The tradition and art of heraldry first appeared in Spain at about the beginning of the eleventh century AD and its origin was similar to other European countries: the need for knights and

nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteri ...

to distinguish themselves from one another on the battlefield, in

joust Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two horse riders wielding lances with blunted tips, often as part of a tournament. The primary aim was to replicate a clash of heavy cavalry, with each participant trying to strike the opponen ...

s and in

tournaments A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...

. Knights wore

armor Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...

from head to toe and were often in leadership positions, so it was essential to be able to identify them on the battlefield.

Features

The design of the

arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...

themselves, excepting for the rules of heraldry, were up to the owner, and sometimes the design had a specific meaning or symbolism. Originally, anyone could bear (display) arms. Later, it became more of a practice for the

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...

. Until the end of the middle ages only the paternal arms were used but later both the paternal and maternal arms were displayed. The arms of the maternal and paternal grandfathers were impaled (shield cut in half vertically, showing the respective arms on each half). During the 18th and 19th centuries, the use of four quarterings came into use by the nobility (the shield was cut into four parts and the design of the arms of each grandparent was placed in each quarter). The order of display was: # Paternal grandfather # Maternal grandfather # Paternal grandmother # Maternal grandmother Grant of arms2

Origins and history

The

Spanish nobility Spanish nobles are persons who possess the legal status of hereditary nobility according to the laws and traditions of the Spanish monarchy and historically also those who held personal nobility as bestowed by one of the three highest orders of ...

, unlike their other European counterparts, was based almost entirely on military service. Few families of eminence came from the law, commerce or the church. The great families of Spain and Portugal fought their way to their rank, which allowed commoners to join the ranks of the nobility through loyal and successful military service. Many poor families came to prominence and wealth quickly as a result of their successful military exploits. In Spanish heraldry, arms are a symbol of lineage and a symbol of the family as well. Spanish arms are inheritable like any other form of property.

Descent of Spanish arms

Coat of Arms of John of Austria (1545-1578)

The descent of Spanish arms and titles differs from much of Europe in that they can be inherited through females. Also,

illegitimacy Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as '' ...

did not prevent the descent of arms and titles. The great Spanish families believed that a family pedigree could be more damaged by misalliance than by illegitimacy. Indeed, the patents of nobility of many Spanish families contained bequeathals to illegitimate branches in case no legitimate heirs were found. Illegitimacy in Spain was divided into three categories. # Natural children: Those born of single or widowed parents who could be legitimized by the marriage of their parents or by a declaration by their father that they were his heirs. # Spurious children: Those whose parents were not in a position to marry. These children had to be legitimized by a petition of royal

ratification Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent that lacked the authority to bind the principal legally. Ratification defines the international act in which a state indicates its consent to be bound to a treaty if the parties inte ...

. # Incestuous children: Those born of parents too closely related to marry or who were under a religious vow. These ''hijos'' required a

papal dispensation In the jurisprudence of the canon law of the Catholic Church, a dispensation is the exemption from the immediate obligation of law in certain cases.The Law of Christ Vol. I, pg. 284 Its object is to modify the hardship often arising from the ...

in order to inherit their parent's arms or property. These papal dispensations were granted so often that every

diocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associa ...

in Spain had signed blanks ready to affix the appropriate name.

Style and practice

Spanish heraldry style and practice follows the Iberian branch of the Latin heraldry tradition, that also includes the

Portuguese heraldry Portuguese heraldry encompasses the modern and historic traditions of heraldry in Portugal and the Portuguese Empire. Portuguese heraldry is part of the larger Iberian tradition of heraldry, one of the major schools of heraldic tradition, and gra ...

, with which it shares many features. The most common shape of

heraldic shield In heraldry, an escutcheon () is a shield that forms the main or focal element in an achievement of arms. The word can be used in two related senses. In the first sense, an escutcheon is the shield upon which a coat of arms is displayed. In the s ...

used in Spain is the Iberian style (also referred as "Peninsular", "Spanish" or "Portuguese") which has a simple shape, square on top and round at the bottom. The charges shown on Spanish

armorial A roll of arms (or armorial) is a collection of coats of arms, usually consisting of rows of painted pictures of shields, each shield accompanied by the name of the person bearing the arms. The oldest extant armorials date to the mid-13th centu ...

bearings can depict historical events or deeds of war. They are also characterized by a widespread use of orles and borders around the edge of the shield. In addition to borders, Spain and Portugal marshal arms more conventionally by quartering. The Iberian heraldry also allows words and letters on the shield itself, a practice which is considered incorrect in northern Europe. Crests and helmets are also common in Spain and Portugal.

