Spanish knights orders
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

This is a list of some of the modern orders, decorations and medals of Spain. The bulk of the top current civil and military decorations granted by the Government of Spain in a discretionary manner trace their origins back to the 19th and 20th centuries. The control of the military orders, a series of religious-military institutions created in the Middle Ages for military and borderland repopulation purposes in the Iberian Christian kingdoms, was seized by the Crown in the late 15th to early 16th century, and, from then on,
Spanish monarchs This is a list of Spanish monarchs, that is, rulers of the country of Spain. The forerunners of the monarchs of the Spanish throne were the following: *Kings of the Visigoths * Kings of Asturias *Kings of Navarre *Kings of León *Kings of Gali ...
became
grand masters Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and commun ...
of the orders, entitling themselves with granting individuals the habits of the former as an award. Provincial and municipal corporations ( ''diputaciones'' and ''ayuntamientos'') have a tradition for granting medals, and "adoptive" and "predilect" son/daughter as honorific titles. After the creation of autonomous communities in the late 20th century, regional administrations have also created their own set of civil decorations.


Historical orders of chivalry

The Spanish military orders or Spanish Medieval knights orders are a set of religious-military institutions which arose in the context of the
Reconquista The ' (Spanish, Portuguese and Galician for "reconquest") is a historiographical construction describing the 781-year period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the Nasrid ...
. The most important arose in the 12th century in the Crowns of León and Castile ( Order of Santiago, Order of Alcántara and Order of Calatrava) and in the 14th century in the
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 B ...
(
Order of Montesa The Order of Montesa ( va, Ordre de Montesa, Aragonese and es, Orden de Montesa) is a Christian military order, territorially limited to the old Crown of Aragon. It was named after the castle of Montesa, its headquarters. Templar background T ...
). They were preceded by many others that have not survived, such as the Aragonese ''Militia Christi'' of Alfonso of Aragon and Navarre, the
Confraternity of Belchite The Confraternity of Belchite was an "experimental" community of knights founded in 1122 by Alfonso the Battler, king of Aragon and Navarre, and lasting until shortly after 1136. Members could enlist permanently or for a set time, vowing "never to ...
(founded in 1122) or the Military order of Monreal (founded in 1124), which, after being refurbished by
Alfonso VII of León and Castile Alfonso VII (1 March 110521 August 1157), called the Emperor (''el Emperador''), became the King of Galicia in 1111 and King of León and Castile in 1126. Alfonso, born Alfonso Raimúndez, first used the title Emperor of All Spain, alongside hi ...
took the name of ''Cesaraugustana'' and in 1149 with
Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona Ramon Berenguer IV (; c. 1114 – 6 August 1162, Anglicized Raymond Berengar IV), sometimes called ''the Saint'', was the count of Barcelona who brought about the union of the County of Barcelona with the Kingdom of Aragon to form the Crown of Ara ...
, are integrated into the
Knights Templar , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...
. The Portuguese
Order of Aviz The Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz ( pt, Ordem Militar de São Bento de Avis, ), previously to 1910 ''Royal Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz'' ( pt, Real Ordem Militar de São Bento de Avis), previously to 1789 ''Knights'' (of ...
responded to identical circumstances in the remaining peninsular Christian kingdom. During the
Middle Ages 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 a ...
, as elsewhere in
Christendom Christendom historically refers to the Christian states, Christian-majority countries and the countries in which Christianity dominates, prevails,SeMerriam-Webster.com : dictionary, "Christendom"/ref> or is culturally or historically intertwine ...
, in the
Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
appeared native Military orders, that, while sharing many similarities with other international orders, also had their own peculiarities due to the special peninsular historical circumstances marked by the confrontation between
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
and Christians. The birth and expansion of these native orders came mostly at the stage of the Reconquista in which were occupied the territories south of the
Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...
and
Tagus The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see #Name, below) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally west with two main south-westward sections ...
, so their presence in those areas of La Mancha, Extremadura and Sistema Ibérico ( Campo de Calatrava,
Maestrazgo The Maestrazgo () or Maestrat () is a natural and historical mountainous region, located at the eastern end of the Sistema Ibérico mountain range, in Spain. It encompasses the north of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, in Castellón provinc ...
, etc.) came to mark the main feature of the
Repoblación The ''Repoblación'' (, ; pt, Repovoação, ) was the ninth-century repopulating of a large region between the River Duero and the Cantabrian Mountains, which had been depopulated in the early years of the Reconquista. In the reign of Alfonso ...
, in large areas in which each Order, through their
encomienda The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish labour system that rewarded conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. The labourers, in theory, were provided with benefits by the conquerors for whom they laboured, including military ...
s, exercised a political and economic role similar to that of
manor Manor may refer to: Land ownership *Manorialism or "manor system", the method of land ownership (or "tenure") in parts of medieval Europe, notably England *Lord of the manor, the owner of an agreed area of land (or "manor") under manorialism *Man ...
feudal. The presence of other foreign military orders, such as the Templar or the Saint John was simultaneously, and in the case of the Knights Templar, their suppression in the 14th century benefited significantly to the Spanish. The social implementation of the military orders between the noble families was very significant, extending even through related female orders (Comendadoras de Santiago and others similar). After the turbulent period of the late medieval crisis—in which the position of Grand Master of the orders was the subject of violent disputes between the aristocracy, the monarchy and the favourites (
infantes of Aragon {{Short description, Term for the sons of King Ferdinand I of Aragon The Infantes of Aragon ( es, Los Infantes de Aragón) is an appellation commonly used by Spanish historians to refer to a group of 15th-century '' infantes'' (princes) of the Hou ...
,
Álvaro de Luna Álvaro de Luna y Fernández de Jarava (between 1388 and 13902 June 1453), was a Castilian statesman, favourite of John II of Castile. He served as Constable of Castile and as Grand Master of the Order of Santiago. He earned great influence in t ...
, etc.)—
Ferdinand II of Aragon Ferdinand II ( an, Ferrando; ca, Ferran; eu, Errando; it, Ferdinando; la, Ferdinandus; es, Fernando; 10 March 1452 – 23 January 1516), also called Ferdinand the Catholic (Spanish: ''el Católico''), was King of Aragon and Sardinia from ...
, in the late 15th century, managed to neutralize the orders politically to obtain the papal concession of the unification in the person of that position for all of them, and its joint inheritance for its heirs, the kings of the later Catholic Monarchy, that administered through the Royal Council of the Military Orders. Gradually losing any military function along the Antiguo Régimen, the territorial wealth of the military orders was the subject of confiscation in the 19th century, which reduced the orders thereafter to the social function of representing, as honorary positions, an aspect of noble status.


