Spanish nobility
Encyclopedia
Spanish nobles are persons who possess the legal status of hereditary nobility
according to the laws and traditions of the Spanish monarchy. A system of title
s and honours of Spain
and of the former kingdoms that constitute it comprise the Spanish nobility. Some nobles possess various titles that may be inherited, but the creation and recognition of titles is legally a prerogative of the King of Spain.
Some noble titles and families still exist which have transmitted that status since time immemorial
. Some aristocratic families use the nobiliary particle de before their family name. During the rule of General Francisco Franco
, some new hereditary titles were conceded to individuals, and the titles granted by the Carlist pretenders were officially recognized.
Despite accession to Spain's throne of Juan Carlos I
in 1975, the court
of nobles holding positions and offices attached to the royal household was not restored. Noble titleholders are subjected to taxation, whereas under Spain's ancien régime they were exempt
. King Juan Carlos has granted new titles to recognize the merits of politicians and artists (see below).
In the past, grandees were divided into the first, second, and third classes, but now, this division has ceased to be relevant in practice but remains as a titular dignity; legally all grandees enjoy the same privileges in modern times. At one time however, each class held special privileges such as:
(1) those who spoke to the king and received his reply with their heads covered.
(2) those who addressed the king uncovered, but put on their hats to hear his answer.
(3) those who awaited the permission of the king before covering themselves.
Additionally, all grandees were addressed by the king as mi Primo (my Cousin), whereas ordinary nobles were only qualified as mi Pariente (my Kinsman).
An individual may hold a grandeeship, whether in possession of a title of nobility or not. Normally, however, each grandeeship is attached to a title. A grandeeship is always attached to the grant of a ducal title. The grant of a grandeeship with any other rank of nobility has always been at the will of the sovereign. Excepting dukes and some very ancient titles of marquesses and counts, most Spanish titles of nobility are not attached to grandeeships.
A grandee of any rank outranks a non-grandee, even if that non-grandee's title is of a higher degree, with the exception of official members of the Spanish Royal family who may in fact hold no title at all. Thus, a baron
-grandee enjoys higher precedence
than a marquis
who is not a grandee.
Since 1987 the children of an Infante of Spain, traditionally considered part of the royal family, have been entitled to the rank and style of a grandee but do not hold the legal dignity of grandee unless a grandeza is officially conferred by the sovereign; once the dignity has been officially bestowed, it becomes hereditary.
Some notable titles, which are attached to grandeeships, are: Duke of Alba, Duke of Medinaceli, Duke of Osuna, Duke of Infantado, Duke of Alburquerque, Duke of Nájera, Duke of Frías and Duke of Medina Sidonia, Marquis of Aguilar de Campoo, Marquis of Astorga, Marquis of Santillana, Marquis of Los Vélez, Count of Benavente, Count of Lerín, Count of Olivares, Count of Oñate, and Count of Lemos.
of Most Excellent Lord/Lady or His/Her Excellency. Also, individuals who hold a princedom (rare outside the royal family) are addressed as Most Excellent Lord/Lady.
Titled nobles (without a grandeeship) who are of the rank of marquis or count use the style Most Illustrious Lord/Lady. Those who hold a title with the rank of viscount
, baron or Senor
use simply Senor/Senora.
Nobility descends from the original male who was raised to the nobility or recognized as belonging to the hereditary nobility to all legitimate descendants, male and female, in the male line. Thus, most persons who are legally noble, hold no noble title.
A grandeeship ennobles its recipient and, although usually conferred with a title, need not be.
(the heir to the throne or the consort of the Queen regnant). The heir's princely titles derive from the ancient kingdoms which united to form Spain.
Other titles of prince were frequently granted by the kings of Spain, but usually in their capacity as Kings of Naples or of Sicily. Such nobles often sojourned at the Spanish court where their titles were used, but rarely were Spanish nobles the recipients of a title of prince combined with a territorial designation in Spain. The most notable exception was the title "Prince of the Peace" conferred on Manuel Godoy, a favourite
of the King and, especially, of the Queen.
There is, however, one noble princedom which was created by the Spanish crown for the Barons of Belmonte that remains in use today; the Principe de Belmonte. Although legislation of the twentieth century ended official recognition of the title of prince outside the royal family, it did allow the holder of a princedom to have the dignity converted to a ducal title of the same name.
Three titles of prince are held by the heir to the Spanish throne.
would be the head of Biscay
, holding a great degree of independence from the king of Castile, to whom he could pledge or not pledge feudal allegiance
, but of whom he was not, at least at first, a vassal
: each new lord of Biscay had to renew his oath to the king. Ultimately however, the kings of Castile inherited the lordship.
