Gran cruz de la Orden de Carlos III

Order of Charles III
Grand Cross Sash and Star of the Order
Awarded by the Spanish Monarch
Type	State Order
Royal house	House of Bourbon-Spain
Motto	VIRTUTI Et MÉRITO ("Virtue and Merit")
Awarded for	Actions in benefit to Spain and the Crown
Status	Currently Constituted
Grand Master	King Felipe VI
Grades	Knight Grand Cross with Collar Knight/Dame Grand Cross Knight/Dame Grand Officer Knight/Dame Commander Knight/Dame
Precedence
Next (higher)	Royal Spanish Order of the Golden Fleece
Next (lower)	Order of Queen Maria Luisa
The Ribbons of the Order

The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III (Spanish: Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III) was established by the King of Spain Carlos III by means of the Royal Decree of 19 September 1771, with the motto Virtuti et mérito. Its objective is to reward people for their actions in benefit to Spain and the Crown. Since its creation, it has been the most distinguished civil award that can be granted in Spain, despite its categorisation as a military order.

The Order was formally converted to a civil order in 1847 and later regulated by an Order of 8 May 2000 and also in a Royal Decree of 2002, in which was set the objective of "rewarding the citizens who, with their effort, initiative and work, have brought a distinguished and extraordinary service to the Nation". Today the Grand Master of the order is the monarch of Spain, currently King Felipe VI.

Although the Royal Decree of creation was in September 1771, Carlos III did not make public the orders that would regulate the distinction until 24 October. The reason for this lies in the origin of the Order. The future king and prince of Asturias, Carlos IV, had been married for five years with no offspring, reason for which when his first child was born his grandfather, Carlos III, wanted to leave evidence of his gratitude to God — to whom he declared having prayed to while waiting for the continuation of the dynasty — and, specifically, to the Virgin Mary in his advocacy of the Immaculate Conception and of whom he declared himself the profoundly devote king. Like so, on the given date, when the king's daughter-in-law assisted the first religious affair with the child in her arms, the king wanted to publish the laws of concession, naming himself "Great Master of the Order" and giving his heirs, as long as they held the title "King of Spain", the same treatment and position. Although the child and various brothers died soon after, Carlos III maintained his agreement, and the number of Crosses given was greatly reduced at the monarch's regret.

The orders of creation demanded two requirements: to be "worthy and affectionate of His Highness". Two classes were created: the "Great Crosses" and the "Pensioners", the monarch being discretional with his authorization, although it was limited to sixty of the former and two-hundred of the latter. In 1783 the classes were expanded to three with that of "Supernumerary Knights", whose level of importance was between the previous two. At this moment the duties and requirements of the titles were specified: they needed to have "pure and noble blood" up to their great-grandparents, as was regulated by the Old Book of Territorial Laws of Castilla and the other valid laws. Those received by the Order took an oath for loyalty towards the king, his family, and the protection of the goods of the Royal House, recognizing him as Great Master, live and die in faith catholic, accepting as indisputable the Mystery of the Immaculate Conception, and attending and receiving communion at mass at least once a year.