April 18: The Royal Academy of History (Real Academia de Historia) is founded in Madrid, in 1738.

The Royal Academy of History, in Madrid

The Royal Academy of History of Spain is an institution for the study of the history of Spain, "ancient and modern, political, civil, ecclesiastical, military, science, literature and arts; that is, of the various branches of life, civilization and culture of the Spanish people and is headquartered in the city of Madrid.

Against falsification of history

The origins of the Real Academia de la Historia gatherings are held by several scholars, since 1735, at the home of Julian Hermosilla, lawyer for the Royal Councils to discuss matters of history.

Emblem of the Real Academia de la Historia, with the motto of the institution:

Nox fugit history fulget dum iberis lumen (night flees, while the Iberians shines the light of history).

Later, they moved their gatherings to the halls of the newly created Royal Library and sought the protection of King Philip V, who granted it officially creating the Real Academia de la Historia by Royal Decree on April 18, 1738, and approved its statutes by Royal Decree on 17 June of the same year. Those statutes stated that the purpose of the Academy was to clarify "the important truth of the events, banishing the fables introduced by the ignorance or malice, leading to the knowledge of many things darkened the antiquity or has buried neglect."