Orders of Chivalry in Spain largely came about from military orders to do with Crusades and the Reconquista, which was the defeat of the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsular. A few still exist today, mostly regional in their nature as Spain took a while to become a united country, and many are the stuff of legend and myth. The Order of the Jar, for instance, founded by Ferdinand of Antequera in 1403 became a royal order after he became King of Aragon in 1412, and lasted until 1516. But, according to legend, it was founded in the Kingdom of Navarre in the 11th century.
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta exists to this day and claims continuity with the Knights Hospitaller or Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, a chivalric order that was founded c. 1099 by the Blessed Gerard in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. This was a Crusader state founded by Christian princes in 1099 when the First Crusade took the city. After the Crusader States ceased to exist, the title of King of Jerusalem was claimed by a number of European noble houses descended from the kings of Cyprus or the kings of Naples. The now purely ceremonial title of King of Jerusalem is currently used by King Felipe VI of Spain.
Regional administrations have also created their own set of civil decorations, after the creation of autonomous communities in the late 20th century.
With one exception - the Order of the Golden Fleece, which has a long history as mainly a house order of the Habsburgs and Bourbons - we will simply look at the main state/civil Orders of Chivalry of the Kingdom of Spain.
Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece
The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece was established in Bruges on 10th January 1430 by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, on the occasion of his marriage to Isabella of Portugal. Philip the Good wanted to achieve several goals, such as the worship of God and the defence of the Christian religion. It also gave his dynasty more prestige to be at the head of such an exclusive order. Above all, it was a way for the Duke and the noble elite to strengthen ties and influence each other's decisions. The Order therefore also had a political function. The Members of the Order met regularly at so-called Chapter Meetings, the first time being on 22nd November 1431 in Lille. The locations differed but were often in the Southern Netherlands. During the reign of Philip the Good this amounted to 11 meetings and during the reign of Charles the Bold, who succeeded him as head of the Order, two meetings were held. These Chapter meetings lasted several days during which there were a number of fixed elements. For example, new members were elected when places became available due to the death of a member and masses were also celebrated for the deceased members. |
The heads of the Order were the successive heirs of the Dukes of Burgundy. After the death of Philip the Good in 1467, his son Charles the Bold (1467-1477) succeeded him, after which the Order passed to the Habsburgs through the marriage of Charles the Bold’s only daughter, Mary of Burgundy, to Maximilian of Austria (1477-1519).
After the death of his brother and his election as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire on 12th October 1711, Charles VI was proclaimed Chief and Sovereign of the Golden Fleece on 8th January 1712 and appointed 21 new knights the following day. At the negotiations for the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Spain and Austria could not agree on the claims to the Order. The parties did agree, though, that the Southern Netherlands would become Austrian and that the treasure trove in Brussels would fall into Austrian hands with the area. In the instruction to the Austrian envoy Count Windischgrätz, Vienna stipulated that the Order of the Golden Fleece had belonged to the Spanish kings only because the Habsburgs had been the lords of the Netherlands and the oldest heirs of Mary of Burgundy which was based on Art. 65 of the statutes of the Order.
In 1721 Emperor Charles VI protested in London against Philip's appointment of knights to the Order. On 30th April 30 and 1st May 1725, diplomats in Cambrai reached an effective solution. Both princes, Charles and Philip, would continue to bear all the titles they already held. In both cases, the claim should be "chief and sovereign" of the Order of the Golden Fleece. And so, the two dynasties, namely the Bourbon Kings of Spain and Habsburgs of Austria, have continued granting the Golden Fleece separately in relative peace.
The Golden Fleece, and particularly the Spanish branch of the Order, has been referred to as the most prestigious and historic order of chivalry in the world. De Bourgoing wrote in 1789 that "the number of knights of the Golden Fleece is very limited in Spain, and this is the order, which of all those in Europe, has best preserved its ancient splendour". Each collar is fully coated in gold and is estimated to be worth around €50,000 as of 2018, making it the most expensive chivalrous order.
