dating to the 11th century, have been unearthed near where Strøget meets Rådhuspladsen . These finds indicate that Copenhagen's origins as
10414-781: The crowd at the Bell Centre in Montreal. He is also a fan of the New York Mets and, in an interview promoting 2009 film The Road , was seen wearing apparel indicating his support for the Australian Football League's Collingwood Magpies . While appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman , he held a sign supporting the New York Giants of the NFL . During the press tour for Lord of
10541-467: The crowned royal cyphers of Valdemar II Sejr , Christian V and Frederik VI , as well as the years 1219, 1671 and 1808, the years that each of them ascended the Danish throne. In each of the four angles of the cross is found a small Danish royal crown. The collar of the Order is made of gold, with small enamelled Dannebrog crosses alternating with alternating crowned royal cyphers representing Kings Valdemar II Sejr and Christian V,
10668-583: The district of Christianshavn with canals and ramparts. It was initially intended to be a fortified trading centre but ultimately became part of Copenhagen. Christian IV also sponsored an array of ambitious building projects including Rosenborg Slot and the Rundetårn . In 1658–1659, the city withstood a siege by the Swedes under Charles X and successfully repelled a major assault . By 1661, Copenhagen had asserted its position as capital of Denmark and Norway. All
10795-404: The early 1850s, the ramparts of the city were opened to allow new housing to be built around The Lakes ( Danish : Søerne ) that bordered the old defences to the west. By the 1880s, the districts of Nørrebro and Vesterbro developed to accommodate those who came from the provinces to participate in the city's industrialization. This dramatic increase of space was long overdue, as not only were
10922-542: The early 2000s, Mortensen played supporting roles in a variety of films including the historical romance The Portrait of a Lady (1996), the action drama G.I. Jane (1997), the crime drama A Perfect Murder (1998), and the comedy 28 Days (2000). Mortensen gained international attention for his breakthrough role as Aragorn in the fantasy trilogy The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003). He later starred in several David Cronenberg films including A History of Violence (2005), Eastern Promises (2007), for which he
11049-554: The film's protagonist, Isabel Archer ( Nicole Kidman ). He also acted in Boiling Point , Danny Cannon 's The Young Americans , Brian de Palma 's Carlito's Way , Crimson Tide , G.I. Jane , Daylight , A Walk on the Moon , The Passion of Darkly Noon 28 Days , and The Prophecy , with Christopher Walken . In 1998, Mortensen appeared in remakes of two Alfred Hitchcock movies: Psycho and A Perfect Murder (which
11176-451: The filming experience as having an "undercurrent of loss," and wrote the poem "For Sandy Dennis" in her honor. In 1992, Mortensen starred in Ruby Cairo alongside Liam Neeson and Andie MacDowell . Although Ruby Cairo was Mortensen's highest-budget film at this point in his career, it was a commercial failure, bringing in only 608,000 on its 24 million dollar budget. The next year, the film
11303-453: The final cut. He was one of the four finalists to play the title role of Tarzan in the adventure film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), though the role eventually went to Christopher Lambert . His first onscreen appearance was playing an Amish farmer in Peter Weir 's Witness . He was cast because the director thought he had the right face for the part. Although he
11430-541: The former offices of the Shell Oil Company . Political prisoners were kept in the attic to prevent an air raid, so the RAF had to bomb the lower levels of the building. The attack, known as " Operation Carthage ", came on 22 March 1945, in three small waves. In the first wave, all six planes (carrying one bomb each) hit their target, but one of the aircraft crashed near Frederiksberg Girls School. Because of this crash, four of
11557-526: The initiative of the young architect Jan Gehl , pedestrian streets and cycle tracks were created in the city centre. Activity in the port of Copenhagen declined with the closure of the Holmen Naval Base. Copenhagen Airport underwent considerable expansion, becoming a hub for the Nordic countries . In the 1990s, large-scale housing developments were realised in the harbour area and in the west of Amager . The national library's Black Diamond building on
11684-592: The letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn 's A People's History of the United States . Later that year, he joined the cast of The Road , a film adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, and collaborated with David Cronenberg for a third time on A Dangerous Method . After two years, Mortensen returned to theater in 2011, starring in Ariel Dorfman 's Purgatorio ("Purgatory") in Madrid . Purgatorio
