Abstract
This article uses the multiple royal distinctions received by the cacique of the small Indian pueblo of Mamatoco to explore the meanings and functions of decorations both from the perspective of the Crown’s officials and the recipients. It explains the strategic use of decorations in time of war, the new enlightened character of honorific distinctions in the Napoleonic era, and why historians should be careful in viewing them as evidence of popular royalism.
Keywords
popular royalism; honorific distinctions; symbolic warfare