Last modified: 2016-05-21 by ivan sache
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The municipality of Miraflores de la Sierra (5,890 inhabitants in 2014; 5,656 ha) is located in the north of the Community of Madrid, 50 km of Madrid.
Miraflores de la Sierra was known until the 17th century as Porquerizas (lit., -pigpens). The local legend says that the current name was coined by Isabel of Borbón, Philip IV's wife; on her way to the Paular monastery, she spotted the village and said: ¡Mira, flores! (Look, flowers!).
Ivan Sache, 14 July 2015
The flag of Miraflores de la Sierra (photos) is horizontally divided red-green with the municipal coat of arms in the middle. The symbols do not seem to have been officially approved.
The coat of arms of Miraflores de la Sierra is "Quarterly, 1. and 4. Vert a bend gules fimbriated or, 2. and 3. Or. The shield surmounted by a mural crown an surrounded by two branches vert." The shield represents the arms of the Mendoza, the Marian salute omitted.
Diego Hurtado de Mendoza y Figueroa (1415/1417-1479), the elder son of
Íñigo López de Mendoza, First Marquis of Santillana, was made Duke of the Infantado (full title, "Duque de las Cinco Villas del Estado del Infantado") in 1475; subsequently, the Dukes of the Infantado were made first-rank Grandees of Spain, and were therefore allowed to wear
their hat in the presence of the king. Íñigo de Arteaga y Martín (b. 1941) is the 19th Duke of the Infantado.
"Vert a bend gules fimbriated or" are the oldest known arms of
Mendoza; subsequently modified several times, the arms always included
a red bend on a green field. The arms quartered per saltire were
introduced by the first Marquis of Santillana and appear on a seal
dated 1440; the marquis quartered his father's arms (Mendoza) with his
mother's arms (de la Vega). His descendants were known as Mendoza de
Guadalajara or Mendoza de l'Ave María. In the representations of these
arms, the first quarter is inscribed with "AVE MARÍA" while the third
quarter is inscribed with "PLENA GRATIA" (or, at least "GRATIA").
[José Luis García de Paz (UAM), Los poderosos Mendoza website]
Ivan Sache, 14 July 2015
