Closed royal crown

Grand Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand.

Argent, a cross of Alcantara. Crest: A closed royal crown Or, with eight arches, visible five. Behind the shield the Laureate Grand Cross of Saint Ferdinand. Motto: «Hoec nubila tollunt obstantia sicut sol».

Escudo de plata, una cruz de Alcántara. Timbrado de una corona real cerrada. Acolada detrás del escudo la gran cruz laureada de San Fernando. Lema: «Hoec nubila tollunt obstantia sicut sol».

Coat of arms interpreted in the following manner: the shape of the shield is of a semicircular arch; the field is illuminated in metal Argent; the cross of Alcantara, the 4 swords and the 2 laurel branches are outlined in Sable and illuminated in Vert and Gules; the royal crown is closed, outlined in Sable and illuminated with the metal Or, Argent for the pearls, Azure and Or for the orb, Gules and Vert for the gems, Gules for the inner cloth, and Sable for the visible hollow at its base; and the whole has a iridescent finish.

Rif War, July 23, 1921, banks of the Igan River, North Africa

The Alcantara Regiment executed nine successive cavalry charges to protect the infantry's retreat, nine charges until they broke the enemy lines, outnumbering them. The last charge was on foot because all their horses were dead or exhausted. These heroic riders of Alcantara had fulfilled their duty of protecting the wounded infantry in their retreat to El Batel, but the price was appalling: of 691 riders, only 67 survived, and three months were necessary to recover hundreds of corpses.

For this reason, in 2012, the Alcántara Regiment was collectively awarded the Grand Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand.

Two lances behind the shield

Since 1987, the coat of arms of the cavalry regiments of the Spanish Army must carry two crossed lances accolade behind the shield. And indeed, this coat of arms of the Alcántara Cavalry Regiment has two lances behind the shield, but in my artistic heraldic interpretation, I did not paint them to avoid detracting from the prominence of the Laureate Cross.

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Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Argent, Cross of Alcantara, Cross couped, Cross, Crest, Closed royal crown, Crown, Behind the shield, Four, Sword, Crosswise, Gules, Two, Branch, Laurel, Vert and Motto.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Iridescent.

Classification: Interpreted, Military, Army and Navy and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Alcantara, Cavalry Regiment.

In this sign, you shall conquer.

Argent, a cross of Montesa. Crest: A closed royal crown Or, with eight arches, visible five. Motto: «In hoc signo vinces».

Escudo de oro, una cruz de Montesa. Timbrado de una corona real cerrada. Lema: «In hoc signo vinces».

Coat of arms interpreted as follows: the shape of the shield is a semi-circular arch; the field has been illuminated in metal Or; the cross of Montesa is outlined in Sable and illuminated in Sable and Gules; the royal crown is closed, outlined in Sable and illuminated the metal in Or, the pearls in Argent, the orb in Azure and Or, the gemstones in Gules and Vert, the inner cloth in Gules, and the visible hollow at its base in Sable; and the whole has a slightly beaten metal finish.

Regimental Motto

The Latin motto «In hoc signo vinces» is translated as «In this sign, you shall conquer».

Globus cruciger ~ Orb

It is called orb ~ «globus cruciger», the first in Spanish and the second in Latin, referring to the part of the royal crown, a jewel, or a jewel itself that recreates the shape of the globe topped with a cross.

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Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Or, Cross of Montesa, Cross couped, Cross, Crest, Closed royal crown, Crown and Motto.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Soft metal.

Classification: Interpreted, Military, Army and Navy and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Montesa, Cavalry Regiment.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, three lions passant, guardant, in pale Or, armed and langued Azure; 2 Or, a lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure, within a double tressure flory counterflory Gules; 3 Azure, a harp Or, stringed Argent. Crest: A crown proper. The shield is surrounded by the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

Arms painted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a metal and iridescent finishing.