Birth and evolution

Although the appearance of the Hispanic military orders can be interpreted as pure imitation of the international arisen following the
Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
, both its birth and its subsequent evolution have distinctive features, as they played a leading role in the struggle of Christian kingdoms against the Muslims, in the repopulation of large territories, especially between the
Tagus The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see #Name, below) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally west with two main south-westward sections ...
and the Guadalquivir and became a political and economic force of the first magnitude, besides having great role in the noble struggles held between the 13th and 15th centuries, when finally the Catholic Monarchs managed to gain its control. For the
Arabist An Arabist is someone, often but not always from outside the Arab world, who specialises in the study of the Arabic language and culture (usually including Arabic literature). Origins Arabists began in medieval Muslim Spain, which lay on the ...
s, the birth of the Spanish military orders was inspired by the Muslims' '' ribat'', but other authors believe that its appearance was the result of a merger of confraternities and council militias tinged with religiosity, by absorption and concentration gave rise to the large orders at a time when the struggle against Almohad power required every effort by the Christian side. Traditionally it is accepted that the first to appear was that of Order of Calatrava, born in that village of the Castilian kingdom in 1158, followed by that of Order of Santiago, founded in Cáceres, in the Leonese kingdom, in 1170. Six years later was created the Order of Alcántara, initially called ¨of San Julián del Pereiro¨. The last to appear was the
Order of Montesa The Order of Montesa ( va, Ordre de Montesa, Aragonese and es, Orden de Montesa) is a Christian military order, territorially limited to the old Crown of Aragon. It was named after the castle of Montesa, its headquarters. Templar background T ...
it did later on, during the 14th century, in the
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 B ...
due to the dissolution of the Order of the Templar.


Hierarchical organization

Imitating the international orders, the Spanish adopted their organization. The master was the highest authority of the order, with almost absolute power, both militarily, and politically or religiously. It was chosen by the ''council'', made up of thirteen friars, where it comes to its components the name of "Thirteens". The office of Master is life-time and in his death, the Thirteen, convened by the greater prior of the order, choose the new. It should be the removal of the master by incapacity or pernicious conduct for the order. To carry out it needed the agreement of its governing bodies: council of the thirteen, "greater prior" and "greater convent". The General Chapter is a kind of representative assembly that controls the entire order. What are the thirteen, the priors of all the convents and all
commanders Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...
. It should meet annually a certain day in the greater convent, although in the practice these meetings were held where and when the master wanted. In each kingdom was a "greater commander", based in a town or fortress. The
prior Prior (or prioress) is an ecclesiastical title for a superior in some religious orders. The word is derived from the Latin for "earlier" or "first". Its earlier generic usage referred to any monastic superior. In abbeys, a prior would be l ...
s of each convent were elected by the canons, because it must bear in mind that within the orders were ''freyles milites'' (knights) and ''freyles clérigos'', professed monks who taught and administering the sacraments.


Territorial organization

Because of their dual nature as military and religious institutions, territorially the orders develop a separate double organization for each of these areas, although sometimes not completely detached. In the political-military these were divided into "major encomiendas" there greater encomienda by each peninsular kingdom in which was present the order in question. In front of them was the main commander. It was followed by the
encomienda The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish labour system that rewarded conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. The labourers, in theory, were provided with benefits by the conquerors for whom they laboured, including military ...
s, which were a set of goods, not always territorial nor grouped, but generally constituted territorial demarcations. The encomiendas were administered by a commander. The fortresses, that by any type of cause were not under the command of the commander, were headed by an alcaide appointed by him. Religiously were organized by
convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
s, existing a main convent, which was the headquarters of the order. In the case of the Order of Santiago was based in Uclés, after the rifts of the order with the Leonese monarch Ferdinand II. The Order of Alcántara had it in the Extremaduran village that gave it its name. The convents were not only places where lived the professed monks, but constituted priories, religious territorial demarcations where the respective priors with the time had the same powers as the
bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
rics, resulting in the military orders were subtracted to the episcopal power in extensive territories.