Definitions

The "coat" of arms, or more correctly the achievement, in Spain is composed of the shield, a cape which can be simply drawn or ornate, a helmet (optional) or a

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

if for a member of the nobility and a motto (optional). In Spanish heraldry, that which is placed on the shield itself is the most important. In

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, Scottish and

Irish heraldry Irish heraldry is the forms of heraldry, such as Coat of arms, coats of arms, in Ireland. Since 1 April 1943 it is regulated in the Republic of Ireland by the Genealogical Office, Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland and in Northern Ireland by No ...

one can find many additional accessories not often found or used in Spanish heraldry. They can include, in addition to the shield, a helmet, mantling (cloth cape), wreath (a circle of silk with gold and silver cord twisted around and placed to cover the joint between the helmet and crest), the

crest Crest or CREST may refer to: Buildings *The Crest (Huntington, New York), a historic house in Suffolk County, New York *"The Crest", an alternate name for 63 Wall Street, in Manhattan, New York *Crest Castle (Château Du Crest), Jussy, Switzerla ...

, the motto, chapeau, supporters (animals real or fictitious or people holding up the shield), the compartment (what the supporters are standing on), standards and Ensigns (personal flags),

Coronet A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. A coronet differs from other kinds of crowns in that a coronet never has arches, and from a tiara in that a coronet completely encircles the head, while a tiara doe ...

s of rank, insignia of orders of chivalry and badges. In general, the older the arms, the simpler or plainer is the achievement. File: Heraldic Royal Crown of Spain.svg, Sovereign – Royal Crown of Spain
Design of the national arms File:Heraldic Royal Crown of Spain (Version of the Royal Arms).svg, Sovereign – Royal Crown of Spain
Design of the monarch's arms File:Royal Crown for the Aragonese Terriories.svg, Sovereign – Variant for the Spanish Territories of the former

Crown of Aragon The Crown of Aragon ( , ) an, Corona d'Aragón ; ca, Corona d'Aragó, , , ; es, Corona de Aragón ; la, Corona Aragonum . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of ...

File:Heraldic Crown of the Prince of Asturias.svg, Crown of the Heir Apparent File:Heraldic Crown of the Spanish Heir Apparent as Prince of Girona.svg, Heir Apparent – Variant for the Spanish Territories of the former Crown of Aragon File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Infantes.svg, Infantes (Princes and Princesses) File:Crown of Spanish Infantes for the Aragonese Terriories.svg, Infantes – Variant for the Spanish Territories of the former

File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Grandee.svg, Heraldic Coronet of Spanish Grandee File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Dukes (Variant 1).svg, Duke File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Marqueses (Variant 1).svg, Marquess File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Count.svg, Count File:Heraldic Crown of the Spanish Viscounts.svg, Viscount File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Barons.svg, Baron File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Lords.svg, Señor (Lord) File:Spanish Mural Crown (Common).svg, Spanish Mural Crown (Generic) File:Corona mural diputación o vegería.svg, Mural Crown of Catalan Provinces (Spain) File:Mural Crown of Catalan Regions.svg, Mural Crown of Catalan Regions File:Mural Crown of Catalan Cities.svg, Mural Crown of Catalan Cities File:Mural Crown of Catalan Towns.svg, Mural Crown of Catalan Towns File:Mural Crown of Catalan Villages.svg, Mural Crown of Catalan Villages File:Heraldic Crown of a Spanish King of Arms.svg, Heraldic Coronet of Spanish Kings of Arms Military heraldic coronets File:Heraldic Coronet of Spanish Captain General.svg,

Captain General Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title. History The term "Captain General" started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of Comma ...

