Coat of arms of Madrid

Last updated

Coat of arms of Madrid
Coat of Arms of Madrid City.svg
Versions
Arms of Madrid City.svg
Escutcheon-only
Armiger Madrid
Shield Argent, a bear sable supported on a strawberry tree vert fructed gules; on a bordure azure seven stars argent

The main components of the Coat of arms of Madrid (the bear and the tree) have their origin in the Middle Ages. [1] The different coats of arms have experienced several modifications, losing for example motifs often displayed in early designs such as water and flint. [2]

Contents

In 1822, the municipal council adopted a design that entailed the addition of a gryphon and civic crown, [3] which were removed in 1967. [4]

The shield is argent, a bear sable supported on a strawberry tree vert fructed gules; on a bordure azure seven stars argent. The shield is adorned with a large open royal crown of gold and precious stones, with eight rosettes (five visible) alternating with eight pearls; this crown is commonly used in Spanish heraldry for territorial and municipal arms. [5]

The image of the seven stars, the bear and the strawberry tree is also a component of the badge of the local football club Atlético Madrid.

History

According to chronicles, the militias of the council of Madrid carried a banner identified them in different battles of the early 13th century: a bear sable (prieto) on a field argent. [6]

In the early 13th century, the Clerical cabildo vied against the municipal council over the use of the fodder in the fields and forests of El Real de Manzanares  [ es ]. In 1222, the fodder was determined to belong to the clergymen, whereas the forests would pertain to the council. The bear, which formerly had been displayed on all fours, began to stand on its hind legs leaning on a tree in council representations, possibly underpinning the control of timber by the council, whereas the cabildo's bear in cabildo emblems remained walking. [7]

There are several hypotheses regarding the beginnings of the identification of the tree with a strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), be it a Arbutus/Arbustus confusion the improbable abundance of the species in Madrid (unlike that of Celtis australis ), or perhaps an attempt to improve on the gaudiness or the composition. [7]

History of the coat of arms of Madrid
Coat of armsShieldDatesDetails
Shield and Coat of Arms of Madrid City (c.1212-1222).svg c.1212-1222In 1212, the Council of Madrid used an ensign that shown a bear with the seven stars of the Ursa Major or Ursa Minor. This flag was used in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa by Madrilenian troops. [8] [9]

A later and widely spread representation of the arms of Madrid depicts two mistakes: a shield with a shape used since the 16th century and five-pointed stars Argent (white or light grey), instead of eight pointed commonly used by the Madrid Council at that time. [10]

Shield and Coat of Arms of Madrid City (1222-1544).svg 1222-1544The bear, which had been displayed pascuant (grazing), now stood on its hind legs, rampant , to eat fruits from a tree and the seven eight-pointed stars where shown on a bordure Azure (blue). [9]
Shield and Coat of Arms of Madrid City (1544-c.1600).svg 1544-c.1600In 1544 Charles I granted to Madrid the titles of "Imperial" and "Crowned" for this reason, a crown was added on the shield above the tree. [9]
Coat of Arms of Madrid City (c.1600-c.1650).svg Arms of Madrid City (c.1600-c.1650).svg c.1600-c.1650In the 17th century the open Spanish royal crown set upon the shield. [9]
Coat of Arms of Madrid City (c.1650-1859).svg Arms of Madrid City (c.1650-1859).svg c.1650-1859Circa 1650 stars set 2, 2, 2 and 1 changing to 3, 2 and 2. Consoles became a common external ornament. [9]
Coat of Arms of Madrid City (1859-1873 and 1874-1931).svg Arms of Madrid City (1859-1939).svg 1859-1873 / 1874-1931In 1859 were added a griffin rampant Or (golden) and a civic crown, awarded by the Cortes for the heroism of the people of Madrid against the French occupation in 1808.

The griffin has its origin in a dragon, or a serpent according to Mesonero Romanos, that was shown on the keystone in the arch of a gate of the disappeared walls of Madrid known as "Puerta Cerrada" or "Puerta de la Sierpe" (Closed Gate or Serpent Gate in English). [11] In 1582 a fire destroyed the gate. At that time the walls had fallen into disuse, for this reason the gate and the surrounding wall have never been rebuilt. The serpent, become dragon, was retained as informal symbol of Madrid until the 19th century, when it was decided to incorporate the dragon that very soon turned into a griffin. [12]

Eight-pointed stars were replaced by five-pointed stars and the open royal crown was changed by the Spanish royal crown closed with eight arches. Consoles, laurel wreaths and the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece were common ornaments. [9] [13]

Coat of Arms of Madrid City (1873-1874 and 1931-1939).svg Arms of Madrid City (1859-1939).svg 1873-1874 / 1931-1939During the First and Second Republics, the royal crown was replaced by a mural crown and the collar of the dynastic Order of the Golden Fleece was removed. [9] [13]

