“The Spanish Henri Dunant” of the Institut de Droit International, Nicasio Landa (1830–1891)

AbstractThis article examines the life and works of Dr Nicasio Landa, the co-founder of the Spanish Red Cross, known as the “Spanish Henri Dunant”. The article begins by discussing his seminal works in the field of international humanitarian law (IHL) and the institutions, notably including the International Committee of the Red Cross, with which he worked until the outbreak of the Franco-Russian War. The article then focuses on Dr Landa's pioneering contributions to the drawing up and application of international law instruments in the framework of the Institut de Droit International, paying special attention to his contribution to IHL and his pioneering codification efforts at the interface between epidemic diseases and international law. The conclusion highlights the seminal role that Dr Landa played in setting the course of an international humanitarian tradition which has largely outlived the memory we have of this hidden figure in the history of IHL.