Legión Española
‎ Coat of Arms
Active	January 28, 1920 - present
Country	Spain
Allegiance	Christ, King, Fatherland
Branch	Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Shock combat
Size	8,000
Garrison/HQ	Ronda (Malaga), Viator (Almeria), Melilla, Ceuta.
Motto	Novios de la muerte (Grooms of Death)
March	Canción Del Legionario, Tercios Heroicos
Anniversaries	September 20
Battles/wars	Rif War Spanish Civil War Ifni War
Commanders
Notable commanders	José Millán Astray Francisco Franco

The Spanish Legion (Spanish: Legión Española or simply La Legión), formerly Spanish Foreign Legion, is an elite unit of the Spanish Army. Founded as the Tercio de Extranjeros ("Foreigners Regiment"), it was originally intended as a Spanish equivalent of the French Foreign Legion, but in practice it recruited almost exclusively Spaniards. January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Juan Carlos I, King of Spain (baptized as Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias) was born on January 5, 1938 in Rome and is the reigning King (Rey de España) and head of state of Spain. ... Motto (Latin) Further Beyond Anthem  1(Spanish) Royal March Spain() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() Capital (and largest city) Madrid Official languages Spanish, Catalan2, Galician2, Basque2, (Occitan) Aranese2 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Head of State King Juan Carlos I  -  President of the Government Formation 15th century   -  Dynastic union... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Spanish Army (Ejército de Tierra in Spanish; literally, Land Army) is one branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, in charge of land operations. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Stormtrooper. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Spain France Republic of the Rif Commanders Manuel Silvestre Dámaso Berenguer José Millán Astray Miguel Primo de Rivera Philippe Pétain Abd el-Krim Strength 465,000 regulars 15,000 irregulars Casualties 31,000 dead or wounded 54,000 dead or wounded The Rif War of 1920... Combatants Spanish Republic With the support of: Soviet Union[1] Nationalist Spain With the support of: Italy Germany Commanders Manuel Azaña Francisco Largo Caballero Juan Negrín Francisco Franco Gonzalo Queipo de Llano Emilio Mola José Sanjurjo Casualties 500,000[2] The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict... The Ifni War, also known as the 1957 Invasion of Spanish Sahara and, in Spain, the Forgotten War (la Guerra Ignorada), was a series of armed incursions into Spanish West Africa by Moroccan insurgents and indigenous Sahrawi rebels that began in October 1957 and culminated with the abortive siege of... José Millán-Astray as a young officer. ... General Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde (4 December 1892–20 November[1] 1975), commonly abbreviated to Francisco Franco (pron. ... The Spanish Army (Ejército de Tierra in Spanish; literally, Land Army) is one branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, in charge of land operations. ... Tercio was a term used by the Spanish army to describe a mixed infantry formation of about 3,000 pikemen and musketeers, sometimes referred to by other nations as a Spanish Square. ... “Legionnaire” redirects here. ...

History

The Spanish Foreign Legion was formed by royal decree of King Alfonso XIII on January 28, 1920 with the Minister of War José Villalba stating, "With the designation of Foreigners Regiment there will be created an armed military unit, whose recruits, uniform and regulations by which they should be governed will be set by the minister of war."In the 1920's the Spanish Foreign Legion's five battalions were filled primarily by native Spaniards (since foreigners were not easy to recruit) with most of its foreign members coming from the now independent Republic of Cuba. Historically there had been a Spanish Foreign Legion which preceded the modern Legion's formation in 1920. On 28 June 1835, the French government had decided to hand over to the Spanish government, lock, stock, and barrel, the French Foreign Legion in support of Queen Isabella's claim to the Spanish throne during the First Carlist War with around 4,000 men landed at Tarragona on 17 August. This being the First Spanish Legion until The Legion was dissolved on 8 December 1838, when it had dropped to only 500 men. The Spanish Foreign Legion was created along the lines of the French Foreign Legion as a corps of professional troops that could replace conscripts in colonial campaigns. In 1920 Spain was facing a major rebellion in the Protectorate of Spanish Morocco, led by the able Rif leader Abdel Krim. Alfonso XIII of Spain (May 17, 1886 - February 28, 1941), King of Spain, posthumous son of Alfonso XII of Spain, was proclaimed King at his birth. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... “Legionnaire” redirects here. ... Spanish Morocco, was the area of Morocco ruled by Spain from up to 1956, when France and Spain recognised Moroccan independence. ... Time Magazine, August 17, 1925 Abd el-Krim (c. ...