, infanzon
(in Aragon) or escudero (esquire). These did not, however, correspond to the status of a baron
, a title unknown to Spanish nobility except in Catalonia.
Hidalgo was the most common of these: All the nobles of Biscay
having been granted this rank. All titled and untitled nobles are considered hidalgos. Hidalgos were descendants of noblemen who did not inherit a family title . Unlike noble titles, hidalgo did not have any fief, grant or land attached. Many were as poor as commoners, although they were tax-exempt and could join the civil service or the army. During the Middle Ages it was a title granted by the King of Castile as a reward for any service done to the crown (or as a way of recognising rights, as in the case of Biscay). hidalgo being the simplest way of proving one's pure blood, came to be the only lesser title to remain among the ranks of Spanish nobility
In the same way escudero was granted for military achievements, when the Reconquista
ended.
The descendants of cadets of kings of Aragon, who did not inherit the throne, were considered infanzones.
Succession to Spanish noble titles is hereditary, but not automatic. The original letters patent
which created the title determines the order of succession
. Payment of substantial fees is required whenever a title is inherited.
While noble titles historically have followed the rule of male-preference primogeniture, a Spanish law came into effect on October 30, 2006, after approval by both houses of Parliament, establishing the inheritance of hereditary noble titles by the firstborn regardless of sex. The law is retroactive to July 27, 2005.
Following the death of a noble, the senior heir may petition
the King through the Spanish Ministry of Justice for permission to use the title. If the senior heir does not make a petition within two years, then other heirs may themselves do so. Furthermore, there is an overall limit of forty years from vacancy within which one may claim a title.
The petitioner must demonstrate that he or she is a child, grandchild or direct male line descendant of a noble (whether a grandee or not), or that he or she belongs to certain bodies or orders of chivalry
deemed noble, or that the father's family is recognized as noble (if succeeding to a grandeeship, the mother's family also). Furthermore, a fee must be paid; the fees depend on whether the title is attached to a grandeeship or not, and on whether the heir is a direct descendant or collateral
kinsman of the previous holder. The petition is normally granted, except if the petitioner is a criminal.
Titles may also be ceded to heirs other than the senior heir, during the lifetime of the main titleholder. Normally, the process is used to allow younger children to succeed to lesser titles, while the highest or principal title goes to the senior heir. Only subsidiary titles may be ceded; the principal title must be reserved for the senior heir. The cession of titles may only be done with the approval of the monarch.
Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba
, holds the Guinness Book of Records for number of titles with over 50 titles.
King Juan Carlos also exceptionally confirmed the title of Count of Barcelona, a title historically attached to the Crown
, but used as a title of pretence
by his father Juan de Borbón
during the dynasty
's 20th century exile and the subsequent reign of his son.
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
according to the laws and traditions of the Spanish monarchy. A system of title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
s and honours of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and of the former kingdoms that constitute it comprise the Spanish nobility. Some nobles possess various titles that may be inherited, but the creation and recognition of titles is legally a prerogative of the King of Spain.
Some noble titles and families still exist which have transmitted that status since time immemorial
Immemorial nobility
Immemorial nobility is nobility that is established as existing since before normal records of noble title. In its restrictive meaning, it refers to noble families whose origins can be tracked back to the fall of the Roman Empire circa 490...
. Some aristocratic families use the nobiliary particle de before their family name. During the rule of General Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, some new hereditary titles were conceded to individuals, and the titles granted by the Carlist pretenders were officially recognized.
Despite accession to Spain's throne of Juan Carlos I
Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
in 1975, the court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
of nobles holding positions and offices attached to the royal household was not restored. Noble titleholders are subjected to taxation, whereas under Spain's ancien régime they were exempt
Tax exemption
Various tax systems grant a tax exemption to certain organizations, persons, income, property or other items taxable under the system. Tax exemption may also refer to a personal allowance or specific monetary exemption which may be claimed by an individual to reduce taxable income under some...
. King Juan Carlos has granted new titles to recognize the merits of politicians and artists (see below).
Classification of Spanish nobles
Spanish nobles are classified as either Grandee of Spain (Grandes de España), as titled nobles, or as untitled nobles.In the past, grandees were divided into the first, second, and third classes, but now, this division has ceased to be relevant in practice but remains as a titular dignity; legally all grandees enjoy the same privileges in modern times. At one time however, each class held special privileges such as:
(1) those who spoke to the king and received his reply with their heads covered.
(2) those who addressed the king uncovered, but put on their hats to hear his answer.