Army

The command of the army it exercised the highest dignities of each order. At the apex the master, followed by the main commanders. The figure of
alférez In medieval Iberia, an ''alférez'' (, ) or ''alferes'' (, ) was a high-ranking official in the household of a king or magnate. The term is derived from the Arabic ('' al-fāris''), meaning "horseman" or "cavalier", and it was commonly Latinised ...
was highlighted at beginning, but in the Middle Ages had disappeared. The command of the fortresses was in the hands of the commander or an alcaide appointed by him. The recruitment was used to do by
encomienda The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish labour system that rewarded conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. The labourers, in theory, were provided with benefits by the conquerors for whom they laboured, including military ...
s, contributing presumably each with a number of lances or men related to the economic value of the demarcation. Of note is the surprising bellicosity of the orders and its rigorous promise to fight the infidel, which often manifested itself in the continuation of authentic "private wars" against the Muslims when, for various reasons, the Christian kings gave up the struggle, because signing truces or to direct its military actions in other ways, as when Ferdinand III of Castile, crowned
king of León In the reign of Ordoño I of Asturias (850–866), the kingdom began to be known as that of León. In 910, an independent Kingdom of León was founded when the king of Asturias divided his territory amongst his three sons. Below follows a ...
, abandoned the interests of this kingdom to pursue the conquest of
Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
in favor of the
Crown of Castile The Crown of Castile was a medieval polity in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and, some decades later, the parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accessi ...
.


Repopulation and social policy

To be important the military role played by the military orders, was no less its repopulater, economic and social role. Because not enough to wrest territories to the enemy if they are not populated enough to occupy and use it, thus facilitating their defense. The orders received large tracts of land, whose repopulation reported it great political and economic power. To attract people to the acquired lands, they used similar methods to those used by other institutions. One was to grant fueros to the villages of their jurisdiction that made them attractive to people of the north. Generally it copied the models of fueros more generous, such as that of Cáceres or of Sepúlveda. An example of this generosity was the tax exemptions by marriage, taken from the
Fuero of Usagre (), (), () or () is a Spanish legal term and concept. The word comes from Latin , an open space used as a market, tribunal and meeting place. The same Latin root is the origin of the French terms and , and the Portuguese terms and ; all ...
. Moreover, some unproductive land were useless, so they worried about its economic development. In this sense, besides the advantages given to the new settlers, as the donations of disused public lands, were achieved
fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Types Variations of fairs incl ...
s to their villages or were carried out important infrastructure works on the network communications. The fairs had the advantage of being tax-free, which fomented trade, which was also driven by improving communications (bridges, roads, etc.).


Relations with other institutions

The relations of the Hispanic military orders with other powers and institutions were diverse. Generally enjoyed the papal support, because they constituted a solid basis for the reconquista and depended directly on its authority. The
Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
s granted episcopal attributions to the priors of the orders in their struggle with the bishops, giving them greater independence. As for the relationship with the kings, followed several stages. At first the monarchs impelled the Orders because they came to regard the "most precious jewel" of their crowns. Conscious of its enormous potential in the reconquest task, and later repopulation, the kings fostered it and introduced in their respective realms. As with Alfonso of Aragon and Navarre, when in 1122 he founded the confraternity of Belchite, or
Alfonso VIII of Castile Alfonso VIII (11 November 11555 October 1214), called the Noble (''El Noble'') or the one of Las Navas (''el de las Navas''), was King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. After having suffered a great defeat with his own army at ...
and Alfonso IX of León, who offered possessions to the orders of Santiago and Calatrava, respectively, lure it to their kingdoms. Although the royal donations for the most part were constituted by territories, to make them effective in the fight against Muslims, also received from the monarchs other donations not strictly military or political, such as those motivated by reasons of charity, mercy, hospitality and friendship. Often the favor of the kings also it manifested in the numerous lawsuits that arose with other powers, which generally the monarchs ruled in favor of the orders. The tax privileges or other were equally frequent, which sometimes caused the irritation of the concejos of
realengo Realengo is a neighborhood in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The lower and middle-class neighborhood is between the Mendanha and Pedra Branca mountains.CNN Wire Staff.Hero officer kept Brazilian school massacre from being even worse" ...
, whose neighbors paid tribute to a greater extent. In exchange for the royal favor, the orders carried out the missions that were entrusted and were loyal to the monarchs, whose side were placed since the late 13th century the noble disputes became so frequent. Thereafter, the kings took conscience of the enormous power of the orders and the danger that could suppose having them against, hence with
Alfonso XI of Castile Alfonso XI (13 August 131126 March 1350), called the Avenger (''el Justiciero''), was King of Castile and León. He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes en ...
began a struggle to get its control, to through the designation of the master. This struggle continued throughout the High Middle Ages until the absolute attainment of the royal purposes by the Catholic Monarchs, who managed to hold the mastership of all of them in perpetuity. With their descendants this mastership became hereditary. More problematic was the relationship with the concejos of realengo (kind of councils of municipalities into royal territory), especially those endowed with extensive domains of difficult control and occupation. Often suffered the predation of unpopulated areas by the orders until the kings ended the usurpations, but from the 14th century these councils suffered the same predation by lay lords. There were also disputes with neighboring, sometimes prolonged and even so vehement that these produced physical confrontations. Equally diverse resulted the relationship with the rest of the clergy. This contest of it was fundamental for the configuration of the orders, as happened with the support of the Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela regarding the order of Santiago or the bishop of Salamanca regarding that of the Alcántara. But later there was everything, from pious donations to endless lawsuits and skirmishes, and even some feat of arms, like the attack to the bishops of Cuenca and Sigüenza by the Santiago's commander of Uclés. And the tensions with the bishops were frequent in the struggle for the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, which were subtracted the priors, who finally received the papal support. The brotherhood and coordination were the dominant attitudes in the relations between orders. Calatrava and Alcántara were united by relations of affiliation, without incurring lack of autonomy of Alcántara. There were agreements between orders of mutual aid and sharing the archived. Even agreements such as the tripartite of friendship, mutual defense, coordination and centralization signed in 1313 by Santiago, Calatrava and Alcántara.


