Infantry Regiment "Castilla" No. 16
| 16th Infantry Regiment "Castilla" | |
|---|---|
Traditional coat of arms of the Regiment | |
| Active | 1 June 1793 – present |
| Country | Spain |
| Allegiance | Spain |
| Branch | Spanish Army |
| Type | Infantry (until 2015) Multirole (since 2015) |
| Garrison/HQ | San Francisco Barracks, Menacho Barracks, Cañada de Sancha Brava Barracks, successively, all in Badajoz |
| Nickname | "The Hero" |
| Patron | Immaculate Conception |
| Decorations | Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand |
The 16th Infantry Regiment "Castilla" (since 2015, Armored Regiment) is a multirole unit of the Spanish Army, although until the latest organic reform of the Army, it was always part of the infantry branch. It was established at the initiative of Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duke of the Infantado, who also served as its first colonel. On 3 April 1793, a request for the Regiment's creation was submitted to King Charles IV, who approved it on 15 April of the same year. Its initial designation was the Volunteers of Castile Regiment, as notified by the War Minister on 25 April 1793, conveying the King's wish for this name. The Regiment was founded with three battalions, each comprising four companies of fusiliers.
It earned the nickname "The Hero” due to its bravery against the French during the Second Siege of Zaragoza, particularly in the bayonet assault on Monte Torrero and the defense of the Convent of Jesús on 21 December 1808. As noted by infantry captain Antonio Gil Álvaro in 1893, “this nickname stems from the Regiment’s actions during the Second Siege of Zaragoza.” The Supreme Central Junta, then located in Cádiz, decreed that these forces be called “Meritorious of the Homeland” for their “heroic and eminent service.”
On 26 July 1852, Queen Isabella II awarded the collective Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand to the Regiment, along with the corresponding “tie” for its banner, for its “heroic merit” in actions on 23 May 1839 at the quarries of Utrillas, in the province of Teruel, against Carlist forces. The Volunteers of Castile Regiment was the precursor to the later 16th Infantry Regiment "Castilla", which in turn evolved into the current 16th Mechanized Infantry Regiment "Castilla", once the first tanks and other mechanized assets arrived at its Badajoz garrison, with its first commander from 17 February 1966 being Lieutenant Colonel Adolfo Rovira Recio.
Its coat of arms features a golden castle, crenelated, with three donjons and adorned with sable on a gules field, with the Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand hanging from the lower point; the castle reflects the region of its designation.