Coat of arms of His Majesty King Charles III emblazoned by me. The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded by Edward III in the 14^th century, is Great Britain's oldest and most prestigious order of chivalry. It symbolises honour and loyalty, and its members are chosen by the Sovereign in recognition of their exceptional public service. Its distinctive emblem, a dark blue garter bearing the motto «Honi soit qui mal y pense» ~ «Shame on him who thinks evil of it». Its central insignia features the figure of St George and the Dragon, and its membership is strictly limited to 24 Companion Knights, in addition to the Sovereign and the Prince of Wales.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, One, Three, Quarterly, Leopard, Pale, Armed, Langued, Lion, Rampant, Double tressure, Flory, Counterflory, Harp, Stringed, Tudor crown, Closed royal crown, Crown, Surrounded and Collar.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Metal and iridescent.

Classification: Personal, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Charles III of the United Kingdom.

Argent, a cross Gules; a bordure compony of fifteen sections: 1, 6, and 11 Argent, a pomegranate seeded, slipped and leaved proper; 2, 7, and 12 Or, an eagle displayed Sable; 3, 8, and 13 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Gules, masoned Sable; 4, 9, and 14 Argent, a lion rampant Gules, crowned Or; 5, 10, and 15 Or, four pallets Gules. Crest: A closed royal crown. Motto: «Muy noble, muy leal y decidida por la libertad» Sable, with initial letters Gules, over a scroll Argent.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with a semi-circular outer contour and with a metal beaten finish.

Coat of arms of the city of Almeria, Andalusia, emblazoned by me. The motto of the official coat of arms includes the text «Ciudad de Almería», which I have chosen not to include in my rendition, as it is redundant given that the city is already represented by the coat of arms itself.

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Blazon keywords: Argent, Gules, Or, Sable, Vert, One, Four, Fifteen, Cross, Bordure, Compony, Pomegranate, Slipped, Leaved, Proper, Eagle, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Pallet, Closed royal crown, Crown, Motto and Scroll.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Metal beaten.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Almeria, city of.

Party per pale: 1 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable; 2 Argent. Crest: A closed royal crown Or.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a freehand finishing.

Design rationale

The coat of arms of Castilla-La Mancha was adopted in 1983, it is a recent design. This coat of arms is equal to the flag of Castilla-La Mancha officially approved in 1980 and designed by Ramón José Maldonado y Cocat. The 1^st quarter represents Castilla and the 2^nd quarter the great plane of La Mancha.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Argent, Or, Azure, Sable, One, Party per pale, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Crest, Closed royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Design rationale, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Castilla-La Mancha.

Party per pale: 1 Gules, in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, and masoned Sable; 2 Argent, in base a lion rampant Gules, crowned Or; overall a psi letter sable; a diminished bordure Or. Crest: A closed royal crown.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a texturized finishing.

Coat of arms of Crepsi, designed by my lieutenant colonel and friend Miguel Angel Nuñez Amador and emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Argent, Or, Azure, Sable, Party per pale, In base, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Overall, Letter, Diminished bordure, Closed royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Semi-circular.

Classification: Military, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Crepsi.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, three lions passant, guardant, in pale Or, armed and langued Azure; 2 Or, a lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure, within a double tressure flory counterflory Gules; 3 Azure, a harp Or, stringed Argent. Crest: A crown proper.

Coat of arms depicted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a freehand finishing.

Coat of arms of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II emblazoned by me. Saint Edward Crown, the fundamental piece used in the anointing ceremony of British monarchs, was reconstructed in 1661 after the Restoration. This crown is distinguished by its four depressed or downward-curving arches, three visible, which rise from a circular base decorated with four cross patty, three visible, alternating with four fleurs de lis, two visible. Like the Tudor, its arches, adorned with pearls, converge at the center to support an orb, a cross on a world. The crown's base is lined with ermine, and the cap or inner lining is traditionally represented in Purpure. It is the heaviest piece among the Crown Jewels and its use is reserved exclusively for the culminating moment of the coronation. The main visual difference between Saint Edward Crown and the Tudor Crown lies in their arches: Saint Edward Crown features depressed arches or downward curves, and its inner cap is typically represented in Purpure. Conversely, the Tudor Crown features ascending or semi-circular arches, and its inner cap is colored Gules.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, One, Three, Quarterly, Leopard, Pale, Armed, Langued, Lion, Rampant, Double tressure, Flory, Counterflory, Harp, Stringed, Saint Eduard crown, Closed royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; 2 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules, crowned Or [for Leon]; 3 Or, four pallets Gules [for Aragon]; 4 Gules, a chain orlewise, crosswise, and saltirewise Or, charged in the fess point with an emerald Vert [for Navarre]; enté en point Argent, a pomegranate proper, seeded Gules, slipped and leaved Vert [for Granada]; an inescutcheon Azure, three fleurs de lis Or, 2 and 1, a bordure Gules [for Bourbon]. Crest: A closed royal crown.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a freehand finish.