Dissolution

The Military Orders were dissolved on April 29 of 1931 by the Republican government. During 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 Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
, many non-militant, non-criminal, civilian leading members of the Orders were killed, their knights in the crosshairs of ideological revolutionists, put to death for revolutionary agendas: minimally, at least nineteen of the
Military Order of Santiago The Order of Santiago (; es, Orden de Santiago ), is a religious and military order founded in the 12th century. It owes its name to the Patron Saint of Spain, "Santiago" (St. James the Greater). Its initial objective was to protect the pilgri ...
, fifteen of the
Military Order of Calatrava The Order of Calatrava ( es, Orden de Calatrava, pt, Ordem de Calatrava) was one of the four Spanish military orders and the first military order founded in Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bull confirming the Order ...
, five of the Military Order of Alcántara and four of the
Military Order of Montesa The Order of Montesa ( va, Ordre de Montesa, Aragonese language, Aragonese and es, Orden de Montesa) is a Christian Military order (society), military order, territorially limited to the old Crown of Aragon. It was named after the castle of Mont ...
were executed. These numbers are conservative in fact and unconfirmed, but doubtless, ideologically-inspired killings of those with serious ties to these Orders, existed beyond official recorded numbers - regardless of class, any persons intimately associated with these pre-modern Orders were targets of revolutionary assassinations and the death-toll was likely higher. The "officially" tabulated balance of Knights of 1931 to 1935 in the midst of the chaos was as follows: *
Military Order of Santiago The Order of Santiago (; es, Orden de Santiago ), is a religious and military order founded in the 12th century. It owes its name to the Patron Saint of Spain, "Santiago" (St. James the Greater). Its initial objective was to protect the pilgri ...
, 68 of 116. *
Military Order of Calatrava The Order of Calatrava ( es, Orden de Calatrava, pt, Ordem de Calatrava) was one of the four Spanish military orders and the first military order founded in Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bull confirming the Order ...
, 89 of 139. * Military Order of Alcántara, 19 of 42. *
Military Order of Montesa The Order of Montesa ( va, Ordre de Montesa, Aragonese language, Aragonese and es, Orden de Montesa) is a Christian Military order (society), military order, territorially limited to the old Crown of Aragon. It was named after the castle of Mont ...
, 51 of 70. In 1985 only 19 documentation-verified knights, who professed a dedication before approximately 1931, remained of what was once a grand edifice of social significance to Spanish and greater European society.


Revival

After 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 Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
there began talks with the '' caudillo''
Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War ...
, whose social policy's central axis was synthesizing modernity with past traditional elements of redeeming value, who invited the bishop-prior, Emeterio Echeverría Barrena, to an exchange productive of no tangible results, so over the following years they subsisted marginally or informally, until, exoterically, on April 2 of 1980, they were recorded separately on the record of
association Association may refer to: *Club (organization), an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal *Trade association, an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry *Voluntary associatio ...
s of
Civil Government Civil authority or civil government is the practical implementation of a State (polity), state on behalf of its citizens, other than through military units (martial law), that enforces law and order (politics), law and order and that is distingui ...
of
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 ...
. On May 26 of that year they are registered as "federation". The Order of Santiago, along with those of Calatrava, Alcántara and Montesa were reinstated as civil associations in the reign of Juan Carlos I with the character of honorable and religious noble organization and as such remain today. The 9 April 1981, and after fifty years, the
King of Spain , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...
,
Juan Carlos I Juan Carlos I (;, * ca, Joan Carles I, * gl, Xoán Carlos I, Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 Novem ...
, named his father Juan of Bourbon President of the Royal Council of the Military Orders. Since 28 April 2014, Don Pedro of Bourbon, Duke of Noto, is the current President of the Royal Council.


