Oldest wordless national anthem

The oldest national anthem with no authorized lyrics is Spain's "Himno Nacional Español" ("National Anthem of Spain"), aka "La Marcha Real", which can be traced to a bugle call entitled "La Marcha Granadera" ("March of the Grenadines") written by Manuel de Espinosa de los Monteros and published in 1761. The popular tune was played on state occasions, when the Grenadines were trooped before the King, and it was decreed as the country's official "honour march" by King Charles III in 1770. It was formally adopted as Spain's national anthem in a royal order dated 8 January 1871. Attempts were made to add lyrics to the March but these failed to be sanctioned so it remains one of just four wordless anthems.

The other three countries that currently have wordless anthems are San Marino ("Inno Nazionale della Repubblica" or "National Anthem of the Republic", adopted 1894), Kosovo ("Evropa" or "Europe", 11 June 2008), and Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Državna himna Bosne i Hercegovine” or "The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina", 25 June 1999).

Attempts have been made to introduce lyrics to all four anthems, but to no avail; with the latter two, the lack of words likely reflects the need to avoid favouring one ethnic group over any other.