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

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

. It was awarded in recognition of action, either individual or collective, to protect the nation and its citizens in the face of immediate risk to the bearer or bearers' life. Those eligible were members of the Spanish Republican Armed Forces and testimonies of reliable witnesses were checked prior to concession. Named after the capital of Spain, symbolizing courage and the defence of the Republic during the Siege of Madrid throughout the Spanish Civil War, the Laureate Badge of Madrid was established on 25 May 1937 as the Spanish Republican equivalent to the Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand awarded by the monarchy and the

Nationalist faction The Nationalist faction ( es, Bando nacional) or Rebel faction ( es, Bando sublevado) was a major faction in the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939. It was composed of a variety of right-leaning political groups that supported the Spanish Coup ...

Awardees

A total of 8 people were awarded this medal: *

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

** Vicente Rojo Lluch, General of the Popular Army and Chief of the General Staff ** José Miaja Menant, General of the Popular Army ** Manuel Fontela Frois, Major of the Republican Cavalry ** Domiciano Leal Sargenta and Manuel Álvarez Álvarez, Majors of the Militia for their role in the Battle of the Ebro (posthumously) * Spanish Republican Navy **

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

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

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

. **

Ambrosio Ristori de la Cuadra Ambrosio may refer to: People *Alessandra Ambrosio (born 1981), a Brazilian model *Arturo Ambrosio (1870–1960), an Italian film producer *Fabrisia Ambrosio, Brazilian-born physical therapist and academic *Franco Ambrosio (1932–2009), an ...

, Major of the ''Infantería de Marina'' (posthumously), for his exploits in the

siege of the Alcazar A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characterize ...

and the

Battle of Seseña The Battle of Seseña was Republican- Soviet assault on the Nationalist stronghold of Seseña, near Toledo, 30 km south of Madrid in October 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. After the fall of Talavera de la Reina and Toledo in Septembe ...

, where he was killed in action *

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

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

''Distintivo de Madrid''

The ''Distintivo de Madrid'' (Madrid Distinction) was an award related to the Laureate Plate which was established by the Second Spanish Republic in order to reward courage. It was awarded to the Spanish Republican Navy personnel and vessels that took part in the Battle of Cape Palos in January 1938. Following the grant of the Laureate Badge of Madrid to Luis González de Ubieta, Admiral of the loyalist fleet, the ''Distintivo de Madrid'' was awarded to Spanish Republican Navy cruisers ''Libertad'' and ''Méndez Núñez'', and destroyers ''Lepanto'', ''Almirante Antequera'' and ''Sánchez Barcáiztegui'', as well as to their crew members for their role in the Battle of Cape Palos. These ships would thenceforward fly a special pennant and the men would wear a special badge on their uniforms with the old coat of arms of Madrid.Enrique García Domingo, ''Recompensas republicanas por el hundimiento del Baleares,'' Revista de Historia Naval 1997, Año XV no. 59, pg. 70

References

External links

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

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

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

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

Awardees

''Distintivo de Madrid''

See also

References

External links