García-Menacho y Osset, E. ''Introducción a la heráldica y manual de heráldica militar española''. Madrid: Ministerio de Defensa, 2010. . P. 96 File:Heraldic Coronet of Spanish OF-9.svg, '' General of the Army General of the Air force General Admiral''
Proposed File:Heraldic Coronet of Spanish OF-8.svg, Lieteurant General Admiral File:Heraldic Coronet of Spanish OF-7.svg, Divisional General
Vice Admiral File:Heraldic Coronet of Spanish OF-6.svg,

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

Counter Admiral File:Heraldic Coronet of Spanish OF-5.svg,

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

Ship-of-the-Line Captain Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The rank is equal to the army rank of colonel and air force rank of group captain. Equivalent ranks worldwide include ...

Regulation

The Chronicler King of Arms in the Kingdoms of Spain was a civil servant who had the authority to grant

bearings. The office of the King of Arms in Spain originated from those of the heralds ( es, heraldos). In the early days of heraldry, anyone could bear arms and there arose disputes between individuals and families. These disputes were originally settled by the

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

, in the case of a dispute between nobles or by a lower ranked official when the dispute involved non-nobles. Eventually, the task of settling these disputes was passed on to officials called

herald A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to ...

s who were originally responsible for setting up tournaments and carrying messages from one noble to another. The Spanish Cronista de Armas

heraldic Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known bran ...

office An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific du ...

dates back to the 16th century. But prior to that, heralds were usually named after provinces and non-capital cities, whilst reyes de armas were named after the Spanish kingdoms. Various chroniclers of arms were named for Spain, Castile, León, Frechas,

Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula ...

, Córdoba,

Murcia Murcia (, , ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia, and the seventh largest city in the country. It has a population of 460,349 inhabitants in 2021 (about one ...

, Granada (created in 1496),

Estella Estella may refer to: People * Diego de Estella (1524–1578) * Estella Sneider (born 1950) *Estella Warren (born 1978), Canadian actress *Estella, the ''nom de guerre'' of Italian labor leader Teresa Noce Fictional *Estella Havisham, a charact ...

, Viana, Navarre,

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the nort ...

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

, Aragon,

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

, Toledo,

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...

and Majorca. While these appointments were not hereditary, at least fifteen Spanish families produced more than one herald each in the past five hundred years (compared to about the same number for England,

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

and Ireland collectively). The Spanish Cronistas had judicial powers in matters of

noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Gr ...

titles. They also served as an accreditation office for pedigrees and grants of arms. The post of King of Arms took several forms and eventually settled on a ''Corps of Chronicler King of Arms'' (Cuerpo de Cronista Rey de Armas) which was headed by an Elder or Dean (''Decano''). It usually consisted of four officers and two assistants or undersecretaries which usually acted as witnesses to documents. The entire corps wore a distinctive uniform. The corps were considered part of the royal household and was generally responsible to the Master of the King's stable (an important position in the Middle Ages). Appointments to the Corps of King of Arms were made by the King or reigning Queen. These appointments were for life and while not intended to be hereditary, often went from father to son or other close family member. The Spanish heralds had other duties which pertained to matters of

protocol Protocol may refer to: Sociology and politics * Protocol (politics), a formal agreement between nation states * Protocol (diplomacy), the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state * Etiquette, a code of personal behavior Science and technolog ...

and often acted as royal messengers and emissaries. They could, and can, make arrangements for areas currently or previously under the rule of the Spanish crown The precise functions and duties of the King of Arms were clearly defined by the declarations of several Kings and are still in force today. In modern times the Corps of Chronicler King of Arms went through several changes. Important changes were made in 1915, it was abolished in 1931 and restored in 1947–1951. The last Chronicler Kings of Arms appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Justice was Don Vicente de Cadenas y Vicent, died in 2005. The government of the autonomous community of Castile and León has appointed Don

Alfonso Ceballos-Escalera y Gil Alfonso de Ceballos-Escalera y Gila (born March 4, 1957, in Madrid) is a Spanish aristocrat, who holds the title of Marquess, ''Marqués de la Floresta'' & Viscount of Ayala in the Kingdom of Spain and Duke of Ostuni of the former Kingdom of the Tw ...

, ''Marques de la Floresta and Vizconde de Ayala'' as (Chronicler of Arms for Castile and León). Don Alfonso also serves as personal heraldic officer to the King of Spain. Formerly, everything that the Spanish heralds do must be approved by the Ministry of Justice. However, more recent legislation has established the Cronista de Castile and León as the modern equivalent of the Spanish King of Arms with the authority to make grants of arms to citizens of Spain and individuals from families associated with its former colonies without reference to the Ministry of Justice.