In fact, the choice of the Golden Fleece of Colchis as the symbol of a Christian order caused some controversy, not so much because of its pagan context, which could be incorporated in chivalric ideals. However, the feats of Jason, familiar to all, were not without causes for reproach, as expressed in anti-Burgundian terms by Alain Chartier in his Ballade de Fougères. He rerferred to Jason as "Who, to carry off the fleece of Colchis, was willing to commit perjury." The Bishop of Châlons, Chancellor of the Order, identified it instead with the fleece of Gideon that received the dew of Heaven.
The Badge of the Order, in the form of a sheepskin, was suspended from a jewelled collar of firesteels in the shape of the letter B for Burgundy, linked by flints, with the motto Pretium Laborum Non Vile ('No Mean Reward for Labours') engraved on the front of the central link, and Philip's motto Non Aliud ('I will have no other') on the back.
During the development of the constitutional monarchy in the 19th century, the Spanish king had to make concessions when it came to his influence on the honours system. The Spanish government, like other European governments, had obtained control and ministerial responsibility over the Spanish orders. Yet the Order of the Golden Fleece in Spain retains the characteristics of a house order for the Spanish Bourbons.
In 1812 the acting government of Spain conferred the Order upon the Duke of Wellington (an act confirmed by King Ferdinand on his resumption of power after Napoleonic rule and with the approval of Pope Pius VII). This was a major breakthrough as Wellington therefore became the first Protestant to be honoured with the Golden Fleece. Other Protestants followed, including ex-Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, who, after Queen Isabella II of Spain, was only the second woman to be granted it, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. It has subsequently also been conferred upon non-Christians, such as Emperor Akihito of Japan and Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand.
On 30th January 2018, in a ceremony at Madrid’s Palacio Real, in what is known as the ‘Salón de las Columnas’, carried live on TV for the first time and to celebrate his 50th Birthday, King Felipe VI of Spain bestowed his first Order of the Golden Fleece on his 12-year-old daughter, Leonor, Princess of Asturias. This was akin to an Investiture as Heir to the Spanish Throne. Although Leonor was invested with the Order on a bow which her father pinned to her dress, her Chain was on show (as seen here). This Chain was previously owned by her great-grandfather, Don Juan de Borbón. The King made the following speech: |
"Today, Leonor, you are taking a very important and symbolic step towards your future role, which began on 19 June 2014, when, by constitutional rights, you were named the Princess of Asturias and given other titles that traditionally belong to the heir to the Spanish throne."
"I know it may seem like you have lots of challenges and responsibilities to face, all important and difficult, but know that you have the support of many people who want the best for Spain, for the Crown and for you. Your family will always be at your side, especially your mother and Sofia, who will be with you, supporting you, as will your grandparents and of course, myself. Know that you have my complete trust and that I feel so immensely proud to have presented this Order of the Golden Fleece to you this morning."
To date, this remains the only bestowal of the Order of the Golden Fleece that King Felipe has made since his accession to the Throne and becoming Grand Master of the Order.
Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III
The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III (originally "Much" Distinguished) was established by King Charles III by means of a Royal Decree on 19th September 1771, the birthday of his first grandson in direct line to the Throne. The Prince of Asturias, the future King Charles IV, had been married for five years with no offspring. When teh Prince's first child, Carlos Clemente, was born the King wanted to express his gratitude to God — to whom he had prayed while waiting for the continuation of the dynasty — and, specifically, to the Virgin Mary and the "Mystery of the Immaculate Conception", to which he declared himself profoundly devoted. The King, however, did not make the Order public until 24th October when the King's daughter-in-law, Maria Luisa of Parma, attended her first religious ceremony with the baby in her arms. The King published the laws of Order, naming himself "Great Master" and giving his heirs, as long as they held the title "King of Spain", the same treatment and position. Unfortunately, the child and various brothers all died young until Fernando came along in 1784. Fernando lived to the ripe old age of 48 and succeeded his father when he abdicated in 1808. |
Pope Clement XIV recognized the Order by Papal Bull on 21st February 1772 and bestowed upon the Order as well as its members certain religious benefits, giving the Great Master the capacity to rule in religious matters regarding the Members, and even give Christian pardon and apostolic blessing.