The Spanish Legion of the 1920s in a recruiting poster by Mariano Bertuchi.

On September 2 of that same year, King Alfonso XIII conferred command of the new regiment on Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry José Millán Astray, chief proponent of its establishment. Millán Astray was an able soldier but an eccentric and extreme personality. His style and attitude would become part of the mystique of the Legion. Image File history File links Spanish_Legion_poster_by_Bertuchi. ... Image File history File links Spanish_Legion_poster_by_Bertuchi. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... José Millán-Astray as a young officer. ...

On September 20 the first recruit joined the new Legion; this date is celebrated yearly. The initial make-up of the regiment was that of a headquarters unit and three battalions (known as Banderas, or "flags"). Each battalion was in turn made up of a headquarters company, two rifle companies and a machine gun company. The regiment's initial location was at the Cuartel del Rey en Ceuta on the Plaza de Colón. At its height, during the Spanish Civil War, the legion consisted of 18 banderas, plus a tank bandera, an assault engineer bandera and a Special Operations Group. Banderas 12 through 18 were considered independent units and never served as part of the tercios. is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Banderas was a short lived duo of the early 1990s that was signed to London Records. ... Area  â€“ Total   28 km² Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ Density  75,276  2688. ...

Francisco Franco was one of the founding members of the Legion and the unit's second-in-command. The Legion fought in Morocco in the War of the Rif (to 1926). Together with the Regulares (Moorish colonial troops), the Legion made up the Spanish Army of Africa. In 1934 both units of the Legion and the Regulares were brought to Spain by the new Republican Government to help put down a workers revolt in Asturias. General Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde (4 December 1892–20 November[1] 1975), commonly abbreviated to Francisco Franco (pron. ... Flag of the Republic of the Rif The Republic of the Rif (full name The Confederal Republic of the Tribes of the Rif, or Dawlat al-Jumhuriyya ar-Rifiyya) was created in September 1921, when the people of the Rif (the Riffians) revolted and declared their independence from Spanish Morocco. ... Regulares (Spanish for Regulars) was the name commonly used to designate the infantry and cavalry units recruited in Spanish Morocco. ... The Spanish Army of Africa was a Spanish field army that garrisoned Spanish Morocco until Moroccos independence. ... Anthem: Asturias, patria querida Capital Oviedo Official language(s) Spanish; Asturian have special status Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 10th  10,604 km²  2. ...

Under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Juan Yagüe the Army of Africa played an important part in the Spanish Civil War on the Nationalist side. The professionalism of both the Legion and the Regulares gave Franco's Nationalists a significant initial advantage over the less well trained Republican forces. The Army of Africa remained the elite spearhead of the Nationalist armies throughout the Civil War. Following the Nationalist victory in 1939, the Legion was reduced in size and returned to its bases in Spanish Morocco. When Morocco gained its independence in 1956 the Legion continued in existence as part of the garrison of the remaining Spanish enclaves and territories in North Africa. The Legion fought Arab irregulars in the Ifni War in 1957-58. Juan Yagüe Blanco (1891 – October 29, 1952) was a Spanish army officer during the Spanish Civil War. ... Combatants Spanish Republic With the support of: Soviet Union[1] Nationalist Spain With the support of: Italy Germany Commanders Manuel Azaña Francisco Largo Caballero Juan Negrín Francisco Franco Gonzalo Queipo de Llano Emilio Mola José Sanjurjo Casualties 500,000[2] The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict... The Ifni War, also known as the 1957 Invasion of Spanish Sahara and, in Spain, the Forgotten War (la Guerra Ignorada), was a series of armed incursions into Spanish West Africa by Moroccan insurgents and indigenous Sahrawi rebels that began in October 1957 and culminated with the abortive siege of...

