The authorship of the arms granted to Conquistadores

Abstract

The process of applying for a grant of arms by the Spanish conquistadores started with the submission of a sketch showing the solicitant’s proposal; continued under the supervision of a Council of Indias officer, who marked on the sketch those quarters that must be revised, omitted or replaced by new ones; and finished with the issue of a royal patent including a drawing of the arms bestowed and their description, both following the reviewer’s instructions. The analysis of twelve petitions, dated between 1531 and 1537, allows to delimit the respective contributions of the painters translating the petitioner’s wishes to heraldic forms, and the officers revising their suitability. Thus, the inventive of each partner was integrated in the synthesis of the final product.