National and civic arms

Like most European countries, Spain has a

national coat of arms A national coat of arms is a symbol which denotes an independent state in the form of a heraldic achievement. While a national flag is usually used by the population at large and is flown outside and on ships, a national coat of arms is normally ...

. Many cities also have civic coats of arms; some are recent grants, others date back to the

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

period. Toledo, in previous periods the most important city of Spain, has a particularly elaborate coat of arms; it uses the

double-headed eagle In heraldry and vexillology, the double-headed eagle (or double-eagle) is a charge associated with the concept of Empire. Most modern uses of the symbol are directly or indirectly associated with its use by the late Byzantine Empire, origina ...

of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...

as supporter on its coat of arms; this represents its former importance and power.

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the Largest cities of the Europ ...

, the capital, has a less elaborate coat of arms, depicting a bear taking fruit from a tree. Coats of arms are regularly depicted on various buildings and objects belonging to national or local government; in Madrid, even such unglamorous objects as

manhole cover A manhole cover or maintenance hole cover is a removable plate forming the lid over the opening of a manhole, an opening large enough for a person to pass through that is used as an access point for an underground vault or pipe. It is designed t ...

s are decorated with the civic coat of arms.

Personal arms

Some ancient Spanish families bear personal arms. The

Dukes of Alba Duke of Alba de Tormes ( es, Duque de Alba de Tormes), commonly known as Duke of Alba, is a title of Spanish nobility that is accompanied by the dignity of Grandee of Spain. In 1472, the title of ''Count of Alba de Tormes'', inherited by ...

, historically among the most powerful noble families in Europe, bear an elaborate achievement of arms, featuring the 'arms of justice' symbolising their hereditary office as

Constables A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...

of Navarre. The

monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power i ...

and the

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

have their own personal coats of arms.

Heraldic regulation

Coat of Arms of Leonor, Princess of Asturias

Spain originally had a corporation of

heralds A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to ...

(Spanish ' cronistas de armas') linked with the royal palace. However, the Spanish body of heralds was abolished in 1931 with the establishment 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 ...

.p205, Slater, Stephen, ''The Complete Book of Heraldry'' (2002, Anness Publishing) Since the restoration of Juan Carlos I in 1975, Spain's first post-republican herald has been appointed. As in other European nations, arms are regulated, and it is unlawful to assume arms belonging to someone else. Spanish coats of arms are divided in the same fashion used by other European countries. Since coats of arms were granted to new separate families, there was the need to join multiple coats of arms into one when a new branch of a family was formed. Thus Spanish escutcheons are commonly parted. The tradition of differentiating between the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

proper and a

lozenge Lozenge or losange may refer to: * Lozenge (shape), a type of rhombus *Throat lozenge, a tablet intended to be dissolved slowly in the mouth to suppress throat ailments *Lozenge (heraldry), a diamond-shaped object that can be placed on the field of ...

granted to women did not develop in Spain. Both men and women inherited a coat of arms from their fathers (or a member of a clan who had adopted them). In the case of women they could also adopt the arms of their husbands.

Tinctures

Examples of Spanish heraldry overseas

Current File:Bacolor Pampanga.svg, Municipal Seal of

Bacolor, Pampanga Bacolor, officially the Municipality of Bacolor ( pam, Balen ning Bakúlud; tgl, Bayan ng Bacolor), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 48,066 people. Bac ...

(

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

) File:Coat of Arms of Baja California Sur.svg, Coat of Arms of
Baja California Sur
(

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

) File:Coat of Arms of Bogota.svg, Coat of Arms of Bogota
( Colombia) File:Arms of Buenos Aires (Flag).svg, Early Coat of Arms of

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

(

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

) File:Escudo de Cajamarca.svg, Coat of Arms of

Cajamarca Cajamarca (), also known by the Quechua name, ''Kashamarka'', is the capital and largest city of the Cajamarca Region as well as an important cultural and commercial center in the northern Andes. It is located in the northern highlands of Peru ...

(

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

) File:Arms of Canela.svg, Coat of Arms of

Canela Canela may refer to: Places * Canela, Rio Grande do Sul, a town in Brazil * Canela, Chile, a commune in Chile * La Canela, a legendary location in South America * Isla Canela, an island in Andalusia, Spain Other uses * Canela (surname), in ...