(3) those who awaited the permission of the king before covering themselves.
Additionally, all grandees were addressed by the king as mi Primo (my Cousin), whereas ordinary nobles were only qualified as mi Pariente (my Kinsman).
An individual may hold a grandeeship, whether in possession of a title of nobility or not. Normally, however, each grandeeship is attached to a title. A grandeeship is always attached to the grant of a ducal title. The grant of a grandeeship with any other rank of nobility has always been at the will of the sovereign. Excepting dukes and some very ancient titles of marquesses and counts, most Spanish titles of nobility are not attached to grandeeships.
A grandee of any rank outranks a non-grandee, even if that non-grandee's title is of a higher degree, with the exception of official members of the Spanish Royal family who may in fact hold no title at all. Thus, a baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
-grandee enjoys higher precedence
Precedence
Precedence may refer to:* Message precedence of military communications traffic* Order of precedence, the ceremonial hierarchy within a nation or state* Order of operations, in mathematics and computer programming...
than a marquis
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
who is not a grandee.
Since 1987 the children of an Infante of Spain, traditionally considered part of the royal family, have been entitled to the rank and style of a grandee but do not hold the legal dignity of grandee unless a grandeza is officially conferred by the sovereign; once the dignity has been officially bestowed, it becomes hereditary.
Some notable titles, which are attached to grandeeships, are: Duke of Alba, Duke of Medinaceli, Duke of Osuna, Duke of Infantado, Duke of Alburquerque, Duke of Nájera, Duke of Frías and Duke of Medina Sidonia, Marquis of Aguilar de Campoo, Marquis of Astorga, Marquis of Santillana, Marquis of Los Vélez, Count of Benavente, Count of Lerín, Count of Olivares, Count of Oñate, and Count of Lemos.
Form of address
Dukes and other individuals who are grandees are entitled to the styleStyle (manner of address)
A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
of Most Excellent Lord/Lady or His/Her Excellency. Also, individuals who hold a princedom (rare outside the royal family) are addressed as Most Excellent Lord/Lady.
Titled nobles (without a grandeeship) who are of the rank of marquis or count use the style Most Illustrious Lord/Lady. Those who hold a title with the rank of viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
, baron or Senor
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
use simply Senor/Senora.
Ranks
The ordinary Spanish nobility is divided into six ranks. From highest to lowest, these are: Duque (Duke), Marqués (Marquess), Conde (Count), Vizconde (Viscount), Barón (Baron), and Señor (Lord) (as well as the feminine forms of these titles).Nobility descends from the original male who was raised to the nobility or recognized as belonging to the hereditary nobility to all legitimate descendants, male and female, in the male line. Thus, most persons who are legally noble, hold no noble title.
A grandeeship ennobles its recipient and, although usually conferred with a title, need not be.
Princes
There is also the often overlooked title of Prince ('Principe/Principesa')used by those who have been granted or have inherited that title. It is often not included in lists of the Spanish nobility because it is rare: princely titles are now reserved for members of the royal familyRoyal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
(the heir to the throne or the consort of the Queen regnant). The heir's princely titles derive from the ancient kingdoms which united to form Spain.
Other titles of prince were frequently granted by the kings of Spain, but usually in their capacity as Kings of Naples or of Sicily. Such nobles often sojourned at the Spanish court where their titles were used, but rarely were Spanish nobles the recipients of a title of prince combined with a territorial designation in Spain. The most notable exception was the title "Prince of the Peace" conferred on Manuel Godoy, a favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
of the King and, especially, of the Queen.
There is, however, one noble princedom which was created by the Spanish crown for the Barons of Belmonte that remains in use today; the Principe de Belmonte. Although legislation of the twentieth century ended official recognition of the title of prince outside the royal family, it did allow the holder of a princedom to have the dignity converted to a ducal title of the same name.
Three titles of prince are held by the heir to the Spanish throne.
- Prince of the Asturias as heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Castile and León.
- Prince of GironaPrince of GironaThe title of Prince of Girona is one of the titles given to the heir apparent to the Crown of Aragon. It originated in 1351 when King Peter IV of Aragon named his successor, to whom he conceded the title of Duke of Girona; the title embraced territories of the counties of Girona, Besalú, Empúries...
as heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of AragonKingdom of AragonThe Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
. - Prince of VianaPrince of VianaThe Prince of Viana is one of the titles of the heir of the Crown of Spain. Other associated titles originate from the rest of the kingdoms that formed Spain: Prince of Asturias, Prince of Girona, Duke of Montblanc, Count of Cervera and Lord of Balaguer....
as heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of NavarreKingdom of NavarreThe Kingdom of Navarre , originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, was a European kingdom which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean....
