Laureate Plate of Madrid
{{infobox military award
| name = Laureate Badge of Madrid
| image = Laureada de Madrid-fondo blanco.png
| image_size = 200px
| caption =
| presenter = Second Spanish Republic
| type = Medal
| eligibility = Military personnel
| awarded_for =
| campaign =
| status = Awarded 1937–1939
| description =
| motto =
| clasps =
| post-nominals =
| established = 25 May 1937
| firstawarded =
| lastawarded =
| total_awarded =
| total_awarded_posthumously =
| total_recipients =
| individual =
| higher =
| same =
| lower =
| related =
| image2 =
| caption2 =
}}
The Laureate Badge of Madrid ({{langx|es|Placa Laureada de 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.Luis Grávalos & José Luis Calvo, Condecoraciones Militares Españolas, Editorial San Martin, 1988, {{ISBN|8471402661}}
Named after the capital of Spain, symbolizing courage and the defence of the Republic during the Siege of Madrid throughout the Spanish Civil War,Second Spanish Republic 23 January 1938 Decree the Laureate Badge of Madrid was established on 25 May 1937 as the Spanish Republican equivalent to the Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand awarded by the monarchy and the Nationalist faction.[http://www.boe.es/datos/imagenes/BOE/1937/145/B00894.tif Gaceta de la República, núm 145, a 25 de mayo de 1937.]
Awardees
A total of eight people were awarded this medal:
- Spanish Republican Army
- Vicente Rojo Lluch, General of the Popular Army and Chief of the General Staff.[http://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE/1938/011/B00154-00154.pdf Diario oficial de la República, núm.11 (11 de enero de 1938)]
- José Miaja Menant, General of the Popular Army.[http://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE/1937/164/B01195-01196.pdf Diario oficial de la República, núm.164 (13 de junio de 1937)]
- Manuel Fontela Frois, Major of the Republican Cavalry.[http://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE/1938/028/B00438-00438.pdf Diario Oficial de la República, nº 28 (28 de enero de 1938)]
- Domiciano Leal Sargenta and Manuel Álvarez Álvarez, Majors of the Militia for their role in the Battle of the Ebro (posthumously).[http://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE/1939/012/B00189-00190.pdf Diario Oficial de la República, núm.12 (12 de enero de 1939)]
- Spanish Republican Navy
- Luis González de Ubieta, Admiral of the Republican Armada for his role in sinking heavy cruiser Baleares in the Battle of Cabo de Palos, the biggest naval battle of the Spanish Civil War.Manuel Rubio Cabeza, Diccionario de la Guerra Civil Española 1, Pág. 95. Editorial Planeta, Barcelona, 1987.
- Ambrosio Ristori de la Cuadra, Major of the Infantería de Marina (posthumously), for his exploits in the siege of the Alcazar and the Battle of Seseña, where he was killed in action.[http://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE/1938/047/B00868-00869.pdf Diario Oficial de la República, nº 47 (16 de febrero de 1938)]
- Spanish Republican Air Force
- Leocadio Mendiola Núñez, Major of the Air Force, for services rendered[http://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE/1938/243/B01015-01016.pdf Diario Oficial de la República, núm. 243 (31 de agosto de 1938)] (Although awarded, Mendiola never did receive the medal after the fall of the Second Spanish Republic).{{Cite news|url=http://elpais.com/diario/2010/02/14/domingo/1266123160_850215.html|title = El héroe sin medalla|newspaper = El País|date = 14 February 2010|last1 = Duva|first1 = Jesús}}
''Distintivo de Madrid''
{{main|Madrid Distinction}}
File:Distintivo de Madrid-1938.png
The Distintivo de Madrid (Madrid Distinction) was an award related to the Laureate Plate[http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=424933 Legislacíón sobre la Placa Laureada de Madrid y Distintivo de Madrid, Revista de historia militar, ISSN 0482-5748, Nº Extra 2, 2011, pp. 299-316] which was established by the Second Spanish Republic in order to reward courage. It was awarded to the Spanish Republican Navy personnel and vessels that took part in the Battle of Cape Palos in January 1938.Second Spanish Republic 23 January 1938 Decree
Following the grant of the Laureate Badge of Madrid to Luis González de Ubieta, Admiral of the loyalist fleet, the Distintivo de Madrid was awarded to Spanish Republican Navy cruisers Libertad and Méndez Núñez, and destroyers Lepanto, Almirante Antequera and Sánchez Barcáiztegui, as well as to their crew members for their role in the Battle of Cape Palos.
These ships would thenceforward fly a special pennant and the men would wear a special badge on their uniforms with the old coat of arms of Madrid.Enrique García Domingo, Recompensas republicanas por el hundimiento del Baleares, Revista de Historia Naval 1997, Año XV no. 59, pg. 70
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- Reglamento de la Placa Laureada de Madrid. Gaceta de la República: Diario Oficial, núm 145, 25 de mayo de 1937:
- [http://www.boe.es/datos/imagenes/BOE/1937/145/B00894.tif] [http://www.boe.es/datos/imagenes/BOE/1937/145/B00895.tif] [http://www.boe.es/datos/imagenes/BOE/1937/145/B00896.tif] [http://www.boe.es/datos/imagenes/BOE/1937/145/B00897.tif] [http://www.boe.es/datos/imagenes/BOE/1937/145/B00898.tif] [http://www.boe.es/datos/imagenes/BOE/1937/145/B00899.tif] [http://www.boe.es/datos/imagenes/BOE/1937/145/B00900.tif]
- [http://postimage.org/image/j1klphqit/ Placa Laureada de Madrid]
- [http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/medallas/texto/odm1936.htm Segunda República (1931-1939)]
- [http://www.sbhac.net/Republica/Fuerzas/EPR/EprG/Condecoraciones/Condecora.htm República - EPR, Condecoraciones]
{{Highest gallantry awards}}
Category:1937 establishments in Spain
Category:1939 disestablishments in Spain
Category:Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic
Category:Military awards and decorations of the Spanish Civil War
Category:Awards established in 1937
Category:Awards disestablished in 1939
Category:Awards and decorations of the Second Spanish Republic