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Heraldica Española - Spanish Civic Heraldry

THE NATIONAL ARMS OF SPAIN

The Spanish arms are a combination of the arms of the former Kingdoms that were united in their fight against the Moors, who occupied most of the country in the early Middle Ages. The re-conquest was finalized in 1492 when the last Moorish stronghold, Granada, fell to Ferdinand and Isabella of Castille-Leon.

The arms show the castle of Castille, the lion of Leon (both canting), the pillars of Aragon and the chain of Navarra. In the bottom of the shield a small pomegranade for Granada is added. The two pillars are the pillars of Hercules, a badge adapted by Charles I (Charles V of Germany). The pillars symbolised his power on both sides of the pillars of Hercules (Street of Gibraltar). The round escutcheon shows the arms of Bourbon-Anjou, the present Royal family.

During the reign of Franco (1939-1975) the arms were basically the same, with the exception of the Royal escutcheon. The arms were more complicated as Castille-Leon were shown as a quartered field and Aragon-Navarra as a divided field. The eagle is the Imperial eagle and also the symbol of St. John Evangelist. The yoke and arrows are symbols used by Ferdinand and Isabella.

Literature : de Cadenas, A. A. and de Cadenas, V. : Heraldica de las comunidades autonomas y de las capitales de provincia. Hidalguia, Madrid, 1985; Louda, J. : European Civic Heraldry. Hamlyn, London, 1966.

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