(

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

) File:Coat of Arms of Caracas.svg, Coat of Arms of Caracas
(

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

) File:Coat of Arms of Durango State.svg, Coat of Arms of Durango
(Mexico) File:Coat of Arms of Guadalajara (Mexico).svg, Coat of Arms of Guadalajara
(Mexico) File:Coat of Arms of Guatemala City.svg, Coat of Arms of

Guatemala City Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, ne ...

( Guatemala) File:Coat of Arms of Ica.svg, Coat of Arms of Ica
(

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

) File:Coat of Arms of La Habana.svg,

Coat of Arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

(

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

) File:Coat of arms of Lima (1537).svg, Coat of arms of

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of the central coastal part of ...

(Peru) File:Arms of Seal of Los Angeles, California.svg,

Arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

(

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

) File:Coat of Arms of Santa Isabel City (Spanish Guinea).svg, Coat of Arms of Malabo
( Equatorial Guinea) File:Coat of Arms of Managua.svg, Coat of Arms of

Managua ) , settlement_type = Capital city , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Nicar ...

(

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...

) File:Arms of the Seal of Manila, Philippines.svg, Arms of the Seal of

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

(

) File:Coat of Arms of Medellin.svg,

of Medellín
(Colombia) File:Coat of arms of Mexico City, Mexico (2).svg, Coat of arms of

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...

(Mexico) File:Coat of Arms of Panama City.svg, Coat of Arms of

Panama City Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama (or Panamá in Spanish), is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has an urban population of 880,691, with over 1.5 million in its metropolitan area. The city is locat ...

(

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

) File:Escudo ciudad de Piura.svg, Coat of Arms of
Piura
(

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

) File:Coat of Arms of Potosi (Bolivia).svg, Coat of Arms of Potosí
( Bolivia) File:Coat of Arms of Puebla City.svg, Coat of Arms of

Puebla City Puebla de Zaragoza (; nah, Cuetlaxcoapan), formally Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, formerly Puebla de los Ángeles during colonial times, or known in English simply as Puebla, is the seat of Puebla Municipality. It is the capital and largest city ...

(Mexico) File:Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.svg, Coat of Arms of

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

File:Coat of arms of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (variant).svg,

of
Puerto Rico
(Aragonese Arms Variant) File:Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.svg, Great Seal of
Puerto Rico File:Coat of Arms of Quito.svg, Coat of Arms of Quito
(

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

) File:Coat of arms of San Antonio de Bexar, Texas.svg, Coat of Arms of
S. Antonio
(United States) File:Coat of arms of Saint Augustine, Florida.svg, Coat of Arms of Seal of
St. Augustine
(United States) File:Coat of arms of San German, Puerto Rico.svg, Coat of arms of San Germán
(Puerto Rico) File:Coat of Arms of Saint John County (Florida).svg, Coat of Arms of Seal of
St. Johns County
(United States) File:Seal of San Diego, California.svg, Seal of

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...

(United States) File:Coat of arms of San Juan (Puerto Rico).svg, Coat of Arms of
San Juan City
(Puerto Rico) File:Coat of arms of Santiago (Chile).svg, Coat of Arms of

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whos ...

(Chile) File:Coat of arms of Tlaxcala.svg, Coat of Arms of

Tlaxcala Tlaxcala (; , ; from nah, Tlaxcallān ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tlaxcala ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tlaxcala), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 60 municipaliti ...

(

) File:Coat of Arms of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic).svg, Coat of Arms of

Santo Domingo , total_type = Total , population_density_km2 = auto , timezone = AST (UTC −4) , area_code_type = Area codes , area_code = 809, 829, 849 , postal_code_type = Postal codes , postal_code = 10100–10699 ( Distrito Nacional) , webs ...

(

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

) File:Reverse of the Seal of Texas.svg, Reverse of the Seal of

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

(United States) File:Escudo de Trujillo (Perú).svg, Coat of Arms of
Trujillo
(

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

) Historical Spanish Empire File:Coat of Arms of Bogota (Colonial).svg, Coat of Arms of Bogota File:Coat of Arms of the Spanish Californias.svg, Coat of Arms of

the Californias The Californias ( Spanish: ''Las Californias''), occasionally known as The Three Californias or Two Californias, are a region of North America spanning the United States and Mexico, consisting of the U.S. state of California and the Mexican s ...