.
Duke/Duchess (Duque/Duquesa)
All Dukedoms are attached to a Grandeeship. A partial list includes:- Duke of Acerenza
- Dukedom of AlbaHouse of AlbaThe House of Alba is an important Spanish aristocratic family who derive from the 12th century Mozarab nobility of post-conquest Toledo. Their claim to Alba traces to 1429, when the first Álvarez de Toledo was made Lord of the City of Alba de Tormes...
- Duke of CádizDuke of CádizThe Duchy of Cádiz is Spanish nobility title. Its name refers to the Andalusian city of Cádiz.-History:After the death of the 1st Duke, the Catholic Monarchs negotiated with Francisca Ponce de León y de la Fuente, the abolition of the Marquisate and Duchy of Cádiz, reinstating the city and the...
- Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, bestowed on the 1st Duke of Wellington for his services to the Spanish King
- Duke of FrancoDuke of FrancoDuke of Franco is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The dukedom was created in 1975 by King Juan Carlos and bestowed upon Carmen, the daughter and only child of Spain's Caudillo, General Francisco Franco. Together with the dukedom, she received a Coat of Arms of new creation...
- Duke of Fernández-Miranda
- Duke of Lugo
- Dukedom of Medinaceli
- Duke of Medina Sidonia
- Duke of Moctezuma de TultengoDuke of Moctezuma de TultengoDuke of Moctezuma de Tultengo is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility held by a line of descendants of Emperor Moctezuma II, the ninth Tlatoani, or ruler, of Tenochtitlan. Since 1766 the title has been attached to a Grandeza de España, or a place in the Spanish peerage — the highest honor...
, held by the descendants of the AztecAztecThe Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
Emperor Moctezuma IIMoctezuma IIMoctezuma , also known by a number of variant spellings including Montezuma, Moteuczoma, Motecuhzoma and referred to in full by early Nahuatl texts as Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, was the ninth tlatoani or ruler of Tenochtitlan, reigning from 1502 to 1520... - Duke of Najera, held by the descendants of Christopher ColumbusChristopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
- Duke of Segovia
- Duke of SevilleDuke of SevilleThe Dukedom of Seville is a Spanish nobility title granted in 1823 by Ferdinand VII of Spain to his nephew Infante Enrique. The Dukes are also Grandees of Spain.The current Duke of Seville is Don Francisco de Borbón y Escasany.-List of holders:-Source:...
- Duke of Sotomayor
- Duke of TetuanDukedom of TetuanDuke of Tetuan is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. As all Spanish dukedoms, it is accompanied by the Grandeeship of Spain 1st Class. The dukedom of Tetuan was granted by Queen Isabella II to General Leopoldo O'Donnell y Joris, 1st Count of Lucena...
- Duke of SuárezDuke of SuárezDuke of Suárez is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The dukedom was bestowed by King Juan Carlos on Adolfo Suárez in 1981, following his resignation as Spanish Prime Minister, in recognition of his role in the Spanish transition to democracy...
- Duke of Palma de MallorcaDuchess of Palma de MallorcaDuchess of Palma de Mallorca is a noble title granted for life by King Juan Carlos I of Spain for his daughter, Infanta Cristina, on 26 September 1997 by her marriage to Iñaki Urdangarin.- Dukes of Palma de Mallorca :...
- Duke of Victory
Marquis/Marchioness (Marqués/Marquesa)
- Marquis of AltamiraMarquisate of AltamiraThe Marquises of Altamira are Spanish Nobility which further enhanced their wealth and influence in New Spain, and the rest of the Spanish colonies in America....
- Marquis of Aguilar de Campoo
- Marquis of Albudeyte
- Marquis of Ardales
- Marquis of Astorga
- Marquis de la Cadena of Nueva Espana/Mexico (extinct).
- Marquis de la Candia
- Marquis of Chinchilla
- Marquis Del BosqueMarquisate of Del BosqueThe Marquisate of Del Bosque is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The marquisate was bestowed by Juan Carlos I of Spain on Vicente del Bosque, by Royal Decree 135/2011, on 3 February 2011 in recognition of his "great dedication to Spanish sport and the contribution of don Vicente del...