11811-507: The main attack. The Dano-Norwegian fleet put up heavy resistance, and the battle is often considered to be Nelson's hardest-fought battle, surpassing even the heavy fighting at Trafalgar . It was during this battle that Lord Nelson was said to have "put the telescope to the blind eye" in order not to see Admiral Parker's signal to cease fire . The British ultimately won the battle, sinking or capturing most of Dano-Norwegian fleet, which led Denmark to agree not to ally with France. In 1807, as
11938-551: The major institutions were located there, as was the fleet and most of the army. The defences were further enhanced with the completion of the Citadel in 1664 and the extension of Christianshavns Vold with its bastions in 1692, leading to the creation of a new base for the fleet at Nyholm . Copenhagen lost around 22,000 of its population of 65,000 to the plague in 1711. The city was also struck by two major fires that destroyed much of its infrastructure. The Copenhagen Fire of 1728
12065-483: The marauders, islanders replaced it with Copenhagen Castle . In 1186, a letter from Pope Urban III states that the castle of Hafn (Copenhagen) and its surrounding lands, including the town of Hafn, were given to Absalon , Bishop of Roskilde (1158–1191) and Archbishop of Lund (1177–1201), by King Valdemar I . Upon Absalon's death, the property was to come into the ownership of the Bishopric of Roskilde . Around 1200,
12192-419: The north of Slotsholmen. In 1254, it received a charter as a city under Bishop Jakob Erlandsen who garnered support from the local fishing merchants against the king by granting them special privileges. In the mid 1330s, the first land assessment of the city was published. With the establishment of the Kalmar Union (1397–1523) between Denmark , Norway and Sweden, by about 1416 Copenhagen had emerged as
12319-408: The northern part of Denmark where the land is rising because of post-glacial rebound . Amager Strandpark , which opened in 2005, is a 2 km (1 mi) long artificial island , with a total of 4.6 km (2.9 mi) of beaches. It is located just 15 minutes by bicycle or a few minutes by metro from the city centre. In Klampenborg , about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from downtown Copenhagen,
12446-516: The old part of Christianshavn and to get rid of the worst of the city's slum areas. However, it was not until the 1930s that substantial housing developments ensued, with the demolition of one side of Christianhavn's Torvegade to build five large blocks of flats. In Denmark during World War II , Copenhagen was occupied by German troops along with the rest of the country from 9 April 1940 until 4 May 1945. German leader Adolf Hitler hoped that Denmark would be "a model protectorate " and initially
12573-449: The old ramparts out of date as a defence system but bad sanitation in the old city had to be overcome. From 1886, the west rampart ( Vestvolden ) was flattened, allowing major extensions to the harbour leading to the establishment of the Freeport of Copenhagen 1892–94. Electricity came in 1892 with electric trams in 1897. The spread of housing to areas outside the old ramparts brought about
12700-570: The planes in the two following waves assumed the school was the military target and aimed their bombs at the school, leading to the death of 123 civilians (of which 87 were schoolchildren). However, 18 of the 26 political prisoners in the Shell Building managed to escape while the Gestapo archives were completely destroyed. On 8 May 1945 Copenhagen was officially liberated by British troops commanded by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery who supervised
12827-490: The primaries for the 2016 election . After Sanders failed to win the Democratic Party nomination, Mortensen endorsed Green Party candidate Jill Stein . He wrote an open letter just before Election Day 2016 in which he listed the reasons he disagreed with Hillary Clinton ’s policies and could not support her in the race against Donald Trump , though he thought that Clinton would be elected president. He went on to narrate
12954-422: The rank of Knight 1st Class. The rank of Commander is given to colonels, ministers and other high-ranking officials as a retirement-decoration after long service. Commander 1st class is given for admirals, generals, Supreme-court judges, ambassadors, and other governmental leaders as a retirement decoration. The Grand Cross is most often used for admirals, generals, Supreme-court judges, ambassadors and similar as
13081-525: The reign of Christian IV between 1588 and 1648, Copenhagen had dramatic growth as a city. On his initiative at the beginning of the 17th century, two important buildings were completed on Slotsholmen : the Tøjhus Arsenal and Børsen , the stock exchange. To foster international trade, the East India Company was founded in 1616. To the east of the city, inspired by Dutch planning, the king developed
13208-401: The reputed and actual founders of the Order. When the collar is worn the sash is not worn. The star of the Order is an eight-pointed silver star with straight rays with an enamelled Dannebrog cross (similar to the front of the badge but without the royal cypher above and the royal crowns between the arms of the cross) at the centre. The breast cross of the Order is similar to the cross on