In 1783 the classes were expanded to three with that of "Supernumerary Knights", whose level of importance was between the previous two. At this time the duties and requirements of the titles were specified: they needed to have "pure and noble blood" up to their great-grandparents, as was regulated by the Old Book of Territorial Laws of Castilla and the other valid laws. Those received into the Order took an oath of loyalty towards the King, his family, and the protection of the goods of the Royal House, recognising him as Great Master, live and die in faith catholic, accepting as indisputable the Mystery of the Immaculate Conception, and attending and receiving communion at mass at least once a year.
In 1809, a number of Spanish Orders, including the Order of Charles III, were abolished with Napoleon’s appointment of his elder brother, Joseph, to the Spanish Throne. Charles IV returned to his Throne in 1814 and, not only reversed the order reform of his predecessor, but created a new degree on 25th April 1815, that of Caballero or Encomienda de numero or “Commander of Number”. This rank was not intended for the many supernumerary knights established a clear distinction between the 200 members of the order provided for in the statutes and the appointments made above this number.
The current Order, with five classes, dates to the year 1837 with the establishment of the degree of Knight’s Cross and also the admission of non-noble people to the Order.
In the 20th Century Spain swapped between a Monarchy and a Republic, and the Order was therefore repeatedly abolished and restored. In the 1930s the Spanish Republic abolished the Order by law and replaced it with the Order of the Spanish Republic. Then, in 1942, Franco 's fascist government re-established the Order and the current statutes date from 10th May 1942. Since 1980 ladies have been appointed in the Order of Charles III and, whilst her daughter, Leonor as Heir to the Throne, holds the Golden Fleece, Queen Letizia’s highest Order is that of Charles III.
Interestingly, there are two versions of the Ribands in use. The one for the degree of Collar – restricted to 25 Spanish citizens (not including members of Spain's Royal Family) – is of light blue with a very narrow white stripe at each edge. All other degrees have equal stripes of light blue, white and light blue, not unlike the Argentine flag. Also, women generally wear narrower Ribands than men. As with the Golden Fleece, whilst the full Riband is worn at State occasions, the Order of Charles III can be worn as a medal by men and on a bow by women. Queen Letizia is shown here with the Riband and Star in an official portrait photograph, curtesy of the Spanish Royal House and https://people.com/ |
Royal Order of Noble Ladies of Queen Maria Luisa
Next in official importance is the Royal Order of Noble Ladies of Queen Maria Luisa which was created by King Charles IV of Spain by royal decree on 21st April 1792 at the request of his wife, Queen Maria Luisa, to reward noble women. As such, it was established as an honour reserved only for women. In the founding decree, the Spanish King considered that "the Queen, his beloved consort, was given a new means of giving those noble ladies, distinguished by their services, activities and qualities, a mark of her esteem" and that the Queen herself was allowed to make appointments. |
On 20th March 1796 the King raised the dignity of the Order, granting holders and their spouses the rank of Excellence, equating to Grandee of Spain and Knights Grand Crosses of the Order of Charles III.
Joseph Bonaparte of Spain, as we saw above, abolished a number of Spanish orders, including this Order in 1808. But after the restoration of the Bourbons, the Order was re-established on 24th November 1816 by the new Queen, Maria Isabella.
The thirty ladies were required to visit a hospital for women or an orphanage once a month and to attend an annual mass for the dead ladies of the order. Twice a year the ladies were expected to attend chapter and to come and kiss the hand of their Sovereign and First Lady. They were also asked to pay particular attention to the worship of St Ferdinand and also of St Louis, ancestor of the Bourbons. This meant that the Order could only be bestowed on Catholic noblewomen, although, in the 19th century, Protestant noblewomen and Japanese princesses were included.
