Coat of Arms Granted to Antonio de Carvajal, 1530
- Steven Perez
- Aug 5
- 4 min read
I have translated the full royal decree granting Antonio de Carvajal, conquistador of Mexico City, a coat of arms on 22 September 1530. This decree was signed by Queen Isabela of Portugal, acting as queen regent during this time while her husband King Charles I was outside of Spain attending to his other duties as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. The document itself is a copy, so it does not contain the actual signatures of the officials named.
The name of the monarch in these types of documents is generally followed by an “etc.” or “&” to avoid having to list out all of their royal titles, but I show all of the ones written out in this copy. It serves as a reminder of just how vast the Spanish Empire was in the 16th century.
Don Carlos, by divine clemency, Emperor of the Romans, august King of Germany, and Doña Juana, his mother, and the same Don Carlos, by the grace of God, monarchs of Castile, León, Aragon, the Two Sicilies, Jerusalem, Navarre, Granada, Toledo, Valencia, Galicia, Mallorca, Seville, Sardinia, Córdoba, Corsica, Murcia, Jaén, the Algarves, Algeciras, Gibraltar, and the Canary Islands, and of the Indies, islands and mainland of the Ocean Sea, Counts of Barcelona, Lords of Biscay and Molina, Dukes of Athens and Neopatria, Counts of Roussillon and Cerdagne, Marquises of Oristano and Goceano, Archdukes of Austria, Dukes of Burgundy and Brabant, Counts of Flanders and Tyrol, etc.
Whereas you, Antonio de Carvajal, resident of the city of Tenochtitlan, México, which is in New Spain, have reported to us that it has been about ten years, more or less, since, moved by the desire to serve us, you went to the said New Spain, and that you took part in all the wars that occurred and arose in the conquest of said land, especially in the conquest of the said city of Tenochtitlan, México, and that, because it was built on the great lake and was accessible only by three causeways, the said conquest was very dangerous; and you were present in it, serving as captain of a brigantine and the men aboard it, with which and with said men you performed notable deeds and put yourself in great danger.
And that later you took part in the war and conquest of Pánuco with your horse and arms, where likewise you endured many dangers and hardships. And afterward, you were present in the provinces of Tututepeque, Jalapa, and Soconusco, serving there with your arms and horses as captain, and have done other notable deeds in which you served us well, undergoing many dangers and travails.
And you petitioned and requested us for a grant, in remuneration for your said services and so that a record of you and them might remain, that we command that you be granted as coat of arms: a blue field, and upon it two lions holding a tall crown in their paws, and around the border eight lions on a red field, and a closed helmet, and above it a black eagle with wings outspread, or as it may please us.
And we, in consideration of the said services of yours, and so that memory of you and them may remain, and so that you and your descendants may be honored, by this grant we bestow and we wish that you may have and carry as your known arms the said arms above described, in a coat of arms such as this one, as is here painted and depicted:
Which said arms we hereby grant you as your known and legitimate arms, and we will and it is our will and grace that you and your children and descendants of them, and of each one of them, shall hold and possess them as your known and recognized arms, and as such you may bear and display them upon your banners and homes, and those of each of the said children and descendants, and in other places that you and they may desire and see fit to do so.
And by this our letter, or by a certified copy thereof signed by a notary public, we command the most illustrious Prince Don Felipe, our most dear and beloved son, and the infantes, our most dear children and siblings, and the dukes, marquises, counts, ricos hombres, masters of the military orders, priors, comendadores, alcaides of the castles and fortresses and towns, and to those of our Council, alcaldes and alguaciles of our household and court and chancelleries, and to all the councils, corregidores, asistentes, governors, alcaldes, alguaciles, merinos, provosts, regidores, knights, squires, officials, and honorable men of all the cities, towns, and places of these our kingdoms and dominions, of the said New Spain, Indies, islands and mainland of the Ocean Sea, both those who now are and those who shall be from this time forward, and to each and every one of them in their jurisdictions and territories, we order that they observe and uphold, and cause to be observed and upheld, for you and for the said your children and descendants, the said grant that we thus make to you of the said arms, and that they shall hold and recognize them as your known arms; and that as such they shall allow and permit you and the said your children and descendants, of them and of each one of them, to display and bear them; and that they shall not, at any time or in any manner whatsoever, place or permit to be placed any obstacle, hindrance, or opposition to the same, under penalty of a fine to our royal treasury from each one who should do otherwise.
Given in the town of Madrid on the 22nd day of the month of September, in the year 1530.
Signed,
I, the Queen
El Conde Don García Manrique
El Doctor Beltrán
El Licenciado de la Corte
El Licenciado Juárez de Carvajal
Regidor Francisco de Briviesca
Martín Ortiz, on behalf of the Chancellor
Source:
Archivo General de Indias
Concesión escudo de armas: Antonio de Carvajal: Nueva España
Patronato, 169, N. 1, A. 1530, R. 6
Thank you.