13335-663: The rise in London. His nude fight scene in a steam room was applauded by Roger Ebert : "Years from now, it will be referred to as a benchmark." Mortensen's performance in Eastern Promises resulted in his winning the Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film award from the British Independent Film Awards . He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Mortensen appeared as himself in
13462-452: The royal residence of Christiansborg Palace , which was completed in 1745. In 1749, development of the prestigious district of Frederiksstaden was initiated. Designed by Nicolai Eigtved in the Rococo style, its centre contained the mansions which now form Amalienborg Palace. Major extensions to the naval base of Holmen were undertaken while the city's cultural importance was enhanced with
13589-528: The set. In 2006, he starred as Captain Diego Alatriste in the Spanish language film Alatriste , based on the series of novels The Adventures of Captain Alatriste , written by the Spanish writer Arturo Pérez-Reverte . In September 2007, the film Eastern Promises , directed by David Cronenberg, was released to critical acclaim for the film itself and for Mortensen's performance as a Russian gangster on
13716-474: The surrender of 30,000 Germans situated around the capital. Shortly after the end of the war, an innovative urban development project known as the Finger Plan was introduced in 1947, encouraging the creation of new housing and businesses interspersed with large green areas along five "fingers" stretching out from the city centre along the S-train routes. With the expansion of the welfare state and women entering
13843-538: The three as "the walking wounded." Also, according to the Special Extended Edition DVD of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , Mortensen purchased the two horses, Uraeus and Kenny, whom he had ridden and bonded with over the duration of the films. In 2004, Mortensen starred as Frank Hopkins in Hidalgo , the story of an ex-army courier who travels to Arabia to compete with his horse, Hidalgo, in
13970-448: The time Old Danish was spoken, the capital was called Køpmannæhafn , with the current name deriving from centuries of subsequent regular sound change . The English cognates of the original name would be " chapman 's haven ". The English chapman , German Kaufmann , Dutch koopman , Swedish köpman , Danish købmand , and Icelandic kaupmaður share a derivation from Latin caupo , meaning 'tradesman'. However,
14097-484: The two art forms. He has collaborated with guitarist Buckethead on several albums, mostly released on his own label (Perceval Press) or TDRS Music. Viggo was first introduced to Buckethead's work while working on sounds for an educational CD on Greek mythology. The finished product included a guitar part by Buckethead, which caught Viggo's ear and led him to initiate contact with the guitarist. The collaboration grew from there. |} Mortensen's discography includes: Mortensen
14224-538: The waterfront was completed in 1999. Since the summer of 2000, Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmö have been connected by the Øresund Bridge , which carries rail and road traffic. As a result, Copenhagen has become the centre of a larger metropolitan area spanning both nations. The bridge has brought about considerable changes in the public transport system and has led to the extensive redevelopment of Amager . The city's service and trade sectors have developed while
14351-515: The work force, schools, nurseries, sports facilities and hospitals were established across the city. As a result of student unrest in the late 1960s, the former Bådsmandsstræde Barracks in Christianshavn was occupied, leading to the establishment of Freetown Christiania in September 1971. Motor traffic in the city grew significantly and in 1972 the trams were replaced by buses. From the 1960s, on
14478-424: The world, is linked to an ultra-nationalist and neo-fascist political party, it is even more ridiculous to use the character of Aragorn, a polyglot statesman who advocates knowledge and inclusion of the diverse races, customs and languages of Middle Earth, to legitimize an anti-immigrant, anti-feminist and Islamophobic political group." In May 2020, Mortensen signed an open letter urging Israel to end its blockade of
14605-578: The world. Movia is the public mass transit company serving all of eastern Denmark, except Bornholm . The Copenhagen Metro , launched in 2002, serves central Copenhagen. Additionally, the Copenhagen S-train , the Lokaltog ( private railway ), and the Coast Line network serve and connect central Copenhagen to outlying boroughs. Serving roughly 2.5 million passengers a month, Copenhagen Airport , Kastrup,
14732-452: Was American, while his father was Danish . They met in Norway. His maternal grandfather was a Canadian from Nova Scotia . His paternal grandmother was from Trondheim , Norway. In 1961, the family moved to Venezuela, then Denmark, and eventually settled in Argentina. They lived successively in the provinces of Córdoba , Chaco , and Buenos Aires . Mortensen attended primary school and acquired
