History

The Order of Cisneros (Orden de Cisneros) was instituted by General Francisco Franco on March 8, 1944. It was created after the end of the Spanish Civil War to reward those who served to Franco during the war, and who collaborated on the establishment of the new government.

The Order was awarded either to Spanish or foreign citizens, men and women, in recognition of political merit and outstanding service to the national cause within Spain.

The grades were Collar, Grand Cross (or Band,) Commander with Plate, Commander, Knight (or Dame,) and Gold Medal; the Band and Dame grades were awarded to women.

The Order was instituted in honor of Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros (1436-1517,) Spanish cardinal and statesman, promoter of the Crusades in North Africa, and founder of the Complutense University of Madrid.

This is the civil Order that has been granted the most in Spain; it has been officially awarded 20.764 times.

No awards have been awarded since 1977, when the Order was unofficially extincted.

The Order has no motto.

The Grand Collar was restricted to 11 recipients.

The last Grand Collar was awarded to Raimundo Fernández-Cuesta y Merelo in 1977. José Antonio Girón de Velasco was awarded with the Collar in 1971, after to be awarded with the Commander with Plate in 1944.