List

;Medieval knights orders founded in Spain (by alphabetic order) (Note: This list, at this moment, does not include the military orders of the rest of Europe that participated in the Reconquista, among which for example the
Knights Templar , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...
and the
Knights Hospitaller The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic Church, Catholic Military ord ...
could highlight): ;Female orders: Most were
honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...
orders in payment of efforts by warrior girls attacking Muslims (and in some cases attacking English), and their high contribution to the reconquest of cities, some however came to become actually in female
military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
orders. ;Both Medieval naval and knights orders, fulfilling dual function, but mainly naval:


Current orders of chivalry

The Catholic Monarchs Queen
Isabella I of Castile Isabella I ( es, Isabel I; 22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504), also called Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: ''la Católica''), was Queen of Castile from 1474 until her death in 1504, as well as List of Aragonese royal consorts, Queen consort ...
and King
Ferdinand II of Aragon Ferdinand II ( an, Ferrando; ca, Ferran; eu, Errando; it, Ferdinando; la, Ferdinandus; es, Fernando; 10 March 1452 – 23 January 1516), also called Ferdinand the Catholic (Spanish: ''el Católico''), was King of Aragon and Sardinia from ...
introduced a military honours system which was approved by the Pope Adrian VI in 1523. They awarded titles and hereditary honours to nobles and soldiers. Of those titles the following exist today: *
Orden de Calatrava The Order of Calatrava ( es, Orden de Calatrava, pt, Ordem de Calatrava) was one of the four Spanish military orders and the first military order founded in Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bull confirming the Order ...
(Order of Calatrava),
St. Raymond of Fitero Raymond of Fitero (also known as ''Ramon Sierra'', es, San Raimundo de Fitero) (*? - †Ciruelos, 1163) was a monk, abbot, and founder of the Order of Calatrava. His birthplace is unknown; Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne, Saint-Gaudens (France), Tar ...
, first abbott of the
cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...
monastery of Fitero (Navarre), 1158. * Order of Santiago (Order of Santiago), King Ferdinand II of León, 1170. * Order of Alcántara (Order of Alcántara), St. Julian de Pereiro, 1176. * Orden de Santa María de Montesa y San Jorge de Alfama (Order de St. Mary of Montesa and St. George of Alfama) commonly known as Orden de Montesa (Order of Montesa), King James II of Aragon and
Pope John XXII Pope John XXII ( la, Ioannes PP. XXII; 1244 – 4 December 1334), born Jacques Duèze (or d'Euse), was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death in December 1334. He was the second and longest-reigning Avignon Pope, elected by ...
, 1317. * Orden de San Juan (Order of St. John) * Orden del Santo Sepulcro (Order of the Holy Sepulchre)


Dynastic order

* The Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro (Insigned Order of the Golden Fleece), is a chivalrous Order founded in 1430 by the Duke of Burgundy,
Philip III of Burgundy Philip III (french: Philippe le Bon; nl, Filips de Goede; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonge ...
. It was established in Spain by
Philip II Philip II may refer to: * Philip II of Macedon (382–336 BC) * Philip II (emperor) (238–249), Roman emperor * Philip II, Prince of Taranto (1329–1374) * Philip II, Duke of Burgundy (1342–1404) * Philip II, Duke of Savoy (1438-1497) * Philip ...
, although his father
Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...
attempted to found it before him.


Military honours

* Real y militar Orden de San Fernando (Royal & Military Order of Saint Fernand) *
Medalla Militar The Military Medal ( es, Medalla Militar) is a high military award of Spain to recognise battlefield bravery. The medal was established in 1918 by Alfonso XIII of Spain. Since then it is awarded to members of the Spanish military service indepen ...
(Military Medal) * Cruz de Guerra (War Cross) * Medalla del Ejército (Army Medal) * Medalla Naval (Navy Medal) * Medalla Aérea (Air Force Medal) * Cruces del Mérito Militar (Crosses of Military Merit) – Royal Decree 1040/2003 * Cruces del Mérito Naval (Crosses of Naval Merit) – Royal Decree 1040/2003 * Cruces del Mérito Aeronáutico (Crosses of Air Force Merit) – Royal Decree 1040/2003 * Real y Militar Orden de San Hermenegildo (Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild) * Cruz a la Constancia en el Servicio (Long Military Service Cross) *
Cruz Fidélitas The Cruz Fidélitas (English: Fidelity Cross) is a medal of the Spanish Armed Forces, primarily awarded to military chaplains. It is awarded by the military archbishopric to reward faithful service by chaplains, as well as services to the archbis ...
(Fidelity Cross) *
Medalla de Campaña The Campaign Medal (Spanish: ''Medalla de Campaña '') is a Spanish permanent military decoration. The medal is awarded to members of the Spanish Armed Forces, Allied forces and civilians participating in foreign military campaigns without interna ...
(Campaign Medal) * Medal of the Century of Our Lady of the Pillar as Patron of the Spanish Civil Guard * Medal of the V Centenary of Saint Barbara as Patron of the Artillery Weapon Other Military Awards * Citación como Distinguido (Distinguished Service Award) * Mención Honorífica (Mention in dispatches) International Military Decorations * The Medalla al Servicio de la Política Europea de Seguridad y Defensa (
Common Security and Defence Policy The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is the European Union's (EU) course of action in the fields of defence and crisis management, and a main component of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The CSDP involves the deplo ...
Service Medal) * The Medalla de las Naciones Unidas (United Nations Medal) * The Medalla de la OTAN (NATO Medal) * NATO Serge Lazareff Prize Obsolete * Real y Militar Orden de María Cristina (Royal and Military Order of Maria Christina) (1889–1931) * Real y Militar Orden Naval de María Cristina (Royal and Military Naval Order of Maria Christina) (1891–1931) *
Medalla de Sufrimientos por la Patria Medalla is a Spanish word meaning medal. It may also refer to: * Medalla Light, a Puerto Rican beer produced by Cervecera de Puerto Rico * David Medalla (born 1942), Filipino international artist * Felipe Medalla Felipe Manguiat Medalla is a ...
(Medal of Suffering for the Motherland) (1814–1989) * Medalla del Mutilado (Medal of the Maimed) (1938–1989) * Medalla del Sáhara (Sahara Medal) (1977) Obsolete International Military Decorations * The Medalla de Servicio de la Unión Europea Occidental (
WEU The Western European Union (WEU; french: Union de l'Europe occidentale, UEO; german: Westeuropäische Union, WEU) was the international organisation and military alliance that succeeded the Western Union (WU) after the 1954 amendment of the 1948 ...
Service Medal)