- Marquis of Figueroa
- Marquis of Frigiliana
- Marquis of Galatone
- Marquis of Iria Flavia
- Marquis of Irujo y los Arcos
- Marquis of Isla de Arousa
- Marquis de los Jardines de AranjuezMarqués de los Jardines de AranjuezMarqués de los Jardines de Aranjuez is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. This marquisate was bestowed by King Juan Carlos on the composer and virtuoso pianist Joaquín Rodrigo on 30 December 1991. His music counts among some of the most popular of the 20th century...
- Marquis of La Algaba
- Marquis of Menendez
- Marquis of Montsalud
- Marquis of Morella
- Marquis of Novaliches
- Marquis of Ría de Ribadeo
- Marquis of Las Salinas
- Marquis of Salobreña
- Marquis of SamaranchMarquess of SamaranchMarquessate of Samaranch is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The marquessate was bestowed by Juan Carlos I of Spain on Juan Antonio Samaranch on 30 December 1991, honouring his efforts in support of the Olympic movement as President of the International Olympic Committee...
- Marquis of San SaturninoMarquis of San SaturninoThe Marquis of San Saturnino is a title of Spanish nobility granted on 21 of December of 1688 by the King Charles II of Spain to D. Pedro Álvarez de Reynoso y Andrade, Galloso y Feijoo, Perpetual “Regidor” of Orense...
- Marquis of Santa Maria de Silvela
- Marquis of Santillana
- Marquess of Sierra Nevada
- Marquis of ValdecarzanaMarquis of Valdecarzana-External links:* http://www.blasoneshispanos.com/Genealogia/ElencoDeNobleza/TitulosNobiliarosV.htm...
- Marquis de ValladoMarquis de ValladoThe title Marquis de Vallado is a Spanish title bestowed upon Humphrey Walrond on August 5, 1653 by King Philip IV of Spain.Humphrey Walrond was a distinguished Royalist commander, and subsequent Governor of Barbados...
- Marquis of Vargas LlosaMarquisate of Vargas LlosaThe Marquisate of Vargas Llosa is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The marquisate was bestowed by Juan Carlos I of Spain on the author and Nobel laureate, Mario Vargas Llosa, by Royal Decree 134/2011, on 3 February 2011....
- Marquis of Villena
- Marquis of Mariño
- Marquis de Sierra de Outes
Count/Countess (Conde/Condesa)
- County of Barcelona held by Don Juan, heir of Alfonso XIII, father of Juan Carlos I
- County of Castella de Vigo
- County of Candia de Valencia
- County of Cervera
- County of Covadonga
- County of EmpúriesCounty of EmpúriesThe County of Empúries was a medieval county centred on the town of Empúries and enclosing the Catalan region of Peralada. It corresponds to the historic comarca of Empordà....
- County of Frigiliana
- County of Guaqui
- County of Luchana
- County of Mansilla
- County of Montealegre
- County of Olivito
- County of Ripalda
- County of RoussillonCounty of RoussillonThe County of Roussillon was one of the Catalan counties in the Marca Hispanica during the Middle Ages. The rulers of the county were the Counts of Roussillon, whose interests lay both north and south of the Pyrenees.-Visigothic county:...
- County of Salvatierra
- County of Teba
- County of Toreno
- County of FontaoCounty of FontaoThe County of Fontao is a title of Spanish nobility granted on January 8th of 1840 by the Queen Isabella II to Don José María Moscoso y Quiroga, first President of the Senate of Spain after the creation of this Upper chamber in 1837...
- County of Urgell
- County of Vigo
- County of Fuensaldaña
- County of Olocau
Viscount/Viscountess (Vizconde/Vizcondesa)
- Viscounty of la Alborada
- Viscounty of AltamiraViscounty of AltamiraThe Viscounts of Altamira were a family of the Spanish nobility.-Second Generation:D. Pedro de Bivero.Mayor Pérez de Vivero. married Gonzalo Pérez de Vaamonde. They had three sons....
- Viscounty of Banderas
- Viscounty of Cabrera
- Viscounty of la Calzada
- Viscounty of Quintanilla de Florez
Baron/Baroness (Barón/Baronesa)
Baronies did not exist in the Kingdom of Castile nor the Kingdom of Navarre, and the Kings of Spain did not create afterwards any baronies attached to Castilian or Navarrese estates. However, they did exist in the Kingdom of Aragon, such as:- Baron of Polop
Señor/Señora (Lord/Lady)
The title of Senor is out of the usual ranks of Spanish nobility, meaning that it has no place in the order of precedence and stands alone. Many of the Spanish lordships are among the oldest nobility titles in Spain, and they usually granted the holder political power over their lordship. Although some lordships were created by the kings of Spain, others existed before them and have not been created by any known king. For example, the lord of BiscayLord of Biscay
Lord of Biscay is a historical title of the head of state of the autonomous territory of Biscay, Basque Country.- History :The first known Lord of Biscay , Íñigo López "Ezkerra" was a lieutenant of the Kingdom of Pamplona , and this was until the Castilian conquest of Gipuzkoa in 1200...
would be the head of Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
, holding a great degree of independence from the king of Castile, to whom he could pledge or not pledge feudal allegiance
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
, but of whom he was not, at least at first, a vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
: each new lord of Biscay had to renew his oath to the king. Ultimately however, the kings of Castile inherited the lordship.
