The coat of arms of the Lascorz

April 2025

The coat of arms of the Lascorz family was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1999.

On the façade of the Rad Icarium Apartments shines the coat of arms of the Lascorz de Radiquero family, which denotes that the owners of the house come from an old family of infanzones.

The coat of arms

The coat of arms, carved in sandstone, has a quadrilongate shape with a rounded base. On the bell, a recessed helmet with a beautiful tuft is highlighted. It is divided into four quarters: in the first and fourth there is an arm wielding a sword, while in the second and third there are portcullis. As exterior ornaments, known as lambrequins, animal claws with sharp nails can be seen, intertwined with plant motifs.

On the edge of the shield one can partially read the inscription "DOMINGO DE CAMPO, BROTHER OF  JUAN, INFANÇONES, I WAS BORN IN ARCUSA ... " In the central division there is "YEAR 1649"

Meaning of the coat of arms

The recessed helmet is generally associated with nobility and chivalry, as it was a symbol of warriors in the Middle Ages. The closed helmet represents protection and defense.

The decoration of feathers is a symbol of distinction and honour, in the case of knights, it was associated with bravery, honour and nobility.

The arm with a sword is a symbol of strength, honour and courage since the sword is a weapon traditionally associated with chivalry and protection, which reinforces the idea of the family as brave defenders and fighters, The arm, in particular, can also symbolize the protection and commitment of the family to fight for their honour or territory.

The portcullis refers to strength and protection, symbolizes the defense of the home or family against any threat and also has connotations of hospitality, since the door is an entrance, a symbol of welcome, although raked also suggests constant and vigilant care.

The claws represent qualities such as bravery, protection and aggressiveness in defense of the family or territory.

The plant motifs represent fertility, life and abundance, and also suggest the link with the land or the family as a unit that grows and is sustained over time.

Together, these elements reinforce an image of a family with a long tradition of defense, bravery and honour, connected to nature and the protection of the home and its lineage.

The infanzones

The infanzones represented a unique and fundamental social class in the Kingdom of Aragon during the Middle Ages. In the early days of the Reconquista, these free warriors provided crucial military services to the Aragonese monarchs in their fight against the Muslims.

As for their military obligations, the infanzones had to support the king in times of war, but with specific conditions. They were only obliged to serve for three days at their own expense, and if the king required their assistance any longer, he was required to provide them with sustenance. This temporal limitation of their compulsory military service was a distinctive feature of the Aragonese system.

The privileges of the infanzones were considerable and were protected by the Fueros de Aragón. Among their most significant rights was the exemption from ordinary taxes, a privilege that clearly distinguished them from the plebeians or common taxpayers. They also enjoyed special immunity from prosecution, being tried only by specific courts and entitled to particular legal proceedings. Some infanzone houses also had the right of asylum.

The relationship between the infanzones and the crown was complex and based on a balance of mutual rights and duties. Unlike other medieval kingdoms, in Aragon there was a system of equilibrium that limited royal power. The infanzones, along with other classes, participated in the Cortes of Aragon, where they could defend their privileges and negotiate with the monarch.

Over time, the institution of the infanzones underwent a significant evolution. During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, they represented an active military class essential to the expansion of the kingdom. However, as the Middle Ages progressed, their military role diminished, while their importance as a privileged social class remained.

The infanzones played a crucial role in local administration, especially in rural areas, where they acted as intermediaries between the crown and the common population. Their presence in the municipal councils and their participation in local political life were distinctive characteristics of the Aragonese system.

The gradual decline of the institution began with the Nueva Planta Decrees of Philip V in 1707, which led to the abolition of the Aragonese Fueros. Although some personal privileges were maintained, the specificity of the Aragonese infanzonía as a single institution was progressively diluted during the eighteenth century.

This historical evolution of the infanzones reflects the broader transformations of the Kingdom of Aragon, from its period of medieval expansion to its integration into the modern Spanish monarchy. His legacy lives on in history as an example of a social class that combined noble privileges with specific public responsibilities, contributing significantly to the unique social and political structure of the Kingdom of Aragon.

Lascorz lineage

The noble lineage of the Lascorz family derives from Domingo de Campo from the town of Arcusa, who probably received his infanzonía on the date of the coat of arms, 1649. It is being investigated how and when the infanzonía and the coat of arms passed to the Lascorz, most likely being through the female line due to the lack of male heirs.

There is evidence that Josef Lascorz claimed and obtained the infanzonía at the end of the eighteenth century and of the active participation of the family in the community.

In the church of Radiquero, Nuestra Señora de Bastarillas, they owned the chapel of San José that they probably paid for and took care of the maintenance. Even today there is the coat of arms of the Lascorz family on the lintel of the chapel.

The coat of arms is also, together with that of the other Campo de Radiquero family, in one of the chapels of the collegiate church of Alquezar, Santa María la Mayor, probably due to donations or support that these families made to the church.

Even though the title of infanzón has lost relevance, the Lascorz, owners of Rad Icarium, guard and respect the traditions, qualities and obligations that characterized them and maintain an open house where guests, neighbours and friends are always welcomed.

Back