In March 1938, following the Battle of Cape Palos, the biggest naval battle of the Spanish Civil War, the Distintivo de Madrid , which had been established by the Second Spanish Republic in order to reward courage, [14] was given to Spanish Republican Navy cruisers Libertad and Méndez Núñez, and destroyers Lepanto, Almirante Antequera and Sánchez Barcáiztegui, as well as to their crew members. These ships would thenceforward fly a special pennant and the men would wear a special badge on their uniforms with the coat of arms of Madrid. [15]

Coat of Arms of Madrid City (1939-1967).svg Arms of Madrid City (1939-1967).svg 1939-1967In the Francoist period, the five-pointed stars became six-pointed stars and the mural crown was replaced by the heraldic open crown used by Franco's regime. Consoles and laurel wreaths became unusual. [13] [16]
Coat of Arms of Madrid City (1967-1982).svg Arms of Madrid City (1967-1982).svg 1967-1982In 1967 the griffin and the civic crown were removed. [17]
Coat of Arms of Madrid City.svg Arms of Madrid City.svg 1982–PresentIn 1982 the heraldic open crown used by Franco's regime was replaced by the older open royal crown. The design of the elements has become more simplified and the escutcheon shape has been changed too. [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Cape Palos (1938)</span> Biggest naval battle of the Spanish Civil War

The Battle of Cape Palos, also known as the Second Battle of Cape Palos, was the biggest naval battle of the Spanish Civil War, fought on the night of March 5–6, 1938, east of Cape Palos near Cartagena, Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Spain</span>

The coat of arms of Spain represents Spain and the Spanish nation, including its national sovereignty and the country's form of government, a constitutional monarchy. It appears on the flag of Spain and it is used by the Government of Spain, the Cortes Generales, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, and other state institutions. Its design consists of the arms of the medieval kingdoms that would unite to form Spain in the 15th century, the Royal Crown, the arms of the House of Bourbon, the Pillars of Hercules and the Spanish national motto: Plus Ultra. The monarch, the heir to the throne and some institutions like the Senate, the Council of State and the General Council of the Judiciary have their own variants of the coat of arms; thus the state coat of arms is not an arms of dominion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the Prince of Asturias</span>

The blazon of the coat of arms of the Princess of Asturias is given by a Royal Decree 979 on 30 October 2015 which was an amendment of the Royal Decree 1511 dated Madrid 21 January 1977, which also created her guidon and her standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Basque Country (autonomous community)</span> Coat of arms

The current Basque coat of arms is the official coat of arms of the Basque Country, Autonomous community of Spain. It consists of a party per cross representing the three historical territories of Álava, Gipuzkoa and Biscay, as well as a fourth, void quarter. The arms are ringed by a regal wreath of oak leaves, symbolic of the Gernikako Arbola. The fourth quarter constituted since the late 19th century the linked chains of Navarre; however, following a legal suit by the Navarre Government claiming that the usage of the arms of a region on the flag of another was illegal, the Constitutional Court of Spain ordered the removal of the chains of Navarre in a judgement of 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bear in heraldry</span>

The bear as heraldic charge is not as widely used as the lion, boar or other beasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Balearic Islands</span>

The Coat of arms of Balearic Islands is described in the Spanish Law 7 of November 21, 1984, the Law of the coat of arms of the Autonomous Community of Balearic Islands. Previously, by Decree of the Interinsular General Council of August 7 and 16, 1978, adopted the coat of arms as official symbol of the Balearic Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Extremadura</span> Coat of arms of a Spanish autonomous community

The coat of arms of the Extremadura is described in the Title I of the Spanish Law 4 of June 3, 1985, the Law of the coat of arms, flag and regional day of Extremadura.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the Valencian Community</span>

The coat of arms of the Valencian Community is the official emblem of the self-government institutions of the Valencian Community. It is based on the armorial achievement used from the reign of King Peter IV to John II, called the Great. In 1978 the former Council of the Valencian Country approved it “...for being the oldest known representative emblem of the former Kingdom of Valencia, that had located on the Xerea Gate of the city of Valencia”.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the Crown of Aragon</span>

The so-called Bars of Aragon, Royal sign of Aragon, Royal arms of Aragon, Four Bars, Red Bars or Coat of arms of the Crown of Aragon, which bear four red pallets on gold background, depicts the familiar coat of the Kings of Aragon. It differs from the flag because this latter instead uses bars. It is one of the oldest coats of arms in Europe dating back to a seal of Raymond Berengar IV, Count of Barcelona and Prince of Aragon, from 1150.

Spanish destroyer <i>Sánchez Barcáiztegui</i>

Sánchez Barcáiztegui was a Churruca-class destroyer of the Spanish Republican Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the government of the Second Spanish Republic.

