Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand

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For the order of knighthood of the Two Sicilies, see Order of Saint Ferdinand and of Merit.

The Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand (Spanish: Cruz Laureada de San Fernando) is Spain's highest military award 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 and the Civil Guard (the Spanish police force).

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

that the sole purpose of the action taken wasn't the saving of life;
that, as far as possible, the damage and number of casualties caused by the action was minimized;
that the action was taken in the face of significant odds or other detrimental factors;
that the action taken made a crucial difference to the situation in which it occurred.

The Royal Military Order of Saint Ferdinand was set up the Cádiz Cortes in 1811 to honour heroic feats of arms. Its awardees include Juan de la Cruz Mourgeón, Francisco de Albear, Francisco Serrano y Domínguez and Frederick Thomas Pelham.