Awarded to members of the Spanish Armed Forces, Guardia Civil or civilians.

Established on 3 August 1864 by Queen Isabella II as the Order of Military Merit (Spanish: Orden del Mérito Militar), it has been amended many times (in 1918, 1926, 1931, 1938, 1942, 1976, 1995, 2003 and 2007).

The upper arm is surmounted by a Spanish royal crown and has a tablet to engrave the date of bestowal.

The round central shield of the obverse bears the coat of arms of Castile, León, Aragon, Navarre and Granada (until 2003 only alternate coats of arms of Castile and León); in the middle there is a blue oval shield (escutcheon) of the House of Bourbon-Anjou.

On the reverse there are letters "MM" (Mérito Militar) on red background.