Heraldry of the Spanish Army

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Marcus Karlsson
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Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 23 Apr 2016, 11:54

The Spanish Army has an elaborate system of heraldry having evolved thru the Centuries into todays system. The main feature is a Shield crowned by a Royal Crown. Behind the Shield is placed symbols of the Arm or Service to which the Unit belongs. Infantry for example has crossed Mauser Rifles with Bayonets fixed, Cavalry Crossed Lances with Pennants in the Spanish Colours. Beneath the Shield can be placed additional symbols Armored Infantry for instance has a Tank and Mountain Rifles a Hunting Horn. To this is added scrolls with Mottos, Name of the Unit and War Cries (the later usualy placed above the Shield) and various Decorations. The Full Arms also includes the War and Peacekeeping Operation Participation of the Unit. Below one example of a "Full Arms" of the Light Infantry Regiment "Tercio Viejo de Sicilila" No 67:

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Picture by Heralder on Wikimedia Commons. Behind the Shield the Laureate Cross of St Ferdinand, the Highest Spanish Decoration of Valour. Which can be awarded to Persons as well as whole Units.

Marcus Karlsson
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Re: Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 23 Apr 2016, 12:06

Pictures in the following presentations are by Heralder of Wikimedia Commons if not otherwise mentioned.

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The High Readiness Headquartes, show behind the the Shield the Insignia of a General Officers Command.

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Army Personnel Command, with the insignia of the insignia of the Personnel Command and its subordinary organisations.

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Headquarters Battalion of the Brigade "Galicia" VII. The insignia behind the shield denote a Command of an Officer below General's rank.

Marcus Karlsson
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Re: Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 23 Apr 2016, 12:11

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Arms Systems Directorate, with the Torches denoting the Command and its subordinate Units.

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Helicopter Maintenance Park and Center, in Spanish Parque y Centro de Mantenimiento de Helicópteros hence the Acronym on the Scroll.

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Military Engineers Equipment Maintenance Park and Center, the Acronym denotes the Spanish Name Parque y Centro de Mantenimiento de Material de Ingenieros.

Marcus Karlsson
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Re: Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 23 Apr 2016, 12:21

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The Logistics Brigade shows the Torch and Rifle which is the symbol of Logistics Units.

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Logistic Support Command for Operations, in Spanish Jefatura de Apoyo Logistico a las Operaciones hence the Acronym.

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Health Logistics Support Group.

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Ceuta Sea Company, the Anchor and Sword in the middle is the insignia of the Sea Companies (there is also one in Melilla). The Brodure alludes to the City of Ceuta.

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Melilla Sea Company. The Insignia of the Sea Companies with the Cauldrons from the Arms of the City of Melilla.

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Chris Green
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Re: Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby Chris Green » 23 Apr 2016, 13:12

The cauldrons in the arms of the Melilla Marine Company contain serpents (depicted argent, though in the arms of Melilla they are vert).

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Melilla, a Spanish enclave on the coast of Morocco, is a constant source of irritation to the Moroccans who claim that it is a colonial remnant and should be returned. The Spaniards reject this entirely (rather scuppering their own argument regarding Gibraltar). Perhaps the serpents in the cauldrons represent what Anglo-Saxons would call a "can of worms".
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JMcMillan
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Re: Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby JMcMillan » 23 Apr 2016, 14:08

Chris Green wrote:Perhaps the serpents in the cauldrons represent what Anglo-Saxons would call a"can of worms".


Very clever, and funny! I almost hate to switch back to serious mode, but for what it's worth, I've read that this charge (which appears frequently in Spanish heraldry) is actually a cauldron of eels, and supposedly is intended as an allusion to the feudal lord's obligation to provide for his followers, anguilas cocinadas being a classic delicacy.

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Joseph McMillan
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Chris Green
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Re: Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby Chris Green » 23 Apr 2016, 14:19

Ah yes, eels rather than serpents. I came across them while undertaking my heraldic "Vuelta a Espana" last year.

http://amateurheralds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=937&p=7922&hilit=vuelta#p7922
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Marcus Karlsson
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Re: Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 26 Apr 2016, 17:22

The Army Headquarters and its departments displays two crossed Marshal's Batons behind the Shield.

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Full Arms of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Regiment "Alcantara". The Cross is that of the namegiving Order of Alcantara. One of the Crusader Orders formed to fight the Moors.

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11th Mechanized Sappers Battalion, with the Pick and Shovel insignia of Engineer/Spapper Units. The Lion symbolises the combat role and the chain of the enschuteon the Mechanized role.

Marcus Karlsson
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Re: Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 26 Apr 2016, 17:29

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12th Mechanized Signals Company, with the Electrodes symbolising the Singal Troops.

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I/32 Field Artillery Battalion (I Battalion of the 32nd Field Artillery Regiment). The Gun Barrels of the Artillery Units. Balck and Red are the Colours of Spanish Artillery.

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2nd Emergency Helicopter Battalion, with the Rotor Blades of the Army Aviation behind the Shield. The Shield it self tells of the Battalion's operations in what was Spanish Sahara.

Marcus Karlsson
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Re: Heraldry of the Spanish Army

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 26 Apr 2016, 17:41

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The Arms of the City of Barcelona forms the base for the Arms of the IV/62 Mountain Rifles Battalion "Barcelona" of the Mountain Rifles Regiment "Arapiles" No 62. It is the practice of the Spanish Army to preserve the traditions of disbanded Regiments in subunits of present day Units such as Battalions of Infantry Regiments and Groups (of Squadrons) of Cavalry Regiments or Mechanized Infantry Regiments.

Thus the former Cavalry Regiment "Calatrava" lives on in the form of the II/16 Armoured Cavalry Group "Calatrava" the second Battalion of the Armoured Regiment "Castilla" No 16. The Armorial Bearings of the Group whose main motive is the Calatrava Cross is shown below. You can also se below the Shield the Tank which together with the Cavalry Lances denotes a Armoured Cavalry Unit.

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