On June 17, 1970, legion units opened fire and killed eleven pro-independence demonstrators at the Zemla quarters of El-Aaiun in the Western Sahara, (then still the Spanish Sahara). The incident, which came to be called the Zemla Intifada, had a significant influence on pushing the Sahrawi anticolonial movement into embrarking on an armed struggle which still goes on up to the present, though Spain has long since abandoned the territory and handed it over to Morocco. is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... El-Aaiún or Laâyoune (Arabic: العيون, transliterated al-`ayūn), is the unofficial capital of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony now mostly controlled and occupied by Morocco. ... Spanish Sahara was the name used for the modern territory of Western Sahara when it was ruled by Spain, created from the Spanish territories of Rio de Oro and La Aguera in 1924. ... The Zemla Intifada (Intifada means uprising) is the name for the disturbances of June 17, 1970, which culminated in a massacre by Spanish forces in the Zemla quarters of El-Aaiun, Western Sahara (then Spanish Sahara). ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ...

Through the course of the Legion's history Spaniards (including natives of the colony of Spanish Guinea) have made up the majority of its members, with foreigners accounting for 25 percent or less. During the Riff War of the early 1920s most of the Foreigners serving with the Legion were Spanish speaking Latin Americans. After 1987 it stopped accepting foreigners altogether and changed its name to the Spanish Legion. Spanish Guinea was an African colony of Spain that became the independent nation of Equatorial Guinea. ...

In the 2000s, after the abandonment of conscription, the Spanish Army is again accepting foreigners from select nationalities. The Legion today accepts native Spanish speakers (mostly from Central and South America, but even from countries like Germany) between ages of 18 and 28, be they male or female. The Spanish Army (Ejército de Tierra in Spanish; literally, Land Army) is one branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, in charge of land operations. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ...

In recent years the Spanish Legion was involved in Bosnia as part of the SFOR. It also took part in the Iraq War, deploying in Najaf alongside El Salvadorean troops, until the new Spanish government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero fulfilled its electoral promises by withdrawing Spanish troops from Iraq. The Legion units deployed in Iraq were involved in several combats against the insurgency. In 2005 the Legion was deployed in Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led International Stabilisation Force (ISAF). Motto none Anthem Intermeco Bosnia and Herzegovina() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Sarajevo Official languages Bosnian Croatian Serbian Government Parliamentary democracy  -  Presidency members NebojÅ¡a Radmanović1 Haris Silajdžić2 Željko KomÅ¡ić3  -  Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola Å pirić  -  High Representative 4 Independence... Members of the Dutch, French, German and U.S. military watch as an Italian honour guard hoists the new Stabilisation Force flag during the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) activation ceremony in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the 20 of December 1996 Pocket badge of the SFOR The Stabilisation Force (SFOR) was... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... Najaf (Arabic: ‎; BGN: An Najaf) is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. ... Motto Dios, Unión, Libertad(Spanish) God, Union, Liberty Anthem Himno Nacional de El Salvador Capital (and largest city) San Salvador Official languages Spanish Government Republic  -  President Antonio Saca Independence  -  from Spain September 15, 1821   -  from the UPCA 1842  Area  -  Total 21,040 km² (152nd) 8,124 sq mi   -  Water... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ... ISAF can stand for: International Sailing Federation International Security Assistance Force This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Esprit de corps

Millán Astray provided the Legion with a distinctive spirit and symbolism intended to evoke Spain's Imperial and Christian traditions. For instance, the Legion adopted a regimental unit called the tercio in memory of the sixteenth century Spanish infantry formations that had toppled nations and terrorized the battlefields of Europe in the days of Charles V. Millán-Astray also revived the Spaniard's ancient feud with the Moors and portrayed his men first as crusaders on an extended Reconquista against the Islamic civilization; and later as the saviours of Spain warding off the twin evils of Communism and democratic liberalism. Capital Toledo (1492-1561) Madrid (since 1561) Language(s) Spanish Religion Roman Catholic Government Monarchy Monarch  - 1516-1556 Charles I  - 1886-1902 Maria Christina of Austria, Regent during the minority of king Alphonse XIII History  - Discovery of the Americas 1492  - Conquest of the Aztec Empire 1519-1521  - Conquest of the... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Tercio was a term used by the Spanish army to describe a mixed infantry formation of about 3,000 pikemen and musketeers, sometimes referred to by other nations as a Spanish Square. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was ruler of the Burgundian Netherlands (1506-1555), King of Spain (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily (1516-1554), Archduke of Austria (1519-1521), King of the Romans (or German King), (1519-1556 but did not formally abdicate until 1558) and... The Moors were the medieval Muslim inhabitants of the western Mediterranean and western Sahara, including: al-Maghrib (the coastal and mountain lands of present day Morocco and Algeria, and Tunisia although Tunisia often is separately called Ifriqiya after the former Roman province of Africa); al-Andalus (the former Islamic sovereign... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... In theology, salvation can mean three related things: being saved from something, such as suffering or the punishment of sin - also called deliverance; being saved for something, such as an afterlife or participating in the Reign of God - also called redemption; being saved through a process of healing or transformation... Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production. ... Liberal democracy is a form of government. ...

