Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild

Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild
Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild;
	Arms of the Order
Awarded bySpain
Type	Order of merit
Established	28 November 1814
Motto	PREMIO A LA CONSTANCIA MILITAR; (Award to Military Constancy)
Eligibility	Military personnel andGuardia Civil
Status	Currently constituted
Sovereign	Monarch of Spain
Precedence
Next (higher)	Mention in Dispatches; (Without Insignia); Distinguished Service Award; (Without Insignia); Cross of Military Merit(Army); Cross of Naval Merit(Navy); Cross of Aeronautical Merit(Air Force)
Next (lower)	Long Military Service Cross
	; ;

TheRoyal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild(Spanish:Real y Militar Orden de San Hermenegildo) is both a general military honor and a legion created byKing Ferdinand VII of Spainon 28 November 1814.

The Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild is amilitary distinctionof theSpanish Cavalrycreated byKing Ferdinand VII of Spainat the conclusion of theSpanish War of Independence in 1814.

The purpose of the Order was to serve as a maximum means of reward for thosesoldierswho exceeded their military obligations and fought on, surpassing their suffering in battle, and who thus would serve as examples ofbraveryto His Spanish Majesty's armies.

Given the desire of the King to create a distinction of extraordinary rank, comparable to others traditional honours, it was decided to put the Order under the Patronage ofSaint Hermenegild,who was theVisigoth KingofSevillewho wasmartyredin defence of the Christian faith in the sixth century and who is the patron saint of the Spanish Armed Forces.

Its firstpromulgationwas published in 1815, being renewed later in 1860, 1879, 1951, 1994 and its most recent modernization in 2000.

... recompensar y distinguir a los oficiales generales, oficiales y suboficiales del Ejército de Tierra, de la Armada, del Ejército del Aire, de los Cuerpos Comunes de las Fuerzas Armadas y del Cuerpo de la Guardia Civil, por su constancia e intachable conducta en el servicio, a tenor de lo que establecen las Reales Ordenanzas para las Fuerzas Armadas.

It is declared that The Order intends "to compensate and to distinguish to thegeneral officers,officersandwarrant officersof theSpanish Army,Spanish Navy,Spanish Air Force,Common Corpsand the SpanishCivil Guard,(the militarized police service depending on both Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense which holds different risponsabilities such Crime Investigation Department, Intelligence, Coast Guard, Fiscal and Borders responsibilities, Green Police, Public order and Security, Administrative Police, Traffic Police, Airborne Command, Scuba divers, weapons and firearms control etc among others) by their faultless and exemplary conduct in the service of The Crown. "

The monarch of Spain is the Sovereign of the order. The Order is governed by three governing bodies: the Chapter, the Permanent Assembly and the Chancellery.

Attribution

According to its current statutes, the order is divided into four classes:

Cross(Cruz) – worn on the chest, conferred to generals, admirals, other officers and warrant officers who have completed 20 years of service;
Commander(Encomienda) – worn as a neck decoration, conferred as above after completion of 25 years of service;
Commander with Star(Placa) – worn as a star on the left pocket of the uniform, conferred as above after completion of 30 years of service;
Grand Cross(Gran Cruz) – worn on a sash over the right shoulder with a star on the left breast, conferred to generals and admirals who have completed at least 33 years of service;

Insignia

The badge of the order is a gold, white enameledcross pattée,surmounted by a royal crown. The central medallion bears an effigy of St. Hermenegild on a 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 star has the form of a goldMaltese crosswith ball finials and silver rays between the arms and the effigy of St. Hermenegild in the central medallion, surrounded by a white ring with the order's motto and a green laurel wreath. The medallion of the Grand Cross star is surmounted by a royal crown.