By Royal Decree of 28th October 1851, a payment of 3,000 Reals was required off members of the Order, to be paid within three months, otherwise they would cease to be members.
During the Republic and the abolition of Spanish Orders, both King Alfonso XIII, until January 1941, and his son Juan de Borbón, Count of Barcelona gave this Order to some of the princesses in his family - the latest to his daughters, Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz and Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria - to commemorate their eighteenth birthdays. The Order was also granted to Princess Sophia of Greece when she became The Princess of Asturias on marrying the future King Juan Carlos I on 14th May 1962. (She had been awarded the Order of Charles III four days earlier.) Sophia chose to she wear the Riband and Star of the Order of Charles III along with the bow of a Dame of the Order of Noble Ladies of Queen Maria Luisa at her husband's Proclamation as King at the Palacio de las Cortes on 22nd November 1975.
Order of Isabella the Catholic
The order, which plays an important role in diplomatic relations, is administered by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs as Grand Chancellor.
The Isabella the Catholic in question is, of course, the woman considered the first Queen Regnant of Spain, even though her own Kingdom of Castile and that of her husband, King Ferdinand of Aragon, were administered separately. Her reforms and those she made with her husband had an influence that extended well beyond the borders of their united kingdoms. Isabella and Ferdinand are known for completing the Reconquista, and for supporting and financing Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage which led to the discovery of the New World by Europeans and to the establishment of Spain as a major power in Europe and much of the world for more than a century. Isabella was granted, together with her husband, the title "the Catholic" by Pope Alexander VI and they are largely known as “The Catholic Monarchs”. The protrait of Isabella I of Castile (1451-1504), Queen of Castile and León, shown here is by an unknown artist and is shown in the Paseo del Prado, Madrid. |
The Provisional Government of the Republic, by decree of 24th July 1931, abolished all orders under the Ministry of State, except for the Order of Isabella the Catholic, whilst the regulations approved by decree of 10th October 1931 introduced a new degree: Officer (Oficial). By decree of 8th August 1935, it was established that the first degree in the Order of Isabella the Catholic was that of the Grand Cross, the Collar being reserved exclusively for very exceptional cases.
In 1938, General Franco, by decree of 15th June, restored the Order in its traditional meaning: to reward meritorious services rendered to the country by nationals and foreigners. The Order's regulations were approved by Decree of 29th September 1938, by which the Order consisted of the following grades: Knight of the Collar, Knight Grand Cross, Commander by Number, Commander, Knight, and Silver Cross, with rank of Officer between the grades of Knight and Commander being restored in 1971.
The Order's current regulations date from 6th November 1998. Among its provisions, the categories of Banda de Dama, Cruz de Caballero and Lazo de Dama were repealed to avoid possible accusations of gender discrimination. Notwithstanding this, for aesthetic and functional reasons, the ladies use reduced versions of the insignia of each degree of the Order. Again, there are two versions of the Riband anyway: Knights of the Collar have yellow with a very narrow white stripe at the very edges and all other degrees have equal stripes of yellow, white and yellow but with narrow white stripes at the very edges as well.
The central medallion depicts the Pillars of Hercules with a ribbon with Emperor Charles V 's motto PLUS ULTRA (which were covered in a previous Blog) and two crowned blue globes to represent the original intent of the Order. Isabella and Ferdinand were, of course, the sponsors of Christopher Columbus who opened the way for European exploration and colonisation of the Americas.
