Last modified: 2009-11-21 by eugene ipavec
Keywords: el real de la jara | crown: royal (open) |
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The municipality of El Real de la Jara (1,639 inhabitants in 2008; 15,735 ha) is located in the southern Sierra Morena, 80 km north-west of Seville.
According to local chronicles, El Real de Jara "is of ancient origin, already known in the Roman times"; some imaginative writers even claim that the town was founded by King Solomon. Deserted during the Wisigothic period, the place was resettled by the Almohad Moors and obtained emancipation from the Caliphate of Córdoba in 1148. The town was called Xara, after the bushy vegetation surrounding it. Reconquered in the first third of the 13th century by King Fernando III the Saint, the town was used as his camp by King Alfonso XI before the Battle of Salado (1340). In 1498, the Catholic Kings granted to the town the title of "Real" (Royal) and several privileges, as a reward to the loyalty of its inhabitants during the civil unrest of the 15th century and their courage in the struggle against the Moors.
Source: Municipal website
Ivan Sache, 18 Jul 2009
The flag and modified arms of El Real de la Jara were approved by the Municipal Council on 20 May 2005 and submitted on 26 May 2005 to the General Directorate of Local Administration, which confirmed them by Decree on 3 June 2005, published in the Andalusian official gazette (Boletín Oficial de la Junta de Andalucía, BOJA) No. 115 on 15 June 2005.
The relevant parts of the Decree are the following:
Coat of arms: Spanish shield divided per fess the upper part divided per pale. 1. Argent a Cross of Santiago gules; 2. Azure a castle or masoned sable port and windows gules; 3. Vert on a terrace clay a wall argent a stag surrounded by two bushes vert. A border or with the motto sable: REAL ES POR SU LEALTAD ["Royal for its loyalty"]. The shield surmounted with an ancient and medieval Royal crown.Flag: Rectangular flag of 1.80 m in length and 1.30 m in hoist, green, crossed from the upper right angle to the lower left angle by a white diagonal stripe of 50 cm in width. Over all, centered, the municipal 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 apprended to the Decree).
Source: BOJA No. 115, p. 66, 15 Jun 2005
The symbols of El Real de la Jara are explained in a document available on the municipal website. The municipality previously used a coat of arms realized by Manuel San José in the beginning of the 20th century; the original coat of arms, which costed 20 pesetas and measures 50 cm x 65 cm, can be seen in the town hall. A different coat of arms was approved by the Ministry of Justice in 1899 as "Divided per fess the upper part divided per pale. 1. Or a Cross of Santiago gules. 2. Azure a wall argent a stag proper on a terrace clay surrounded by two bushes." This description is incomplete and does not match the coat of arms used previously; those arms were also heraldically uncorrect, which caused their updating.
The Cross of the Order of Santiago recalls that the Order was commissioned by King Fernando the Saint to reconquer the fortress and to watch it. The castle is self-explaining. The stag recalls that the knights were guided by a stag (sent by God) to the weakest point of the wall during their victorious assault.
There is no vexillological tradition in El Real de la Jara; accordingly, a brand new flag was designed, using as its colour background a colour taken from the coat of arms, here green. The image of the flag attached to the document does not fit the dimensions given in the Decree and cannot be used as an authoritative source for an accurate image of the flag.
Source: Municipal website
Ivan Sache, 18 Jul 2009