Civil decorations


Background

* The Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III (Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III), Established by
Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
in 1771 to decorate those having benefited Spain and her Crown by the actions. It is the highest civil decoration that exists in Spain. * The Real Orden de Isabel la Católica (Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic), established by Fernand VII in 1815, to “reward unflinching loyalty to Spain and the merits of Spanish and foreign subjects in benefit of the Nation and especially those services relating to the prosperity of the American and other overseas territories”. The decoration is currently the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. * The
Orden del Mérito Civil The Order of Civil Merit ( es, Orden del Mérito Civil) was established by King Alfonso XIII of Spain in 1926. The order recognizes "the civic virtue of officers in the service of the Nation, as well as extraordinary service by Spanish and fore ...
(Order of Civil Merit), established by Alfonso XIII in 1926 to “reward the civic virtues of civil servants as well as the extraordinary services to the Nation of Spanish and foreign subjects”. It too is currently the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


Politics and justice

* The Orden de la Cruz de San Raimundo de Peñafort (Order of the Cross of Saint Raymond of Penyafort), established in 1944 to “reward relevant merits performed by those persons involved in the administration of Justice and for their contribution and study of all branches of Law and for the untarnished services to judicial activities under the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. Depende de la Subsecretaría de Justicia, a través de la División de Tramitación de Derechos de Gracia y Otros Derechos, y dentro de la orden existen diversas cruces y medallas. * The Orden del Mérito Constitucional (Order of Constitutional Merit), established by
Felipe Gonzalez Felipe is the Spanish variant of the name Philip, which derives from the Greek adjective ''Philippos'' "friend of horses". Felipe is also widely used in Portuguese-speaking Brazil alongside Filipe, the form commonly used in Portugal. Noteworthy pe ...
’s government in 1988 to “reward those persons who distinguish themselves by their services to the Constitution and of the values established therein”. It can be awarded both to persons or organizations (public or private). * The Orden de Cisneros (Order of
Cisneros Grupo Cisneros is a privately held, family owned business headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida, historically based in Venezuela, with a focus on Latin American and Spanish-speaking people worldwide. It is a conglomerate of media entertainment, ...
), founded in 1944 to reward political merit. It is one of the least known decorations still in existence today. * The Real Orden de Reconocimiento Civil a las Víctimas del Terrorismo (Royal Order for Civil Recognition of the Victims of Terrorism), created in 1991, in order to honour those killed, wounded or kidnapped by terrorists. It consists of a Grand Cross, that can be awarded posthumously to the deceased and a Commendation, for those injured and kidnapped. *The Medalla de Oro del Senado (Gold Medal of the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
) *The Medalla de Oro del Congreso de los Diputados (Gold Medal of the
Congress of Deputies The Congress of Deputies ( es, link=no, Congreso de los Diputados, italic=unset) is the lower house of the Cortes Generales, Spain's legislative branch. The Congress meets in the Palacio de las Cortes, Madrid, Palace of the Parliament () in Ma ...
)


Culture and society

* The Orden Civil de Alfonso X el Sabio (Civil Order of
Alfonso X the Wise Alfonso X (also known as the Wise, es, el Sabio; 23 November 1221 – 4 April 1284) was King of Castile, León and Galicia from 30 May 1252 until his death in 1284. During the election of 1257, a dissident faction chose him to be king of Germ ...
), founded in 1945 with the aim of to “reward relevant merits in the fields of education, science, culture, higher education and research”. In 1988 this order replaced the
Civil Order of Alfonso XII The Civil Order of Alfonso XII ( es, Orden Civil de Alfonso XII, links=no) is a Spanish honorific decoration named for King Alfonso XII (1857–1885). It was established by Royal Decree on 23 May 1902 to reward achievements in education, science, ...
. * The Orden de las Artes y las Letras de España (Order of Arts and Letters of Spain) * The Real Orden del Mérito Deportivo (Royal Order of Sports Merit) * The Medalla al Mérito en la Investigación y en la Educación Universitaria (Medal of Merit for Research and for University Education) *The Medalla al Mérito Filatélico (Medal of Philatelic Merit) *The Medalla al Mérito de la Radioafición (Medal of Merit for Radio Operators) * The Medalla al Mérito en las Bellas Artes (Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts)