Maintaining the diplomatic purpose of this Order, it is usually awarded on state visits to those who would not qualify for the Order of Charles III. On their visit to the United Kingdom in July 2017, the King and Queen of Spain awarded the Order of Isabella the Catholic to HRH The Princess Royal, the Duke of Sussex and HRH The Duke of York who had accompanied Their Majesties during the visit. When he married Spanish arristocrat Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón, King Baudouin I of the Belgians wore the large Chain of the Order of Isabella the Catholic over his Belgian general's uniform in honour of his bride.
The then Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel García-Margallo, inaugurated a commemorative exhibition for the bicentenary of the Order at the Santa Cruz Palace in Madrid in 2016. García-Margallo described the decoration as helping to strengthen friendship and cooperative relations within the international community and “the first one in the field of foreign affairs”.
More than 71,000 people in the world have been granted the Order in some degree or other, including military men, politicians, painters and writers.
Order of Civil Merit
This Order was created to reward civic virtues of the functionaries in service for the State, the Provinces and Municipalities, as well as extraordinary services performed by Spanish citizens for the good of Nation, and could possibly be awarded, moreover, to foreign citizens by courtesy or reciprocity.
A Decree of 7th November 1942 restored the Order of Civil Merit after the abolition by the Provisional Government of the Republic. Subsequently, by decree of 26th July 1957, the Knight of the Collar category was established as the highest distinction of the Order which is reserved for Sovereigns and Heads of State and, exceptionally, to those who are already in possession of the Grand Cross of the Order.
In an attempt to modernise the Order a Royal Decree was issued on 6th November 1998 and published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on 21st November 1998 (and subsequently updated the following year) giving approval to new regulations in one legal text. Among the most notable elements of the new regulations was again the abolition of the categories of Banda de Dama, Cruz de Caballero and Lazo de Dama, again to avoid accusations of discrimination based on gender. Furthermore, it enabled women to use miniature versions of the insignia.
Finally, in order to lend prestige to the distinctions of this Order and to ensure that each is properly justified, the current regulations discuss in detail the merits to be considered for grant, emphasising the requirements of the initial creation of the Order.
The Riband again has the two versions but this time in a deepish blue and white. However, in the version where the stripes are usually equal in width, the central white stripe is narrow and shows more of the deep blue, as can be seen above.
The former President of the Court of Appeal in The Hague, Mr. Heikens, is Knight of this Order. As a lawyer, he defended a Spanish lady in what will have been the last Dutch lawsuit over a "broken marriage vow". The Spanish government expressed its gratitude by awarding the Order.
Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild (Spanish: Real y Militar Orden de San Hermenegildo) is both a general military honour and a legion created by Ferdinand VII of Spain on 28th November 1814 at the conclusion of the Spanish War of Independence. Given the desire of the King to create a distinction of extraordinary rank it was decided to put the Order under the Patronage of Saint Hermenegild, the Visigoth King of Seville who was martyred in defence of the Christian faith in the sixth century and who is the patron saint of the Spanish Armed Forces. The purpose of the Order was to serve as a maximum means of reward for those soldiers who exceeded their military obligations and fought on, surpassing their suffering in battle and who thus would serve as examples of bravery to His Spanish Majesty's armies. |
"... reward and distinguish the general officers, officers and NCOs of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Common Corps of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard Corps, for their perseverance and impeccable conduct in service, in accordance with what is established in the Royal Ordinances for the Armed Forces."
The central medallion bears an effigy of St. Hermenegild on horseback, surrounded by a blue ring inscribed PREMIO A LA CONSTANCIA MILITAR ("Reward for long military service"). On the reverse there is the royal cypher of Fernando VII. The Riband for this Order only has the striped version, the base colour of which is described as crimson but looks, in some lights, as a striking shade of pink.
Any holder of the Order who is found to have committed a crime may be dismissed from the Order.
Spain has many military and civilian awards honours system with more than thirty. The Order of St Hermenegild has a special place because the high degrees of the order are rarely awarded. As Commander-in-Chief of the Army, the Grand Cross was regularly worn by King Juan Carlos I. His successor, King Felipe VI, continues that tradition, as shown here.