Coat of arms of Spain

Coat of arms of Spain
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Name	Spain
Armiger	Felipe VI of Spain
Year adopted	1981
Motto	None

Coat of arms of Spain The coat of arms currently used by the Kingdom of Spain combines heraldic elements that reference the medieval kingdoms of Castile, León, Aragon, Navarre and Granada alongside the Bourbon dynastic emblem. It functions as a national emblem for state institutions such as the Cortes Generales, the Moncloa Palace, and the Royal Household of Spain, and appears on documents, currency and official seals of ministries including Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Justice.

History

Heraldic devices associated with the Iberian Peninsula date to medieval conflicts such as the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa and dynastic unions like the marriage of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, which linked the arms of Castile and León with those of Aragon. The quartered shield tradition evolved through the reigns of monarchs including Philip II of Spain, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and later the Bourbons, who introduced the Bourbon-Anjou inescutcheon after the War of the Spanish Succession and the Treaty of Utrecht (1713). Republican changes under the Second Spanish Republic replaced royal emblems with an eagle of Saint John used during Francisco Franco’s regime, which later incorporated symbols associated with Francoist institutions and the Blue Division. Democratic transition after the Spanish transition to democracy and the 1978 Spanish Constitution led to heraldic commissions and the 1981 royal decree that standardized the current composition under Juan Carlos I of Spain and confirmed under Felipe VI of Spain.

Design and Symbolism

The shield is quartered: first quarter shows a castellated golden tower for Castile, second quarter displays a purple lion for León rampant and crowned as used by rulers like Alfonso X of Castile; third quarter bears vertical red and gold pales for Aragon and the Crown of Aragon dynasts such as James I of Aragon; fourth quarter bears linked chains for Navarre recalling the siege of Nájera and victories commemorated in chronicles of El Cid. The point enté en pointe displays an open pomegranate fruit representing the Kingdom of Granada and the conquest by Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. Over all lies an inescutcheon of the House of Bourbon-Anjou bearing azure with three fleurs-de-lys, reflecting dynastic links to Louis XIV of France. Supporters are absent; instead, the shield is surmounted by a royal crown modeled on the crown of Charles III of Spain and flanked by the Pillars of Hercules with the motto "PLUS ULTRA", an emblem associated with the voyages of Christopher Columbus and the patronage of Isabella I of Castile. Heraldic elements echo treaties and unions such as Treaty of Tordesillas and royal seals used in chancelleries of Toledo Cathedral and the Royal Council of Castile.

Legal Status and Use

The armorial bearings are regulated by Spanish law and royal decree issued by authorities including the Council of Ministers and enacted during tenures of prime ministers like Adolfo Suárez and Felipe González. Usage restrictions apply to ministries such as Interior and public bodies like the National Police and the Guardia Civil; reproductions on state stationery, the BOE and diplomatic passports of the Foreign Affairs follow precise colorimetric and dimensional rules adopted after consultation with academic bodies such as the Real Academia de la Historia and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Unauthorized commercial exploitation is limited by statutes involving the Spanish Trademark and Patent Office and cases have been litigated before courts including the Audiencia Nacional.

Variants and Adaptations

Several variants exist for distinct uses: the lesser arms used by cabinets and municipalities like Madrid and Seville omit supporters and some ornamental elements; the greater arms used by the Royal Guard or ceremonial events add mantling and orders such as the Order of the Golden Fleece and the Order of Isabella the Catholic. Naval ensigns and standards for units such as the Spanish Navy and the Spanish Air Force adapt the shield to flags and roundels following conventions used by NATO allies. Regional adaptations incorporate provincial coats found in Andalusia, Catalonia, Basque Country, Galicia and other autonomous communities created by the Statute of Autonomy processes, while municipal seals reflect local heraldry codified in archives like the Archivo General de Indias and the Archivo Histórico Nacional.

Manufacturing and Protocol

Manufacture of official insignia is contracted to state-approved workshops and artisans skilled in techniques used for regalia worn at ceremonies in the Palacio Real de Madrid and during investitures presided by Felipe VI of Spain or held in the Cortes Generales. Production standards reference pigments and metalwork traditions associated with craft guilds from Toledo, Valencia, and Seville, and follow protocols for display at foreign representations such as embassies accredited to countries like France, Germany, United States, United Kingdom and international organizations including the United Nations and the European Union. Protocol dictates positioning on flags, seals, coinage minted by the Royal Mint of Spain (Real Casa de la Moneda), passports issued by the Foreign Affairs and orders conferred by chivalric bodies like the Order of Carlos III. Violation of display rules at events such as state visits, athletic competitions involving the Royal Spanish Football Federation, or legislative sittings of the Cortes Generales has prompted recalls and administrative sanctions.

Category:National symbols of Spain