- Lord of BalaguerLord of BalaguerThe Lord of Balaguer is a title of the Spanish Crown. specifically represents the Heir to the Kingdom of Mallorca, a part of the Crown of Aragon.-Evolution:...
: held by the King of Spain - Lord of BiscayLord of BiscayLord of Biscay is a historical title of the head of state of the autonomous territory of Biscay, Basque Country.- History :The first known Lord of Biscay , Íñigo López "Ezkerra" was a lieutenant of the Kingdom of Pamplona , and this was until the Castilian conquest of Gipuzkoa in 1200...
: since 1378 held by the King of Spain, thus acquiring the hitherto semi-independent lordship of Biscay - Lord of Molina de Aragón
- Lord of Meiras: Señora de Meiras, Carmen Polo wife of Francisco Franco
- Lord of Salas
Other titles
- Infante: currently used by those royal princes who are not the heir apparent to the throne. Previously, it was also a high nobility title, the most famous holders having been the Infantes de Carrión who appear in the Lay of the Cid.
- Ricohombre (fem. Ricahembra): used during the Reconquista, it is roughly equivalent to BaronBaronBaron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
. By the 17th century, it was a synonym of nobleman. - Condestable: cognate with ConstableConstable of CastileConstable of Castile was a title created by John I, King of Castile in 1382, to substitute the title Alférez Mayor del Reino. The constable was the second person in power in the kingdom, after the King, and his responsibility was to command the military in the absence of the ruler.In 1473 Henry IV...
, it is a hereditary title used in the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon to refer to the second person in power in the kingdom, after the king. It was a hereditary title within the VelascoDukedom of FríasDuke of Frías is a hereditary title created in 1492 by King Ferdinand II of Aragon. It became one of the most important titles in Spain.The House of Velasco was one of the most powerful and influential noble Castilian families of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Modern Era. Its original...
family, that gradually lost the powers once attributed to the Condestable of Castile. - Caballero: equivalent to lnight, it was very rare in the kingdom of Castile, but common in the kingdom of Aragon, where there were four types of caballeros:
- Golden-spur caballero: used by those infanzones who have been knighted. They held the highest prestige among the knights' ranks.
- Royal-privilege caballero: it was a personal title not to be inherited by his descendents, granted by the king to Docotors of the Law. It was rarely used by their holders, since the doctoral rank enjoyed more privileges.
- Caballero Mesnadero: held by cadetCadetA cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
sons of a Ricohombre. It disappeared during the 18th century, when the Bourbon kings purged the ranks of the nobility. - Caballero franco: referred to those who had previously been hijosdalgo or infanzones, but were commoner-born.
- Potestad: only in the kingdom of Aragon, its equivalent is the Italian podestàPodestàPodestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
, an administrative-related title. It disappeared with the Nueva Planta decreesNueva Planta decreesThe Nueva Planta decrees were a number of decrees signed between 1707 and 1716 by Philip V—the first Bourbon king of Spain—during and shortly after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession which he won....
in 1713. - Doctor: indeed, any holder of a doctorate was recognised as possessing privileges appertaining to the nobility. For example, doctors were exempt from uncovering their heads in the presence of the King, a privilege shared only by the grandees.
Lower nobility
Lower nobility held ranks, without individual titles, such as hidalgoHidalgo (Spanish nobility)
A hidalgo or fidalgo is a member of the Spanish and Portuguese nobility. In popular usage it has come to mean the non-titled nobility. Hidalgos were exempt from paying taxes, but did not necessarily own real property...
, infanzon
Infanzón
Infanzón is a village and municipality in Catamarca Province in northwestern Argentina.-References:...
(in Aragon) or escudero (esquire). These did not, however, correspond to the status of a baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
, a title unknown to Spanish nobility except in Catalonia.
