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Municipality of Huécija (Almería Province, Andalusia, Spain)

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image by Wikipedia User:Miguillen, 21 Jul 2009

Introduction
Description
Coat of Arms

See also:

Introduction

The municipality of Huécija (530 inhabitants in 2008; 1,900 ha) is located in the Alpujarra mountains, 30 km north-west of Almería.

The origin of the name of the village, known in the Moorish times as Guacimora, Güecixa or Güécija, is obscure. The village was first mentioned in 891 as an "alquería" (estate) part of the newly settled territory of Urs al-Yaman. In the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, Huécija was one of the then villages forming the "taha" of Marchena. After the "Almería surrendings" (1489), the "taha" of Marchena was granted by the Catholic Kings to Gutierre de Cárdenas y Chacón, as a reward for his contribution to the reconquest. Transferred in 1494 to the lord of Cardeñas, the new domain included the ten villages of Zodun (Alsodux), Alhabiati (Alhabia), Terque, Bentarico (Bentarique), Ylar (Illar), Alhama, Estancihun (Instinción), Ragol, Alicún (probably a borough of Huécija) and Huécija, as its capital. Only Terque and Huécija had the rank of "villa." Diego de Cárdenas y Enríquez was made Duke of Maqueda in 1529; his mother, Teresa Enríquez, was nicknamed by Pope Julius II "The Sacrement's Fool" because of her promotion of the Corpus Christi procession and her support to the building of convents and churchs in the recently reconquerred territories. Among them, the fortified Augustine convent of Huécija, founded in 1511, was sacked by the Moriscos on 1568.

Like the neighbouring villages, Huécija was ruined by the expelling of the Moriscos and recovered mostly with the suppression of the Duchy of Maqueda in 1835 and the cultivation of Ohanes grapes.

Source: Municipal website

Ivan Sache, 21 Jul 2009

Description

The flag and arms of Huécija were approved by the Municipal Council on 17 March 2005 and submitted on 13 April 2005 to the General Directorate of Local Administration, which confirmed them by Decree on 25 April 2005, published in the Andalusian official gazette (Boletín Oficial de la Junta de Andalucía, BOJA) No. 90 on 11 May 2005.

The relevant parts of the Decree are the following:

Coat of arms: Shield divided per pale. 1. The arms of Cardeñas, or two wolves passant purple ("cárdeno"); a border gules charged with in turn eight capital "S" and eight scallops, all argent. 2. Vert a tower or with a bell of the same masoned sable port and windows azure placed on a foundation issuant from the base or masoned sable The shield surmounted with a Royal crown closed.

Flag: Rectangular panel, in proportions 1:1.5, horizontally divided in three horizontal stripes, the upper purple, the central golden yellow and the lower green, the yellow stripe being twice higher than the others. In the center with adequate proportions, the municipal coat of arms with white and yellow colours instead of argent and or on the coat of arms.

The symbols should be registered on the Andalusian Register of Local Entities, with their official written description and graphics (as originally submitted, but unfortunately not appended to the Decree).

Source: BOJA No. 90, p. 51, 11 May 2005

Ivan Sache, 21 Jul 2009

Coat of Arms

The municipal website explains the symbols, designed by Miguel Navarro Gámez, as follows: - the first quarter of the shield shows the arms of Cardeñas. The "S" on the border recalls that Gutierre de Cárdenas, coming with Princess Isobel of Castile when she was introduced to Ferdinand of Aragón, always called them "ese" ("those" - "them"), and was rewarded for his respect with a Royal grant allowing him to add the "S" to the border of his arms. - the tower on the second quarter is the tower of the Augustine convent, the most representative building of Huécija. - the colours used in the flag are the main colours of the arms.

Source: Municipal website

Ivan Sache, 21 Jul 2009