Social affairs

* The Orden Civil de la Solidaridad Social (Civil Order of Social Solidarity), established in 1988 to replace the old Orden de Beneficencia (Order of Charity) with the aim of “recognizing persons or organizations, both Spanish and foreign having distinguished themselves in promoting or performing activities related to social welfare”. * The Orden Civil de Sanidad (Civil Order of Health), created in 1943 to replace the old ''Cross of Epidemias'', to the end of “rewarding service and merit in the ambit of medical care or in the course of assistance in fighting epidemias”. *The Orden al Mérito del Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (Order of Merit of the National Drug Plan), established in 1995, it comprises 3 levels: Gold medal, for those who “have distinguished themselves in the performance of their activities or for achievements of special significance or importance, or that entailed a risk to their life, both in prevention, assistance, reinsertion or in combating drug trafficking as well as its consequences or derived illicit earnings”; Silver medal, for those “having carried out or carrying out noteworthy activities with continued dedication and solidarity, in the above mentioned areas, taking into account their real results”; White cross, for those “having shown exemplary and significant dedication in the above mentioned reas”. *The Orden Civil del Mérito Medioambiental (Civil Order of Environmental Merit), created in 2009 to reward persons and organizations for eminent services or out-standing actions, for nature conservation, natural heritage and biodiversity preservation, the fight against climate change, environmental quality, the defense and promotion of the marine water and continental resources sustainability and, in general, initiatives on environmental protection. *The Medalla al Mérito Social Penitenciario (Medal of Social Penitentiary Merit), introduced in 1996, intended to reward those individuals or institutions that have contributed to the prison rehabilitation. *The Medalla de Honor de la Emigración (Medal of Honour of Emigration) *The Medalla y Placa a la Promoción de los Valores de Igualdad (Equality Values Promotion Medal and Plaque) *The Medalla de la Seguridad Social (Medal of Social Security) *The Distinciones de la Cruz Roja Española (Spanish Red Cross Decorations) *The Medalla del Donante de Sangre (Blood Donor Medal)


Security

* The Orden del Mérito del Cuerpo de la Guardia Civil (Order of Merit of the Civil Guard Corps) * The
Orden del Mérito Policial The Order of Police Merit is a Spanish distinction created, initially only as a medal, in 1943 to offer a special reward to members of the police. Currently it is awarded in four categories: Gold Medal, Silver Medal, Cross with red badge and Cr ...
(Order of Police Merit) * The Medalla al Mérito de la Protección Civil (Medal of Merit of Civil Defence) *The Medalla al Mérito de la Seguridad Vial (Medal of Merit of Road Security) *The Medalla al Mérito Penitenciario (Medal of Penitentiary Merit) * The Condecoración a la Dedicación al Servicio Policial (Police Service Decoration)


Socioeconomics

* The Orden Civil del Mérito de Telecomunicaciones y de la Sociedad de la Información (Civil Order of Merit for Telecommunications and Information Society) * The Orden Civil del Mérito Postal (Civil Order of Postal Merit) * The Orden del Mérito Agrario, Pesquero y Alimentario (Order of Agricultural, Fishing and Alimentary Merit) * The Medalla y Placa al Mérito Turístico (Touristic Merit Medal and Plaque) * The Medalla y Placa al Mérito del Transporte Terrestre (Land Transport Merit Medal and Plaque) * The Medalla y Placa al Mérito de la Marina Mercante (Merchant Marine Merit Medal and Plaque) * The
Medalla al Mérito en el Trabajo Medalla is a Spanish word meaning medal. It may also refer to: * Medalla Light Medalla is a Spanish word meaning medal. It may also refer to: * Medalla Light, a Puerto Rican beer produced by Cervecera de Puerto Rico * David Medalla (born 1942), ...
(Medal of Merit for Labour) * The Medalla al Mérito en el Seguro (Insurance Merit Medal) * The Medalla y Placa al Mérito en el Comercio (Commerce Merit Medal and Plaque)