Hidalgo was the most common of these: All the nobles of Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
having been granted this rank. All titled and untitled nobles are considered hidalgos. Hidalgos were descendants of noblemen who did not inherit a family title . Unlike noble titles, hidalgo did not have any fief, grant or land attached. Many were as poor as commoners, although they were tax-exempt and could join the civil service or the army. During the Middle Ages it was a title granted by the King of Castile as a reward for any service done to the crown (or as a way of recognising rights, as in the case of Biscay). hidalgo being the simplest way of proving one's pure blood, came to be the only lesser title to remain among the ranks of Spanish nobility
In the same way escudero was granted for military achievements, when the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
ended.
The descendants of cadets of kings of Aragon, who did not inherit the throne, were considered infanzones.
Succession
The evidence supporting one's claim to a title may be reviewed by the Deputation of Grandees and Titled Nobles of the Kingdom (Diputación de Grandes y Títulos del Reino). The body includes eight grandees, eight nobles who are not grandees, and a president who must hold both a grandeeship and a hereditary title without grandeeship.Succession to Spanish noble titles is hereditary, but not automatic. The original letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
which created the title determines the order of succession
Order of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
. Payment of substantial fees is required whenever a title is inherited.
While noble titles historically have followed the rule of male-preference primogeniture, a Spanish law came into effect on October 30, 2006, after approval by both houses of Parliament, establishing the inheritance of hereditary noble titles by the firstborn regardless of sex. The law is retroactive to July 27, 2005.
Following the death of a noble, the senior heir may petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
the King through the Spanish Ministry of Justice for permission to use the title. If the senior heir does not make a petition within two years, then other heirs may themselves do so. Furthermore, there is an overall limit of forty years from vacancy within which one may claim a title.
The petitioner must demonstrate that he or she is a child, grandchild or direct male line descendant of a noble (whether a grandee or not), or that he or she belongs to certain bodies or orders of chivalry
Chivalric order
Chivalric orders are societies and fellowships of knights that have been created by European monarchs in imitation of the military orders of the Crusades...
deemed noble, or that the father's family is recognized as noble (if succeeding to a grandeeship, the mother's family also). Furthermore, a fee must be paid; the fees depend on whether the title is attached to a grandeeship or not, and on whether the heir is a direct descendant or collateral
Consanguinity
Consanguinity refers to the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that respect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person...
kinsman of the previous holder. The petition is normally granted, except if the petitioner is a criminal.
Titles may also be ceded to heirs other than the senior heir, during the lifetime of the main titleholder. Normally, the process is used to allow younger children to succeed to lesser titles, while the highest or principal title goes to the senior heir. Only subsidiary titles may be ceded; the principal title must be reserved for the senior heir. The cession of titles may only be done with the approval of the monarch.
Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba
Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba
Doña María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, 18th Duchess of Alba de Tormes, Grandee of Spain is the current head of the House of Alba and the third woman to carry the title in her own right...
, holds the Guinness Book of Records for number of titles with over 50 titles.
Titles created during the current reign
Since the beginning of his reign in 1975, King Juan Carlos has created new titles for about 51 people (as of April 2011), among others recognizing the merits of politicians and artists. Some of these dignities have been hereditary. Examples include- Camilo José CelaCamilo José CelaCamilo José Cela y Trulock, 1st Marquis of Iria Flavia was a Spanish novelist and short story writer. He was awarded the 1989 Nobel Prize in Literature "for a rich and intensive prose, which with restrained compassion forms a challenging vision of man's vulnerability".-Biography:Cela published his...
, author and Nobel laureate, created 1st Marquis of Iria Flavia in 1996 - Vicente del BosqueVicente Del BosqueVicente del Bosque González, 1st Marquis of Del Bosque is a former Spanish footballer He is currently the manager of the Spanish national football team. After taking over from Luis Aragonés who had led Spain to European success in Euro 2008, Del Bosque went on to manage the national team to the...
, football manager, created 1st Marquis of Del BosqueMarquisate of Del BosqueThe Marquisate of Del Bosque is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The marquisate was bestowed by Juan Carlos I of Spain on Vicente del Bosque, by Royal Decree 135/2011, on 3 February 2011 in recognition of his "great dedication to Spanish sport and the contribution of don Vicente del...
in 2011 - Salvador DalíSalvador DalíSalvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
, surrealist painter, created 1st Marquis of Dalí de Púbol in 1982 - Carmen Franco y PoloCarmen Franco y PoloMaría del Carmen Franco y Polo, 1st Duchess of Franco, Grandee of Spain, Dowager Marquise of Villaverde is the only child of Spain's Caudillo, dictator General Francisco Franco and his wife Carmen Polo y Martínez-Valdès...