The Legion's customs and traditions include:

Legionnaires on parade.

• Its members, regardless of rank, are titled Caballero Legionario ("Knight Legionnaire"). When women became admitted, they were titled Dama Legionaria ("Lady Legionnaire").
• Legionnaires consider themselves novios de la muerte ("bridegrooms of death").
• When in trouble, a legionnaire shouts ¡A mí la Legión! ("To me the Legion!"). Those within earshot are bound to help him regardless of the circumstances. In practice, Legionnaires are never supposed to abandon a comrade on the battlefield; they must try to help him until all have perished, if necessary.
• Contrary to usual military practice, Legionnaires are allowed to sport beards and can wear their shirts open on the chest. They are also allowed tattoos, especially the Legion Shield, or typically depicting scenes of war.
• Before the arrival of counterculture, smoking marijuana in Spain was mainly associated with legionnaires.
• From its establishment the Legion was noted for its plain and simple uniforms, in contrast to the colourful dress uniforms still worn by the Peninsular regiments of the Spanish Army until the overthrow of the Monarchy in 1932. This was part of the cult of austerity favoured by a unit that considered itself on more or less continual active service.
• The Legion's march step is faster than the Spanish military standard, 160-190 in contrast to the Army's 90 steps per minute.
• During the Holy Week processions, the paso carried by legionnaires is held not on the shoulders but on their extended arms to show their faith, toughness, strength, and endurance.
• The legion's motto was ¡Viva la muerte! ("Long live death!")^[1] It fell into disuse after the death of Francisco Franco.
• The legion's mascot is a goat. It's a very important symbol to legionnaires, and they show it proudly on military parades.

Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 479 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Legionario con un CETME L. Esta imagen ha sido realizada y cedida por --Aegidus 08:48, 22 June 2006 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 479 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Legionario con un CETME L. Esta imagen ha sido realizada y cedida por --Aegidus 08:48, 22 June 2006 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is... A man with a full beard A beard is the hair that grows on a mans chin, cheeks, neck, and the area above the upper lip (the opposite is a clean-shaven face). ... For other uses, see Tattoo (disambiguation). ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... A Holy Week procession is an event taking place in Holy Week, most often in a country with traditional Roman Catholic culture. ... A Paso [ Spanish > Pace or Step] is an elaborate float made for religious parades. ... In Australia there is a fabulous Beauty Clinic called VIVA. Her owner and the person who established the business is none other than an Italian - living in Australia. ... General Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde (4 December 1892–20 November[1] 1975), commonly abbreviated to Francisco Franco (pron. ... Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ...

Famous ex-Legionnaires

• Francisco Franco
• Sixto Enrique de Borbón, as Enrique Aranjuez in 1965. Carlist pretender to the Spanish throne.
• José Millán-Astray

General Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde (4 December 1892–20 November[1] 1975), commonly abbreviated to Francisco Franco (pron. ... Sixto Enrique de Borbón, styled by his followers His Royal Highness Sixtus Henry of Bourbon and Bourbon Busset, Duke of Aranjuez, Infante of Spain, Prince of Parma and Piacenza, Regent of the Traditionalist Communion, Standard-bearer of Tradition. ... Carlism was a conservative political movement in Spain, purporting to establish an alternative branch of the Bourbons in the Spanish throne. ... Dvyost 17:37, 20 Jun 2005 (UTC) Categories: Possible copyright violations ...