This is my interpretation of the coat of arms of His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain. In the execution of this coat of arms it was necessary to choose between different design alternatives, such as retaining the oval shape of the central inescutcheon as opposed to a Spanish form, which I prefer to describe as having a semicircular base, both shapes being compatible with the official blazon; from a strictly heraldic point of view, the most correct solution would be for the outer shape of the central inescutcheon to match that of the shield itself, meaning that in this case the inescutcheon should also end in a semicircular base, but the oval inescutcheon is so widely used in ministries, official buildings, and even within the Royal Household itself, that I decided to keep it oval; likewise, there is no fixed rule regarding the number of claws of the lion, as it is often depicted with three claws and at other times with four, the former perhaps being the more primitive convention and the latter the more naturalistic one, and I prefer to depict it with four, since with only three claws the lion appears to me to be less fierce.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Azure, Purpure, Vert, Or, Argent, One, Three, Four, Quarterly, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Pallet, Chain, Orlewise, Crosswise, Saltirewise, Charged, In the fess point, Emerald, Enté en point, Pomegranate, Proper, Slipped, Leaved, Inescutcheon, Fleur de lis, Ordered, Bordure, Closed royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Kingdom of Spain, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Felipe VI of Spain.

Party per fess, the base per pale: 1 Or, a hurt; 2 Gules and 3 Argent, over both a cross of Malta counterchanged. Crest: A closed royal crown.

Coat of arms painted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, and with a freehand finish.

Arms of the municipality of Candasnos, Huesca, designed by Valeriano Labara Ballestar, approved by the Government of Aragon. It has been an honor for me to emblazon this version for Valeriano Labara. Bibliographic reference [Labara Ballestar, V. C.; 2019; pages 341-368].

Design rationale

The hurt represents what is known as the Good Raft, a symbol of the town and its people, it is a circular cistern of 40 meters in diameter of Roman origin, and the Maltese cross is a symbol of its connection since 1188 to the Royal Monastery of Sijena of Hospitaller nuns of the Order Malta.

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Blazon keywords: Or, Azure, Gules, Argent, One, Party per fess, the base per pale, Hurt, Eight-pointed cross, Cross couped, Counterchanged, Crest, Closed royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Freehand.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Design rationale, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Candasnos, municipality of.

Publication of my interpretation of the arms of His Majesty King Felipe VI with the Order of the Garter on the blog Twelve Lineages of Soria with the following text: Magnificent interpretation of the coat of arms of H.M. the King of Spain, with the Order of the Garter, made by the prestigious heraldist and member of the International Heraldry Society, Mr. Antonio Salmerón Cabañas.

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Categories: Link, Or, Four, Pale, Gules, Azure, Sable, One, Castle, Port and windows, Masoned, Argent, Purpure, Lion, Rampant, Armed, Langued, Crowned, Chain, Orlewise, Crosswise, Saltirewise, Charged, In the fess point, Emerald, Vert, Closed royal crown, Crown, Inescutcheon, Fleur de lis, Bordure, Enté, In base, Pomegranate, Proper, Seeded (pomegranate), Slipped and Leaved.

Root: Twelve Lineages of Soria.

