H.M. King Felipe VI visits the Historical Archive of the Spanish Navy "Juan Sebastián de Elcano"

During the visit, King Felipe VI was accompanied by the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles and the Chief of Staff of the Armada, Admiral General Antonio Piñeiro Sánchez, as well as the Director of the Institute of Naval History and Culture, Vice Admiral Enrique Torres Piñeyro, and the Director of the Archive, Captain Joaquín Vegara Jiménez.

The King was shown around the technical work areas, the repositories –where 14 km of documents from the 18th to the 20th centuries are preserved– and the Researchers' Room. In this room, essential resources for understanding the evolution of the Armada over five centuries can be consulted, including those related to shipbuilding, hydrography, astronomy, cartography, military and scientific campaigns, as well as the personnel files of all Navy branches.

In addition, a representative selection of original documents, chosen to offer a broad and chronological overview of Spain's maritime history, was on display. Among these pieces are notable 15th and 16th century manuscripts linked to major expeditions, such as Christopher Columbus's first voyage to America (1492), the Magellan and Elcano's voyage around the globe, and Álvaro de Bazán's operations in the Mediterranean. Also on display were valuable 17th century artifacts related to the defense of the Empire, ranging from ‘letters of marque’ and sailing directions to documents about privateers and the valuable general ledgers of the Spanish ‘Galley Fleet’.

Also included were 18th century artifacts from the height of the ‘Real Armada’, such as warship plans, technical treatises, navigation logs, and documentation of decisive battles. Furthermore, there are 19th century documents related to the end of the Spanish Empire, overseas campaigns, and the development of naval engineering.

About the Historical Archive of the Spanish Navy

The Historical Archive of the Spanish Navy “Juan Sebastián de Elcano” is a key institution for the preservation of the Spanish naval heritage and an international benchmark in maritime and military research.

The building contains thousands of documents dating from 1784 to the end of the 20th century that once belonged to the former State Secretariat of the Navy, as well as their successor institutions: the Ministry of the Navy and the current Navy Headquarters. This unique collection (written documents, photographs from its inception, and nautical charts/maps/plans) covers a wide range of subjects and reflects not only Spanish naval history but also a significant part of our national and world history.

An example of the value and usefulness of the historical document collection housed at the Historical Archive is the Royal Decree that proved the sunken frigate ‘Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes’ belonged to the Royal Armada; it was a Spanish state vessel, key to the Spanish government's victory in the international legal dispute against the treasure-hunting company Odyssey in 2004.

The entire collection of its holdings constitutes an essential source for understanding the development of the Spanish military and scientific Armada of the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as the history of the former American viceroyalties and those of the Philippines.

The immense value of the documentary collection, both for researchers and for society at large, has led to the need for these new facilities designed for digital transformation —an Archive 4.0— in line with current societal demands.

Currently, the Armada is the third largest institution in Spain in terms of the volume of historical archives, surpassed only by the Ministry of Culture and the Army.

Photos of the visit:

Album of flicker