File:Coat of Arms of Cartagena de Indias - Colonial.svg, Coat of Arms of
Cartagena of the Indies File:Coat of Arms of Isla Fernandina (Cuba).svg, Coat of Arms of the Spanish Colony of

File:Coat of Arms of Cusco (Colonial).svg, Coat of Arms of Cusco File:Coat of Arms of Guatemala City (Colonial).svg, Coat of Arms of Guatemala City and Antigua File:Coat of arms of Havana (Colonial).svg, Coat of Arms of Havana File:Coat of Arms of Manila (Colonial).svg, Coat of Arms of Manila File:Old Coat of Arms of Medellin.svg, Old Coat of Arms of Medellín File:Coat of Arms of Medellin - Colonial.svg, Modern Coat of Arms of Medellín File:Coat of arms of Mexico City (Viceregal).svg, Coat of arms of Mexico City File:Coat of Arms of Nueva Galicia (Colonial).svg, Coat of Arms of

Nueva Galicia Nuevo Reino de Galicia (''New Kingdom of Galicia'', gl, Reino de Nova Galicia) or simply Nueva Galicia (''New Galicia'', ''Nova Galicia'') was an autonomous kingdom of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was named after Galicia in Spain. Nueva ...

File:Historic Coat of Arms of San Juan (Puerto Rico)-Spanish Rule.svg, Coat of Arms of San Juan City File:Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Yucatan.svg, Coat of Arms of Yucatan Overseas Provinces File:Coat of Arms of the Portuguese and Spanish Guinea.svg, Coat of Arms of

Spanish Guinea Spanish Guinea (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Guinea Española'') was a set of Insular Region (Equatorial Guinea), insular and Río Muni, continental territories controlled by Spain from 1778 in the Gulf of Guinea and on the Bight of Bonny, in ...

File:Coat of Arms of the Spanish Sahara.svg, Coat of Arms of

Spanish Sahara Spanish Sahara ( es, Sahara Español; ar, الصحراء الإسبانية, As-Sahrā'a Al-Isbānīyah), officially the Spanish Possessions in the Sahara from 1884 to 1958 then Province of the Sahara between 1958 and 1976, was the name used f ...

Spanish West Africa Spanish West Africa (, AOE) was a grouping of Spanish colonies along the Atlantic coast of northwest Africa. It was formed in 1946 by joining the southern zone of the Spanish protectorate in Morocco, the colony of Ifni and the colony of Spanish ...

File:Coat of Arms of the Spanish Province of Sidi Ifni.svg, Coat of Arms of

Sidi Ifni Province Sidi Ifni is a province in the Moroccan region of Guelmim-Oued Noun. It was created in 2009 from the southern part of Tiznit Province, and recorded a population of 115,691 in the 2014 Moroccan census The 2014 Moroccan census The moroccan census ...

Spanish West Africa File:Coat of Arms of the Spanish Province of Fernando Poo.svg, Coat of Arms of
Fernando Po Province
Spanish Guinea File:Coat of Arms of the Spanish Province of Río Muni.svg, Coat of Arms of
Río Muni Province
Spanish Guinea File:Coat of Arms of Santa Isabel City (Spanish Guinea).svg, Coat of Arms of
Santa Isabel City
Spanish Guinea File:Coat of Arms of the Spanish Sidi Ifni City.svg, Coat of Arms of
Sidi Ifni City
Spanish West Africa File:Coat of Arms of Villa Cisneros.svg, Coat of Arms of

Villa Cisneros Dakhla ( ar, الداخلة, Berber: Eddaxla / ⴷⴷⴰⵅⵍⴰ, es, Dajla, Villa Cisneros) is a city in the disputed territory of Western Sahara, currently occupied by Morocco. It is the capital of the claimed Moroccan administrative re ...

Spanish West Africa

External links

Francisco Franco, Decreto del 13 de abril de 1951. Decreto 105/1991, (Boletín Oficial de Castilla y León de 16 May 1991)Royal Society of Armigers of Spain

References

Spanish Heraldry. A work by Al Sosa
{{Heraldry by country

Features

Origins and history

Descent of Spanish arms

Style and practice

Definitions

Regulation

National and civic arms

Personal arms

Heraldic regulation

Tinctures

Examples of Spanish heraldry overseas

External links

See also

References