Coat of arms of distinction, the predecessors in Spain of today's military medals

Today, armies around the world use metal decorations to reward their soldiers for various merits.

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Although the first metal medals date back to the 15th century, their use in the armies began to spread at the end of the 18th century. The two oldest military decorations still in use date from that period: the "För tapperhet i fält" (For valor in the field) and the "För tapperhet till sjöss" (For valor at sea), both instituted by King Gustav III of Sweden on May 28, 1789.

Spain's oldest military decoration is the Royal and Military Order of Saint Ferdinand, established on August 11, 1811, during the Peninsular War against the French invaders. Its decoration is the Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand, which is the highest military distinction awarded in Spain, both individually and collectively, but only in times of war.

However, before this and other medals existed, the so-called "shields of distinction" existed in Spain. Last year, the Institute of Military History and Culture commented the following about these insignia: "Distinction shields appeared at the end of the 17th century as a reward and recognition for heroic acts and participation in notable feats of arms, and have in the Laureada and the collective Military Medal their modern heirs. They are, without a doubt, the most characteristic and least known rewards for valor of the Spanish armies, and which are currently only maintained in some Hispanic American countries."

The IHCM adds: "In the beginning, the shields of distinction were embroidered cloth insignia placed on the sleeve of the uniform or on the chest and represented having participated in a specific action or campaign, highlighting the bravery in war actions of the person who wore it. These distinctions, as a reward, could be awarded individually or collectively. In the latter case, the shield was embroidered on the cloth of the Colonel's flag or the Ordinance of the decorated Unit. They had an embroidered image and a legend alluding to the war action that was being rewarded."

Regarding these insignia, which are so unknown in Spain, yesterday the Academy of Military Sciences and Arts (ACAMI) published this interesting video, in which it reviews the history of the shields of distinction and shows some examples of them (the video is in Spanish, you can activate automatic English subtitles in the bottom bar of the player):

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Main image: Santiago Abella. Portrait of Lieutenant General Felipe Rivero Lemoine, 1875. Anonymous.