The Laureate Badge of Madrid ( es, Placa Laureada de Madrid) was the highest military award for gallantry of the

Second Spanish Republic The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of King Alfonso XIII, and was dissolved on 1 ...

. It was awarded in recognition of action, either individual or collective, to protect the nation and its citizens in the face of immediate risk to the bearer or bearers' life. Those eligible were members of the

Spanish Republican Armed Forces The Spanish Republican Armed Forces ( es, Fuerzas Armadas de la República Española) were initially formed by the following two branches of the military of the Second Spanish Republic: *Spanish Republican Army (''Ejército de la República Espa ...

and testimonies of reliable witnesses were checked prior to concession. Named after the capital of Spain, symbolizing courage and the defence of the Republic during the

Siege of Madrid The siege of Madrid was a two-and-a-half-year siege of the Republican-controlled Spanish capital city of Madrid by the Nationalist armies, under General Francisco Franco, during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). The city, besieged from Oc ...

throughout the Spanish Civil War, the Laureate Badge of Madrid was established on 25 May 1937 as the Spanish Republican equivalent to the

Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand The Royal and Military Order of Saint Ferdinand ( es, Real y Militar Orden de San Fernando), is a Spanish military order whose decoration, known as Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand ( es, Cruz Laureada de San Fernando), is Spain's highest mili ...

awarded by the monarchy and the Nationalist faction.

Awardees

A total of 8 people were awarded this medal: *

Spanish Republican Army The Spanish Republican Army ( es, Ejército de la República Española) was the main branch of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic between 1931 and 1939. It became known as People's Army of the Republic (''Ejército Popular de la Rep� ...

Vicente Rojo Lluch Vicente Rojo Lluch (8 October 1894 – 15 June 1966) was Chief of the General Staff of the Spanish Armed Forces during the Spanish Civil War. Early life He was the posthumous son of a military man who fought against the Carlists and in the ...

, General of the Popular Army and Chief of the General Staff ** José Miaja Menant, General of the Popular Army ** Manuel Fontela Frois, Major of the Republican Cavalry ** Domiciano Leal Sargenta and Manuel Álvarez Álvarez, Majors of the Militia for their role in the

Battle of the Ebro The Battle of the Ebro ( es, Batalla del Ebro, ca, Batalla de l'Ebre) was the longest and largest battle of the Spanish Civil War and the greatest, in terms of manpower, logistics and material ever fought on Spanish soil. It took place between Ju ...

(posthumously) *

Spanish Republican Navy The Spanish Republican Navy was the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939. History In the same manner as the other two branches of the Spanish Republ ...

Luis González de Ubieta Luis González de Ubieta y González del Campillo (1899 – 1950) was an admiral of the Spanish Republican Navy during the Spanish Civil War. He died in exile as the captain of the Panama, Panamanian merchant vessel ''Chiriqui'', refusing to b ...

, Admiral of the Republican Armada for his role in sinking heavy cruiser ''Baleares'' in the Battle of Cabo de Palos, the biggest naval battle of the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...

. ** Ambrosio Ristori de la Cuadra, Major of the ''Infantería de Marina'' (posthumously), for his exploits in the siege of the Alcazar and the Battle of Seseña, where he was killed in action *

Spanish Republican Air Force The Spanish Republican Air Force was the air arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939. Initially divided into two branches: Military Aeronautics ('' Aeronáutica ...

** Leocadio Mendiola Núñez, Major of the Air Force, for services rendered (Although awarded, Mendiola never did receive the medal after the fall of the Second Spanish Republic)

''Distintivo de Madrid''

The ''Distintivo de Madrid'' (Madrid Distinction) was an award related to the Laureate Plate which was established by the Second Spanish Republic in order to reward courage. It was awarded to the

personnel and vessels that took part in the Battle of Cape Palos in January 1938. Following the grant of the Laureate Badge of Madrid to Luis González de Ubieta, Admiral of the loyalist fleet, the ''Distintivo de Madrid'' was awarded to Spanish Republican Navy cruisers ''Libertad'' and ''Méndez Núñez'', and destroyers ''Lepanto'', ''Almirante Antequera'' and ''Sánchez Barcáiztegui'', as well as to their crew members for their role in the Battle of Cape Palos. These ships would thenceforward fly a special pennant and the men would wear a special badge on their uniforms with the old

coat of arms of Madrid The main components of the Coat of arms of Madrid (the bear and the tree) have their origin in the Middle Ages. The different coats of arms have experienced several modifications, losing for example motifs often displayed in early designs such as ...

.Enrique García Domingo, ''Recompensas republicanas por el hundimiento del Baleares,'' Revista de Historia Naval 1997, Año XV no. 59, pg. 70

References

External links

*''Reglamento de la Placa Laureada de Madrid''. Gaceta de la República: Diario Oficial, núm 145, 25 de mayo de 1937: *
Placa Laureada de Madrid

{{Highest gallantry awards 1937 establishments in Spain 1939 disestablishments in Spain

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic Military awards and decorations of the Spanish Civil War History of Madrid Awards established in 1937 Awards disestablished in 1939 Awards and decorations of the Second Spanish Republic

Awardees

''Distintivo de Madrid''

See also

References

External links