# Military ranks of the Second Spanish Republic

The Military ranks of the Second Spanish Republic were the military insignia used by the Spanish Republican Armed Forces. Introduced following the abolition of the monarchy, the ranks were used until the Fall of the Republic.

## Army

In the Civil War, and following the reorganization of the Spanish Republican Armed Forces, the five pointed red star became an insignia of Spanish Republican Army uniforms.
The new insignia mainly replaced the former eight-pointed and six-pointed silver stars that had been part of the Republican Army officers' uniforms between 1931 and 1936.

### Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Spanish Republican Army (1931–1936) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spanish Republican Army (1931–1936) vte | | | | | General inspector | General inspector | General de división | General de división | General de brigada | General de brigada | Coronel | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Teniente coronel | Comandante | Comandante | Capitán | Capitán | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Alférez | Alférez | Alférez |
| Spanish Republican Army (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spanish Republican Army (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | General | General | General | General | Coronel | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Teniente coronel | Comandante | Comandante | Capitán | Capitán | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Alférez | Alférez | Alférez |
| Political commissars (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Political commissars (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | | | | | Comisario general | Comisario general | Subcomisario and Secretario general | Subcomisario and Secretario general | Comisario inspector | Comisario inspector | Comisario de brigada | Comisario de brigada | Comisario de batallón | Comisario de batallón | Comisario de batallón | Comisario de compañía | Comisario de compañía | Comisario de compañía |
| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |

### Unit commander insignia

The republican forces of the Spanish Civil War used three-pointed stars were placed below the rank insignia of officers assigned to the command of units above the size of regiment. One star was used for a brigade, two for a division, three for a corps and four for the commander of an army.
Examples :
| Spanish Republican Army (1936–1939) | | | | |
| Spanish Republican Army (1936–1939) | General commander of a brigade | Coronel commander of an army | Teniente Coronel commander of a division | Comandante commander of a corps |

### Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Spanish Republican Army (1931–1936) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spanish Republican Army (1931–1936) vte | Subteniente (1931-1934) | Subteniente (1931-1934) | Subteniente (1931-1934) | Subteniente (1931-1934) | Subteniente (1931-1934) | Subteniente (1931-1934) | Subayudante (1931-1934) | Brigada | Sargento primero | Sargento primero | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Soldado de primera | Soldado de primera | Soldado de primera | Soldado de primera | Soldado de primera | Soldado de primera | Soldado | Soldado |
| Spanish Republican Army (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spanish Republican Army (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | Brigada | Brigada | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Soldado | Soldado | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Political commissars (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |

## Navy

The Spanish Republican Navy introduced a few changes in the flags, ensigns and pennants, as well as in the Navy officer rank insignia. The executive curl (La coca) was replaced by a golden five-pointed star and the royal crown of the brass buttons and of the officers' peaked caps and gorgets (golas) became a mural crown. The officer ranks of the Spanish Republican Navy were as follows below.

### Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Spanish Republican Navy (1931–1936) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spanish Republican Navy (1931–1936) vte | Vicealmirante | Vicealmirante | Contraalmirante | Contraalmirante | Capitán de navío | Capitán de navío | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de corbeta | Capitán de corbeta | Teniente de navío | Teniente de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de fragata | Alférez de fragata | Alférez de fragata |
| Spanish Republican Navy (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spanish Republican Navy (1936–1939) vte | Capitán de navío acting as Vicealmirante | Capitán de navío acting as Vicealmirante | Capitán de navío acting as Contraalmirante | Capitán de navío acting as Contraalmirante | Capitán de navío | Capitán de navío | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de corbeta | Capitán de corbeta | Teniente de navío | Teniente de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de fragata | Alférez de fragata | Alférez de fragata |

### Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Spanish Republican Navy (1931–1939) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spanish Republican Navy (1931–1939) vte | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subayudante (1931-1935) | Brigada | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Sargento | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Cabo | Marinero de primera | Marinero de primera | Marinero de primera | Marinero de primera | Marinero de primera | Marinero de primera | Marinero | Marinero |

### Rank flags and pennants

The rank flags and pennants of the Spanish Republican Navy followed the same pattern that had been established for the Spanish Navy in 1914. The only changes were the stripes of equal width and the replacing of the red color of the lower stripe with the morado of the Republican Tricolor.
* Rank flag of the Minister of the Navy (Ministro de Marina)
* Viceadmiral rank flag
* Viceadmiral rank flag (subordinate)
* Rear Admiral rank flag
* Rear Admiral rank flag (subordinate)
* Gallardetón. Captain at Sea Pennant (in command of a naval squadron).
* Gallardetón. Captain at Sea Pennant (in command of a naval division).
* Gallardete. Commissioning pennant
* Grímpola. Senior Officer Pennant
* Distintivo de Madrid pennant awarded in 1938 to the vessels that took part in the Battle of Cape Palos

## Air force

Spanish Republican Air Force ranks were as follows.

### Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Spanish Republican Air Force (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spanish Republican Air Force (1936–1939) vte | | | | | | | General | General | General | General | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Comandante | Capitán | Teniente | Alférez |

### Preceding agencies

| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Aeronáutica Militar (1931–1936) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aeronáutica Militar (1931–1936) vte | Jefe superior | Jefe superior | Jefe superior | Jefe superior | Jefe de base | Jefe de escuadra | Jefe de grupo | Jefe de escuadrilla | Oficial aviador | - |
| Aeronáutica Naval (1931–1936) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aeronáutica Naval (1931–1936) vte | | | | | Capitán de navío | Capitán de navío | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de corbeta | Capitán de corbeta | Teniente de navío | Teniente de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de fragata | Alférez de fragata | Alférez de fragata |