Order of San Fernando

Royal and Military Order of Saint Ferdinand
Arms of the Order of Saint Ferdinand
Awarded by Spain
Type	Military Order of Merit
Eligibility	Military personnel
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	31 August 1811
Precedence
Next (higher)	None
Next (lower)	Military Medal
Ribbon of the order

The Royal and Military Order of Saint Ferdinand (Spanish: Real y Militar Orden de San Fernando), is a Spanish military order whose decoration, known as Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand (Spanish: Cruz Laureada de San Fernando), is Spain's highest military decoration for gallantry. It is awarded in recognition of action, either individual or collective, to protect the nation, its citizens or the peace and security of the international community in the face of immediate risk to the bearer or bearers' life or lives. Those eligible are current and former members of the Spanish Armed Forces.

The Sovereign of the Order of San Fernando is the monarch of Spain, who presides over the biennial chapter held in the Royal Monastery of El Escorial. athe sovereign's representative in the Order is the Grand Master, that governs it and is aided by the Maestranza.

Among the conditions laid out by the Royal Military Order of Saint Ferdinand for the granting of the award are:

The Royal Military Order of Saint Ferdinand was set up by the Cádiz Cortes in 1811 to honour heroic feats of arms. Its awardees include Juan Prim, Juan de la Cruz Mourgeón, Francisco de Albear, José Enrique Varela Iglesias, Francisco Serrano y Domínguez, Frederick Thomas Pelham, Henry Kelly (VC), Francisco Franco Bahamonde and Mohamed Meziane.

Loosely adapted from .