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable; 2 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules, crowned Or; 3 Or, four pallets Gules; 4 Gules, a chain orlewise, crosswise, and saltirewise Or, charged in the fess point with an emerald Vert; enté en point Argent, a pomegranate proper, seeded Gules, slipped and leaved Vert; an inescutcheon Azure, three fleurs de lis Or, 2 and 1, a bordure Gules. Crest: A closed royal crown. Supporters: two columns Argent, capital and base Or, between in base waves Azure, in chief an imperial crown the dexter and a closed royal crown the sinister. Moto environing the columns and behind the shield: «Plus Ultra» Or over a scroll Gules.

Arms of the Kingdom of Spain. This image combines three photographs of this coat of arms on the façade of the Ministry of Defence building on the Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid, just a few metres from my office, together with my own artistic interpretation of the same arms. In the version on the façade of the Ministry of Defence, the crowns above the columns do not touch the columns, which I believe is the correct way to depict them, although the central crown does appear to rest upon the shield of Spain. There are more interpretations that place the crowns resting on the columns than those that do not, and I photographed this particular version from the Ministry of Defence because it is especially relevant due to its size and institutional significance. On the arrangement of the crowns: a) Royal Decree 1511/1977, of 21 January, enacted during the so-called Transition and approving the Regulations on Flags and Standards, Guidons, Insignia and Distinctive Signs, states: «Rule No. 2. Coat of Arms of Spain… Accompanied by two columns Argent, with base and capital Or, set upon waves Azure or blue and Argent», «superado» «by an imperial crown on the dexter one and by a royal crown on the sinister one…». b) The subsequent Law 33/1981, of 5 October, regulating the current coat of arms of Spain, likewise states: «…Accompanied by two columns Argent, with base and capital Or, set upon waves Azure or blue and Argent», «superado» «by an imperial crown on the dexter one and by a royal crown on the sinister one». c) The term «superado» in the heraldic dictionaries in which it appears refers, as a synonym, to «surmontado». d) The definitions of «surmontado» include: «a charge which, at its upper part, has another above it but without touching it», «also said of superado», and «a figure that bears another above it, but without touching it». In light of a), b), c) and d), the two crowns should therefore be painted not touching the columns. However, in the illustrative drawing contained in Royal Decree 1511/1977 the crowns do touch the columns, contradicting its own wording, although in heraldry, when in doubt, the written blazon always prevails; and in most official representations the crowns do indeed touch the columns. Nevertheless, this personal interpretation of both the coat of arms of Spain and of the proper way to write its blazon, where the lateral crowns do not touch the columns, and then I decide that, following the same criterion, the central crown should not touch the shield either, so the result differs from the official version.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Azure, Purpure, Vert, Or, Argent, One, Two, Three, Four, Quarterly, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Pallet, Chain, Orlewise, Crosswise, Saltirewise, Charged, In the fess point, Emerald, Enté en point, Pomegranate, Proper, Slipped, Leaved, Inescutcheon, Fleur de lis, Ordered, Bordure, Closed royal crown, Crown, Supporter (thing), Supporter, Column, Shafted, Between, In base, Wave, In chief, Imperial crown, Dexter, Sinister, Motto, Environed, Behind the shield and Scroll.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Semi-circular.

Classification: Civic, Kingdom of Spain, Interpreted, Boa, Photographic and Collage.

Bearer: Spain, Kingdom of.

Emblem, two two-handed swords in saltire Argent, hilted Or. Crest: A royal crown Or.

Emblema, dos mandobles en sotuer de plata, guarnecidos de oro. Timbrado de una corona real.

Emblem interpretation with: the two-handed swords placed along the diagonals of an imaginary rectangle, with a 5x6 proportion, like a shield, that is, with angles of 50.2°, between the axis of the two-handed swords and the imaginary base of the emblem, unlike the original emblem where the two-handed swords are on the diagonals of a square, therefore with angles of 45°; the two-handed swords and the closed royal crown are outlined in Sable, illuminated and the whole with a raised-stroke execution.

This emblem of the Royal Association of Hidalgos of Spain has 2 two-handed swords that, unlike usual swords, due to their great length and weight, their fencing must be two-handed, hence their name.