14859-548: Was a remake of Dial M for Murder ). Another major mainstream breakthrough came in 1999, when Peter Jackson cast him as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy . According to the Special Extended Edition DVD of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring , Mortensen was a last-minute replacement for Stuart Townsend , and would not have taken the part of Aragorn had it not been for his son's enthusiasm for
14986-613: Was almost identical to that worn by the knights of the Order of the Elephant . The Order is divided into six grades, which are grouped into four classes: The Grand Commander grade is reserved for persons of princely origin. It is awarded only to royalty with close family ties to the Danish Royal House. The Grand Cross grade can, as a special honor, be awarded 'with diamonds' (S.K.i diam., short for Storkors i diamanter ). The Order also has
15113-483: Was introduced in Denmark, specifically for Copenhagen, by Johann Friedrich Struensee in 1771. Now known as the City Court of Copenhagen ( Københavns Byret ), it is the largest of the 24 city courts in Denmark with jurisdiction over the municipalities of Copenhagen, Dragør and Tårnby . With its 42 judges, it has a Probate Division, an Enforcement Division and a Registration and Notorial Acts Division while bankruptcy
15240-674: Was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor , and A Dangerous Method (2011). He gained additional Academy Award nominations for his leading roles as an anarchist father in Captain Fantastic (2016) and as Tony Lip in Green Book (2018). Mortensen made his directorial debut with Falling (2020), in which he also starred. Falling was nominated for the Goya Award for Best European Film . In addition to film, Mortensen has pursued
15367-517: Was offered to reprise his role as Aragorn, but he declined because the character does not appear in the novel the film is based on . Mortensen starred in the 2016 film Captain Fantastic , for which he received his second Academy Award nomination. Alonso Duralde of TheWrap praised Mortensen's performance, saying, "The movie really belongs to Mortensen, who allows Ben to be exasperating, arrogant, and impatient but also warm, loving, and caring. He's
15494-452: Was raised speaking English and Spanish, and sometimes feels that, when speaking Spanish, he "can get to the heart of the matter better". Mortensen met singer Exene Cervenka in 1986 on the set of the comedy Salvation! The couple married on July 8, 1987. On January 28, 1988, Cervenka gave birth to their son, Henry, who later played his on-screen son in the film Crimson Tide in 1995. Henry graduated from Columbia University in 2010 with
15621-406: Was recut and given the title Deception . Several scenes were reshot for Deception , including a sex scene between Mortensen and MacDowell, which was removed and replaced with a less intimate dialogue on a balcony. During the 1990s, Mortensen appeared in supporting roles in a variety of films, including Jane Campion 's The Portrait of a Lady , where he played Caspar Goodwood, a love interest of
15748-566: Was shot in Mexico. With part of his earnings from The Lord of the Rings , Mortensen founded the Perceval Press publishing house—named after the knight from the legend of King Arthur —to help other artists by publishing works that might not find a home in more traditional publishing venues. Perceval Press is also the home of Mortensen's many personal artistic projects in the area of fine arts, photography, poetry, song, and literature. Mortensen
15875-603: Was simultaneously cast as a soldier in Shakespeare in the Park's production of Henry V , he chose to work on Witness instead, citing a desire to try something new. Mortensen credited that decision and the positive experience on the film as the start of his film career. Also in 1985, he was cast in the role of Bragg on the TV series Search for Tomorrow . Mortensen's 1987 performance in Bent at
16002-487: Was the largest in the history of Copenhagen. It began on the evening of 20 October, and continued to burn until the morning of 23 October, destroying approximately 28% of the city, leaving some 20% of the population homeless. No less than 47% of the medieval section of the city was completely lost. Along with the 1795 fire , it is the main reason that few traces of the old town can be found in the modern city. A substantial amount of rebuilding followed. In 1733, work began on
16129-489: Was worn a red mantle with a white lining and with the star of the order embroidered in silver on its left side. Over this red mantle was worn a short white shoulder cape with a standing collar embroidered in gold, upon which was worn the collar of the Order (the habit was always worn with the collar and never with the ribbon of the Order). The habit also had a black hat with a plume of white and red ostrich feathers. This habit
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