Santiago!
Encyclopedia
Santiago! was a war cry of Spanish troops during the Reconquista
, and of the Spanish Empire
.
The first time that it was used was in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, and was utilized in each occasion that Spanish troops fought Muslims. The meaning of the phrase is to praise St. James the apostle, patron saint of Spain, and to charge or to attack. The "Spain", in the end, refers to the recipient of the phrase: the Spanish troops. After the Reconquista, the phrase continued to be used, especially by the brigades of Spanish cavalry.
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
, and of the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
.
The first time that it was used was in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, and was utilized in each occasion that Spanish troops fought Muslims. The meaning of the phrase is to praise St. James the apostle, patron saint of Spain, and to charge or to attack. The "Spain", in the end, refers to the recipient of the phrase: the Spanish troops. After the Reconquista, the phrase continued to be used, especially by the brigades of Spanish cavalry.