The Spanish word «mandoble» comes from «mano doble», meaning «double hand», and refers to a sword wielded with both hands, the equivalent of the English «two-handed sword».

It is known that they are two-handed swords because the 2 that appear in the emblem have a crescent or crossguard in their iron. This crescent is called in Castilian «falsaguarda» and also «ganchos de parada» and its functionality is to protect from the slashes that the opponent could give close to the blade of the two-handed sword.

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Blazon keywords: Two-handed sword, Argent, Hilted, Or, In saltire, Crest, Closed royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Freehand.

Classification: Interpreted, Socioeconomic and Emblem.

Bearer: Royal Association of Hidalgos of Spain.

Emblemb Argent, a crucible Argent, enflamed and on a bonfire hoguera Gules and Or. Crest: A closed royal crown Or, with eight arches, visible five. Motto around the shield: «Limpia, fixa, y da esplendor» Or over a scroll Azure, fimbriated Or.

Emblema de plata, un crisol de plata, llameante y sumado a una hoguera de gules y oro. Timbrado de una corona real cerrada. Lema alrededor del escudo: «Limpia, fixa, y da esplendor» de oro sobre una filacteria de azur, perfilada de oro.

Painted by me with a metalwork finish, with an oval shape.

The Royal Spanish Academy was founded in 1713 on the initiative of Juan Manuel Fernández Pacheco, eighth Marquess of Villena and Duke of Escalona, with the aim of «fixing the words and vocabulary of the Castilian language in its greatest propriety, elegance, and purity». A year later, in 1714, its creation was approved by a Royal Decree of Philip V.

To symbolize its purpose, its emblem with a crucible to the fire and its motto «Limpia, fija y da esplendor» [Zamora Vicente, A.; 1999] were chosen by secret ballot. In some old versions of this emblem the motto can be read with the term «fixa» and a comma before the conjunction, that is, «Limpia, fixa, y da esplendor».

This article is illustrated with my personal interpretation of this emblem of the Royal Spanish Academy, crested with a closed royal crown of 8 arches, of which the 5 frontal ones are completely visible.

In this, as in any of my works, I always consult its dictionaries, almost as much, as the most interesting and specific works on the subject of study.

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Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Argent, One, Crucible, Enflamed, Bonfire, Gules, Or, Closed royal crown, Crown, Motto, Within, Scroll, Azure and Fimbriated.

Style keywords: Oval, Illuminated and Outlined in sable.

Classification: Interpreted, Socioeconomic, Metalwork and Emblem.

Bearer: Royal Spanish Academy.

Real Academia Española, «Diccionario de la lengua española», known as DRAE, acronym for Diccionario de la Real Academia Española, 23^rd edition, Espasa Calpe, Madrid, 2014.

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This bibliographic reference of the DRAE is illustrated with one of my interpretations of the emblem of the Real Academia Española. Oval emblem with its crucible over a bonfire, surmounted by a closed Royal crown and its motto «Limpia, fija y da esplendor», around the emblem in letters of Or on Azure.

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Bibliographical reference of century XXI.

Classification: Dictionary and Castilian language.

The author is Royal Spanish Academy.

The following article cites this bibliographic reference:

• Lozengy 5x6 and 6x7

External resource:

• Real Academia Española: Diccionario.

Alonso Zamora Vicente, «Historia de la Real Academia Española», Real Academia Española, Espasa Calpe, Madrid, 1999.

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This bibliographic reference is illustrated with one of my interpretations of the emblem of the Real Academia Española. It is an oval emblem in Argent, with its crucible, also in Argent, over a bonfire of Gules and Or and surrounded by its flames, surmounted by a closed Royal crown with 8 arches, 5 of which are visible, and its motto, as originally written «Limpia, fixa, y da esplendor», around it.

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Bibliographical reference of century XX.

Classification: Castilian language.

The author is Zamora Vicente, Alonso.

Bibliographical reference mentioned in the following article:

• Royal Spanish Academy, emblem

External link:

• Real Academia Española.