WW1 ERA SPAIN ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT 1ST CLASS CROSS MEDAL WARTIME AWARD

Description

40mm wide gilt-edged white enamel Greek cross on swivel royal crown suspension; the face with an imposed circular central medallion in red, white and blue enamel and gilt metal bearing an escutcheon quarterly of Castile and Léon with enté en point of Granada and with the House of Bourbon overall; the reverse with a circular central red enamel medallion bearing the gilt letters ‘MM’ (for Mérito Militar); patina to the cross arms of obverse; on original slightly worn ribbon.

The Order was created by Queen Isabel II in 1864 for military merit. The cross is of white enamel in times of peace, and of red in times of war. This early example is from the reign of King Alfonso XIII, 1889-1931.