, daughter of dictator Francisco FrancoFrancisco FrancoFrancisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, created 1st Duchess of FrancoDuke of FrancoDuke of Franco is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The dukedom was created in 1975 by King Juan Carlos and bestowed upon Carmen, the daughter and only child of Spain's Caudillo, General Francisco Franco. Together with the dukedom, she received a Coat of Arms of new creation...
and Grandee of Spain in 1975 - Joaquín RodrigoJoaquín RodrigoJoaquín Rodrigo Vidre, 1st Marquis of the Gardens of Aranjuez , commonly known as Joaquín Rodrigo, was a composer of classical music and a virtuoso pianist. Despite being nearly blind from an early age, he achieved great success...
, composer and pianist, created 1st Marquis de los Jardines de AranjuezMarqués de los Jardines de AranjuezMarqués de los Jardines de Aranjuez is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. This marquisate was bestowed by King Juan Carlos on the composer and virtuoso pianist Joaquín Rodrigo on 30 December 1991. His music counts among some of the most popular of the 20th century...
in 1991 - Margarita SalasMargarita SalasMargarita Salas Falgueras, 1st Marquise of Canero , commonly known as Margarita Salas, is a well-known Spanish scientist in the fields of Biochemistry, and Molecular genetics....
, scientist, created 1st Marquise of Canero in 2008 - Juan Antonio SamaranchJuan Antonio SamaranchDon Juan Antonio Samaranch y Torelló, 1st Marquis of Samaranch, Grandee of Spain , known in Catalan as Joan Antoni Samaranch i Torelló , was a Catalan Spanish sports administrator who served as the seventh President of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001...
, President of the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, created 1st Marquis of SamaranchMarquess of SamaranchMarquessate of Samaranch is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The marquessate was bestowed by Juan Carlos I of Spain on Juan Antonio Samaranch on 30 December 1991, honouring his efforts in support of the Olympic movement as President of the International Olympic Committee...
and Grandee of Spain in 1991 - José Ángel Sánchez AsiaínJosé Ángel Sánchez AsiaínJosé Ángel Sánchez Asiaín, 1st Marquess of Asiaín, is a Spanish industrialist, university professor and economist....
, an international banker, created 1st Marquis of Asiaín in 2010 - Andres SegoviaAndrés SegoviaAndrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña , known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain...
, classical guitarist, created 1st Marquis of SalobreñaSalobreñaSalobreña is a town on the Costa Tropical in Granada, Spain. It claims a history stretching back 6000 years.The old town of is a cluster of whitewashed houses and steep narrow streets set around a 10th century Moorish castle. The town sits atop a rocky prominence surrounded by sugar cane fields...
in 1981 - Adolfo SuárezAdolfo SuárezAdolfo Suárez y González, 1st Duke of Suárez, Grandee of Spain, KOGF is a Spanish lawyer and politician. Suárez was Spain's first democratically elected prime minister after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and the key figure in the country's transition to democracy.-Parents:He is a son of...
, Prime Minister, created 1st Duke of SuárezDuke of SuárezDuke of Suárez is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The dukedom was bestowed by King Juan Carlos on Adolfo Suárez in 1981, following his resignation as Spanish Prime Minister, in recognition of his role in the Spanish transition to democracy...
and Grandee of Spain in 1981 - Antoni TàpiesAntoni TàpiesAntoni Tàpies i Puig, 1st Marquess of Tàpies is a Catalan painter. He is one of the most famous European artists of his generation. After studying law for 3 years, he devoted himself from 1943 onwards only to his painting...
, painter, created 1st Marquis of Tàpies in 2010 - Mario Vargas LlosaMario Vargas LlosaJorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquis of Vargas Llosa is a Peruvian-Spanish writer, politician, journalist, essayist, and Nobel Prize laureate. Vargas Llosa is one of Latin America's most significant novelists and essayists, and one of the leading authors of his generation...
, author and Nobel laureate, created 1st Marquis of Vargas LlosaMarquisate of Vargas LlosaThe Marquisate of Vargas Llosa is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The marquisate was bestowed by Juan Carlos I of Spain on the author and Nobel laureate, Mario Vargas Llosa, by Royal Decree 134/2011, on 3 February 2011....
in 2011.
King Juan Carlos also exceptionally confirmed the title of Count of Barcelona, a title historically attached to the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
, but used as a title of pretence
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
by his father Juan de Borbón
Juan de Borbón, Count of Barcelona
The Infante Juan of Spain, Count of Barcelona , was the third surviving son and designated heir of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, the monarch replaced by the Second Spanish Republic,...
during the dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
's 20th century exile and the subsequent reign of his son.