Regions

*The Medalla de Andalucia (Medal of
Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
) *The Medalla de las Cortes de Aragón (Medal of
Aragonese Corts The Cortes of Aragon ( es, Cortes de Aragón, an, Cortz d'Aragón, ca, Corts d'Aragó) is the regional parliament for the Spanish autonomous community of Aragon. The Cortes traces its history back to meetings summoned by the Kings of Aragon wh ...
) *The Medalla de Asturias (Medal of Asturias) *The Medalla de Oro de Canarias (Gold Medal of
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
) *The Medalla de Oro de las Islas Baleares (Gold Medal of
Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is ...
) *The Medalla del Parlamento de Cantabria (Gold Medal of the Parliament of Cantabria) *The Medalla de Extremadura (Medalla de Extremadura) *The Medalla de Oro de Castilla-La Mancha (Gold Medal of Castile-La Mancha) *The Medalla y Placa al Mérito Deportivo en Castilla-La Mancha (Sports Merit in Castile-La Mancha Medal and Plaque) *The Medalla y Placa al Mérito Sanitario en Castilla-La Mancha (Health Merit in Castile-La Mancha Medal and Plaque) *The Medalla al Mérito en la Iniciativa Social de Castilla-La Mancha (Social Initiatives of Castile-La Mancha Medal) *The Medalla de Castilla y León (
Castile and León Castile and León ( es, Castilla y León ; ast-leo, Castiella y Llión ; gl, Castela e León ) is an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. It was created in 1983, eight years after the end of the Francoist regime, by the merging of the ...
Medal) *The Medalla al Mérito Profesional de Castilla y León (Professional Merit Medal of Castile and León) *The Medalla de las Cortes de Castilla y León ( Corts of Castile and León Medal) *The Medalla al Mérito Parliamentario (Parliamentary Merit Medal), Castile and León *The Medalla d'Or de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Gold Medal of the
Generalitat of Catalonia The Generalitat de Catalunya (; oc, label=Aranese, Generalitat de Catalonha; es, Generalidad de Cataluña), or the Government of Catalonia, is the institutional system by which Catalonia politically organizes its self-government. It is formed b ...
) *The Premi Creu de Sant Jordi (Cross of St. George Award), Catalonia. *The
Medalla de Galicia Medalla is a Spanish word meaning medal. It may also refer to: * Medalla Light, a Puerto Rican beer produced by Cervecera de Puerto Rico * David Medalla (born 1942), Filipino international artist * Felipe Medalla Felipe Manguiat Medalla is a ...
(Medal of Galicia) *The Medalla Castelao (Castelao Medal), Galicia *The Medalla de La Rioja (Medal of La Rioja) *The
Orden del Dos de Mayo The Order of the Second of May is one of the highest distinctions granted by the Community of Madrid, and has a single degree: Grand Cross. It was created by Decree 91/2006, of November 21​, and is currently regulated in Title II of Law 2/2024, ...
(Order of the Second of May), Merit Order of the Community of Madrid. *The Medalla de la Comunidad de Madrid (Medal of the Community of Madrid) *The Medalla de la Región de Murcia (Medal of the Region of Murcia) *The Medalla de Oro de Navarra (Gold Medal of
Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
) *The Cruz de Carlos III ''El Noble'' de Navarra (Charles III the Noble of Navarre Cross),
Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
*The Cross of the Tree of Gernika medal,
Basque Country Basque Country may refer to: * Basque Country (autonomous community), as used in Spain ( es, País Vasco, link=no), also called , an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain (shown in pink on the map) * French Basque Country o ...
*The
Lan Onari The award is a civil medal awarded in the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, Spain. It is awarded by the Basque Government to Basques "who have extraordinarily distinguished themselves due to their dedication, constancy, and ...
medal, Basque Country *The Lagun Onari medal, Basque Country * Distinciones de la Generalitat Valenciana (
Valencian Community The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid with ...
Distinctions) *The Orden de ''Jaume I el Conqueridor'' (James I ''the Conqueror'' Order), Valencian Community Autonomous cities *The Medalla de la Autonomía de Ceuta (Medal of Autonony of Ceuta) *The Medalla de la Ciudad de Melilla (City of Melilla Medal)


Others

* 85px The Orden de las Damas Nobles de María-Luisa (Order of the Noble Ladies of
Queen Maria Luisa Maria Luisa of Parma (Luisa Maria Teresa Anna; 9 December 1751 – 2 January 1819) was, by marriage to King Charles IV of Spain, Queen of Spain from 1788 to 1808 leading up to the Peninsular War. Her relationship with Manuel Godoy and influence o ...
) * 85px The Medalla Plus Ultra (Plus Ultra Medal) * The Medalla al Mérito en el Ahorro (Merit in Savings Medal), Spanish Confederation of Savings Banks Medal.


Obsolete

*The Real y Militar Orden de España (Royal and Militar Order of Spain),
Joseph Bonaparte it, Giuseppe-Napoleone Buonaparte es, José Napoleón Bonaparte , house = Bonaparte , father = Carlo Buonaparte , mother = Letizia Ramolino , birth_date = 7 January 1768 , birth_place = Corte, Corsica, Republic of ...
(1809–1812) *The Orden Civil de María Victoria (Civil Order of
María Victoria María Victoria Gutiérrez Cervantes (born 26 February 1927 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Guadalajara, Jalisco) is a Mexican actress, singer, and comedian. She is best known for starring in the Telesistema Mexicano sitcom ''La criada bien criada'' and ...
), King Amadeo (1871–1873).Panorama numismático
, the Civil Order of María Victoria (1871–1873), accessed January 12, 2009. *The Orden Civil de Alfonso XII (Civil Order of Alfonso XII), Alfonso XIII (1902–1931) ''Officially replaced by the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise (1988)'' *The
Orden de la República Española The Order of the Spanish Republic (Spanish: "Orden de la República Española") was founded in 1932 in the Second Spanish Republic for civil and Spanish Republican Army, military merit to the state. It replaced the orders of merit of the former ...
(Order of the Spanish Republic), Second Republic (1932–1939). *The Orden Imperial del Yugo y las Flechas (Imperial Order of the Yoke and Arrows),
Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War ...
(1937–1976).


See also

* Spanish chivalry


References


External links

* {{Spanish Kingdoms