Spanish destroyer <i>Lepanto</i>

Lepanto was a Churruca-class destroyer of the Spanish Republican Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the government of the Second Spanish Republic. She was named after the Battle of Lepanto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the Second Spanish Republic</span>

The Coat of arms of the Second Spanish Republic was the emblem of the Second Spanish Republic, the government that existed in Spain between April 14, 1931, when King Alfonso XIII left the country, and April 1, 1939, when the last of the Republican forces surrendered to Francoist forces at the end of the Spanish Civil War.

The Spanish monarchs of the House of Habsburg and Philip V used separate versions of their royal arms as sovereigns of the Kingdom of Naples-Sicily, Sardinia and the Duchy of Milan with the arms of these territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laureate Plate of Madrid</span> Award

The Laureate Badge of Madrid was the highest military award for gallantry of the Second Spanish Republic. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luis González de Ubieta</span>

Luis González de Ubieta y González del Campillo 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 rescued when the ship under his command sank in the Caribbean Sea not far from Barranquilla.

<i>Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree</i> Public sculpture in Madrid

The Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree is a sculpture from the second half of the 20th century, situated in the Spanish city of Madrid. It represents the coat of arms of Madrid and is found on the east side of the Puerta del Sol, between Calle de Alcalá and Carrera de San Jerónimo, in the historical centre of the capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madrid Distinction</span> Award

The Madrid Distinction was one of the highest military awards of the Second Spanish Republic. It was a decoration related to the Laureate Plate of Madrid. which was established by the Second Spanish Republic in order to reward courage. In the same manner as the Laureate Plate it was named after Madrid, the capital of Spain, owing to the city symbolizing valour and the defence of the Spanish Republic during the long Siege of Madrid throughout the Spanish Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Barcelona</span>

The coat of arms of Barcelona is the official emblem of the City Council of Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, has its origin in the Middle Ages, these arms were first documented in 1329. The Government of Catalonia conferred the coat of arms and the flag as official symbols of the municipality in 2004. It has an escutcheon in lozenge which is commonly used in municipal coats of arms of cities in Catalonia. Currently the City Council of Barcelona also uses an isotype based on the heraldry of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heraldry of Castile</span> Heraldry of the Iberian kingdom

The coat of arms of Castile was the heraldic emblem of its monarchs. Historian Michel Pastoureau says that the original purpose of heraldic emblems and seals was to facilitate the exercise of power and the identification of the ruler, due to what they offered for achieving these aims. These symbols were associated with the kingdom, and eventually also represented the intangible nature of the national sentiment or sense of belonging to a territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Medellín (Colombia)</span>

The coat of arms of Medellín is the heraldic emblem that represents the Colombian city of Medellín, capital of the department of Antioquia. It has its origin in the concession of its use by King Charles II of Spain by means of the Royal Decree given in Madrid on March 31, 1678. The escutcheon also recalled in some of its elements the ancient coat of arms of the Spanish town of Medellín, in Extremadura, from which the city takes its name.

References

  1. ↑ Ayuntamiento de Madrid.
  2. ↑ Guerra Chavarino 2010, p. 272.
  3. ↑ Guerra Chavarino 2010, p. 245.
  4. ↑ Guerra Chavarino, Emilio (2010). "Los escudos de Madrid a lo largo de su historia" (PDF). Anales del Instituto de Estudios Madrileños. L: 246. ISSN   0584-6374.
  5. ↑ Dirección General de Administración Local - Consejería de Justicia y Administraciones Públicas Archived 2011-05-27 at the Wayback Machine .
  6. ↑ Guerra Chavarino 2010, pp. 248–249.
  7. 1 2 Guerra Chavarino 2010, pp. 251–253.
  8. ↑ Álvarez y Baena, José Antonio (1786). Compendio histórico de las grandezas de la coronada villa de Madrid, corte de la Monarquía de España. Madrid: Antonio Sancha (Print.)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gea Ortigas, María Isabel (2008). Historia del oso y el madroño : (los escudos de Madrid). Antiguos cementerios de Madrid. Madrid : La Librería, (4th ed.) ISBN   978-84-89411-35-7.
  10. ↑ Image of the first version of the arms of Madrid representation.
  11. ↑ Ramón Mesonero Romanos, (1861), El antiguo Madrid. Madrid, F. de P. Mellado Print. P. 90.
  12. ↑ (in Spanish) Ocno Bianor y el dragón de la Puerta Cerrada Archived 2013-12-21 at the Wayback Machine , Madrid Diario(2009-03-29).
  13. 1 2 3 "Título preliminar, 1948 Madrid City Council Regulation" (PDF). www.madrid.es (in Spanish). Madrid City Council. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  14. ↑ Second Spanish Republic 23 January 1938 Decree
  15. ↑ Enrique García Domingo, Recompensas republicanas por el hundimiento del Baleares, Revista de Historia Naval 1997, Año XV no. 59, pg. 70 Archived December 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ 1939 Coat of arms image.
  17. ↑ 1967 Coat of arms image, Sitographics.com.
  18. ↑ "Art. III, 1982 Madrid City Council Regulation". www.madrid.es (in Spanish). Madrid City Council. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.