Present day

The Spanish Legion nowadays is mostly used in NATO peacekeeping missions. It currently numbers 5,000 in a Brigade of two tercios (regiments). It is directly controlled by the Spanish General Staff. NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ... Spanish Military formation well known for it`s superiority in 1600th century Europe. ... A General Staff is a group of professional military officers who act in a staff or administrative role under the command of a general officer. ...

The Spanish Legion is currently deployed mainly in the Spanish African enclaves, namely Ceuta, Melilla but also in Ronda and Almería in Andalusia. Although the detachment at Málaga was transferred away, every Holy Week a platoon of legionnaires disembarks to procession the Christ of the Good Death, a figure of a cruficied Jesus, venerated by the Legion. Area  â€“ Total   28 km² Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ Density  75,276  2688. ... Capital Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked  20 km²   Population  â€“ Total (2006)  â€“ % of Spain  â€“ Density Ranked  66,871    3,343. ... Ronda sits at the edge of a canyon Ronda city view Ronda is a city in the Spanish province of Málaga. ... Motto: Andalucía por sí, para España y la humanidad (Andalusia by herself, for Spain, and for humankind) Capital Seville Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 2nd  87,268 km²  17. ... Location of Málaga Municipality Málaga  - Mayor Francisco de la Torre Prados Area    - City 385. ...

The Legion remains a harshly disciplined elite unit. Training is still brutal with punishments often involving severe beatings by NCOs.

The Legion has a special operations unit known as the Grupo de Operaciones Especiales "Maderal Oleaga" XIX (Special Operations Group "Maderal Oleaga" XIX) which consists of about 500 men trained in various different areas: The Grupo Especial de Operaciones (Special Operations Group, GEO) is part of the Spanish National Police and is stationed in Guadalajara near the capital, Madrid. ...

Legionnaires in Iraq.

• SCUBA/Maritime Warfare
• Arctic and Mountain Warfare
• Sabotage and Demolitions (BOEL Demo experts are very highly regarded)
• Parachute and HALO techniques
• Long Range Reconnaissance
• Counter-terrorism and CQB
• Vehicle insertion
• Sniping
• SERE (Survival, Escape, Resistance and Evasion - the training was received in Fort Bragg)

Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2000 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2000 pixel, file size: 1. ... A scuba diver in usual sport diving gear SCUBA is an acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. ... Look up halo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... LRRP (pronounced and sometimes spelled LuRP), is an acronym for the United States Army Long Range Recon Patrols, special six-man teams of primarily Rangers utilised in the Vietnam War on highly dangerous special operations missions deep into enemy territory. ... Counter-terrorism refers to the practices, tactics, and strategies that governments, militaries, and other groups adopt in order to fight terrorism. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with MOUT. (Discuss) CQB, sometimes CQC, is an acronym for Close Quarters Battle or Close Quarters Combat, and refers to fighting methods within buildings, streets, narrow alleys and other places where visibility and maneuverability are limited. ... This article is about the military occupation. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Fort Bragg is a census-designated place and a major United States Army fort, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, USA, near Fayetteville. ...

Notes

1. ^ Special Units For the Spanish Civil War

See also

• Regulares
• Army of Africa
• Foreign Legion
• French Foreign Legion
• Israeli Machal program

Regulares (Spanish for Regulars) was the name commonly used to designate the infantry and cavalry units recruited in Spanish Morocco. ... The Spanish Army of Africa was a Spanish field army that administered Spanish Morocco until Moroccos independence. ... A foreign legion is a military force originally established by a monarch, consisting of foreigners who are not normally subjects of the king. ... “Legionnaire” redirects here. ... Machal, is a Hebrew acronym which means volunteers from outside Israel (מתנדבי חוץ לארץ - מחל, Mitnadvei CHutz Laaretz). ...

External links

• (Spanish) Official website
• (Spanish) Friends of the Spanish Legion
• (Spanish) Unofficial website
• (English) Specwarnet report - dated information
• (Spanish) Music by la legión
• La Bandera - 1935 film on the Spanish Foreign Legion