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Canillas de Aceituno (Municipality, Andalusia, Spain)

Flag of Canillas de Aceituno, current and former versions - Images from the Símbolos de Málaga website, 16 September 2016

Presentation of Canillas de Aceituno
Symbols of Canillas de Aceituno

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Presentation of Canillas de Aceituno

The municipality of Canillas de Aceituno (1,737 inhabitants in 2015, 42,00 ha; municipal website) is located 80 km north-east of Málaga.

Canillas de Aceituno is named for the Latin word canilla, "a place planted with canes", and the Arab word azeytuni, "a silk fabric", recalling that the village was a main regional center of silk production during the Muslim period.
The first organized settlement was established by the Moors at some time between the 8th and the 15th century; the local brooks supplied water to irrigate gardens and orchards established on terraces. The village was still part of the Kingdom of Granada in 1487; its exact date of reconquest by the Christians is unknown.
In 1570, a Christian army made of 5,000 soldiers was gathered in Canillas de Aceituno to get rid of the Morisco rebellion that had spread into the Sierra de Bentomiz. After the expelling of the Moriscos, the village was resettled by colonists from Lucena and Cabra (Province of Córdoba), Archidona and Antequera. Some families probably came from Andújar (Province of Jaén), who introduced the cult of the Virgin of the Head. Canillas de Aceituno was incorporated in the 17th century into the Marquisate of Comares, subsequently incorporated to the Duchy of Medinaceli.
The village was destroyed on 25 December 1884 by an earthquake, with epicentre in Arenas del Rey: 6 were killed, another 34 injured, while 354 houses were destroyed an another 334 damaged. The village was visited on 19 January 1885 by King Alfonso XII.

Ivan Sache, 16 September 2016

Symbols of Canillas de Aceituno

The modified flag (photo) and arms of Canillas de Aceituno, adopted on 26 November 2009 by the Municipal Council and submitted on 10 December 2009 to the Directorate General of the Local Administration, are prescribed by a Resolution adopted on 17 December 2009 by the Directorate General of the Local Administration and published on 7 January 2010 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 3, p. 40 (text).
The symbols are described as follows:

Flag: Rectangular, in proportions 3:2 (length to width), grafted at hoist. A purple equilateral triangle with the base along the hoist, the rest of the flag divided into two parts shaped like symmetrical trapezoids, the upper, green, and the lower, white. On the center of the triangle, the municipal coat of arms.
Coat of arms: Per fess, 1. Per fess, 1a. Or three fesses gules, 1b. Argent a Moorish King proper issuant form the base clad azure and gules crowned or and holding a sceptre of the same. A bordure argent inscribed "Omnia per ipso facta sunt" in letters sable. 2. Argent an olive tree eradicated vert fructed sable The shield surmounted by a Royal crown open.

The original flag, adopted on 30 October 1986 by the Municipal Council, was prescribed by Decree No. 224, adopted on 16 September 197 by the Government of Andalusia and published on 27 October 1987 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 88, p . 4,888 (text). This was confirmed by a Resolution adopted on 30 November 2004 by the Directorate General of the Local Administration and published on 20 December 2004 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 246, pp. 28,986-29,002 (text).
The flag was described as follows:

Flag: Made of two horizontal stripes, green and white, charged dexter with a purple equilateral triangle, charged itself with the current municipal arms.

The Royal Academy of History validated the proposed flag, recommending to substitute púrpura to morado in the description of the colour of the triangle.
[Boletín de la Real Academia de la Historia. 1987. 184:3, 563-564]

The only "significant" difference between the two descriptions is the word used to describe the colour of the triangle, morado was substituted to púrpura , therefore turning down the recommendation once made by the Academy.

The original coat of arms, "provisionally" approved in 1956 by the Municipal Council (municipal website), was prescribed by Decree No. 1,446, adopted on 18 May 1972 by the Spanish Government and published on 10 June 1972 in the Spanish official gazette, No. 139, pp. 10,327-10,328 (text). This was confirmed by a Resolution adopted on 30 November 2004 by the Directorate General of the Local Administration and published on 20 December 2004 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 246, pp. 28,986-29,002 (text).
The coat of arms is described as follows:

Coat of arms: Per fess, 1. Per fess, 1a. Or three fesses gules, 1b. Argent a Moorish king a chain around the neck, A bordure argent inscribed "Omnia per ipso facta sunt" in letters sable. 2. Argent an olive tree represented with trunk, ramifications and profuse foliage the branches saliant fructed [..] The shield surmounted by the Coronet of the Catholic Monarchs.

The only "significant" difference between the two descriptions is the chain around the neck of the Moorish king, removed in the modern version. The aim of the suppression of the chains, according to the Mayor of the time, was "to remove xenophobic and racist elements that represent a clash that belongs to past times".. Accordingly, the representation of Boabdil with chains "symbolizes slavery and inequity, stirring racist connotations and promoting the struggle between races".
The upper quarter of the arms is the coat of arms of the Fernández de Córdoba lineage, granted by the Catholic Monarchs to Diego Fernández de Córdoba III, Count of Cabra, as a reward for his contribution to the battle of Lucena (1483) and the capture of Boabdil.
[El Mundo, 12 November 2009]

Ivan Sache, 16 September 2016