The Spanish nobility are people who possess a title of

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

confirmed by the Spanish Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, as well as those individuals appointed to one of Spain's three highest orders of

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

hood: the

Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece (, ) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 in Brugge by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy, Isabella of Portugal. T ...

, the

Order of Charles III The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, originally Royal and Much Distinguished Order of Charles III (, originally ; Abbreviation, Abbr.: OC3) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent Order of merit, orders of merit bes ...

and the

Order of Isabella the Catholic The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (; Abbreviation, Abbr.: OYC) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent Order of merit, orders of merit bestowed by the Kingdom of Spain, alongside the Order of Charles III (established in 1771) and ...

. Some members of the Spanish nobility possess various titles that may be inherited or not, but the creation and recognition of titles is legally the prerogative of the

monarchy of Spain The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish monarchy is constitu ...

. Many Spanish titles and noble families still exist and many have transmitted their aristocratic status since the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

. Some aristocratic families in Spain use the

nobiliary particle A nobiliary particle is a type of onomastic particle used in a surname or family name in many Western cultures to signal the nobility of a family. The particle used varies depending on the country, language and period of time. In some languages, it ...

''de'' before their family name, although this was more prominent before the 20th century.

History

16th century

The centralization of the Spanish royal court in

early modern Europe Early modern Europe, also referred to as the post-medieval period, is the period of European history between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, roughly the mid 15th century to the late 18th century. Histori ...

reshaped

aristocratic Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense economic, political, and social influence. In Western Christian co ...

power, shifting influence from regional noble domains to the Spanish monarchy's court. King Philip II's establishment of

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

as Spain's political center in 1561 compelled nobles to relocate to maintain royal favor. This transition reflected a shift across the Spanish aristocracy, where status and influence became increasingly tied to proximity to the

sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...

, court

patronage Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...

, and administrative roles, rather than independent territorial rule.

17th century

Throughout the seventeenth century, the Spanish aristocracy became

courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the officia ...

s through necessity rather than conviction. In response to this situation, and without neglecting their noble estates and interests, they created their own spaces at court, and over time were able to colonize the royal capital in Madrid and convert it into their own natural habitat.

20th century

Until 1923, noble titleholders in Spain were exempt from taxation; afterwards they were subject to it. During the rule of

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (born Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general and dictator who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces i ...

in Spain (1939-1975), some new hereditary titles were conferred on individuals, and titles granted by

Carlist Carlism (; ; ; ) is a Traditionalism (Spain), Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty, one descended from Infante Carlos María Isidro of Spain, Don Carlos, ...

pretenders were officially recognised. Despite

Juan Carlos I Juan Carlos I (; Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 November 1975 until Abdication of Juan Carlos I, his abdic ...

's ascension to the Spanish throne in 1975, the royal court of nobles holding positions and offices attached to the

Royal Household of Spain The Royal Household of Spain, officially Household of His Majesty the King (), is the constitutional body whose primary function is to provide aid and support to the King of Spain in the exercise of his royal duties and prerogatives. These inc ...

was not restored. He maintained the practice of conferring titles, however, to recognize those whose public service, artistic endeavours, personal achievements, philanthropy, etc. were deemed to have benefitted the Spanish nation.

Spanish nobility today

As of 2023, there are approximately 2,237 titled nobles in Spain, and there are 418 Grandes de España, with 2,825 total titles of Spanish nobility. Some nobles may carry more than one title of nobility. Many are active in the worlds of business, finance, and technology, with some taking on leadership roles in major

IBEX 35 The IBEX 35 (IBerian IndEX) is the benchmark stock market index of the Bolsa de Madrid, Spain's principal stock exchange. Initiated in 1992, the index is administered and calculated by Sociedad de Bolsas, a subsidiary of Bolsas y Mercados Espa� ...

companies, some of Spain's largest companies. Examples include the president of FCC, Esther Alcocer Koplowitz, 9th Marchioness of Casa Peñalver, or Alfonso Martínez de Irujo Fitz-James Stuart, Duke of Híjar, president of IE Law School in Madrid.

Legal situation

In Spain today, the possession of a title of nobility does not imply any legal or fiscal privilege; the possession of titles of nobility is subject to the payment of a normal level of taxation. It is a distinction of merely honorary and symbolic character, accompanied by the treatment of ''the most excellent lord'' for those titles that possess the dignity of grandees of Spain and of ''illustrious lords'' for others. The last privilege, suppressed in 1984, was the right to a diplomatic passport by the

Grandee Grandee (; , ) is an official royal and noble ranks, aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neither country did they ha ...

s of Spain (Grandes de España). This privilege disappeared by Royal Decree 1023/1984. The titles without the rank of grandee of Spain never enjoyed this privilege. With the establishment of the

Second Spanish Republic The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of democratic government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931 after the deposition of Alfonso XIII, King Alfonso XIII. ...

in 1931, the use of noble titles was abolished by way of Decree of 1 June 1931, ratified by Law of 30 December of the same year. In 1948, legal recognition of the usage of noble titles was provided for by Law of 4 May 1948 restoring the rules as they were before 14 April 1931. At present, titles of nobility find their legal basis in article 62, section f, of the 1978 constitution, which grants the prerogative of the king to grant honors and distinctions in accordance with the laws. Spanish legislation recognizes titles of nobility and protects their legal owners against third parties. The Spanish nobility titles are in no case susceptible of purchase or sale, since their succession is strictly reserved for blood relatives of better right of the first holder of the title. The successions are processed by the

Ministry of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

and their use is subject to their respective tax. The legal status of individual titles can be checked at La Diputación de la Grandeza de España y Títulos del Reino (DGET) and using Guía de Títulos in the Navigation bar.

Classification of Spanish nobles

File:Heraldic Royal Crown of Spain (Version of the Royal Arms).svg, The crown of the Spanish monarch File:Heraldic Crown of the Prince of Asturias.svg, The crown of the Prince or Princess of Asturias (heir apparent) File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Infantes.svg, The coronet of an

infante Infante (, ; f. ''infanta''), also anglicised as "infant" or translated as "prince", is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of Aragon, Castile, Navarre, and León) and Portugal to the ...

(prince) File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Grandee.svg, A coronet of a

grandee Grandee (; , ) is an official royal and noble ranks, aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neither country did they ha ...

File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Dukes (Variant 1).svg, A coronet of a Spanish

duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Marqueses (Variant 1).svg, A coronet of a Spanish

marquess A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wid ...

File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Count.svg, A coronet of a Spanish

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

File:Heraldic Crown of the Spanish Viscounts.svg, A coronet of a Spanish

viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...

File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Barons.svg, A coronet of a Spanish

baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Lords.svg, A coronet of a Spanish ''

señor Señor or Senor may refer to: * Dan Senor (born 1971), American Canadian columnist, writer, and political adviser See also * Honorific § Spanish-speaking cultures * Señorita (disambiguation) * * {{disambiguation, surname ...

'' (lord) File:Heraldic Crown of Hispanic Hidalgos.svg, A coronet of a Spanish '' Hidalgo'' Spanish nobles are classified as either

s, as titled nobles, or as untitled nobles. In the past, grandees were divided into first, second, and third classes, but this division has ceased to be relevant in practice while remaining a titular distinction; legally all grandees enjoy the same privileges in modern times. At one time however, each class held special privileges such as: # those who spoke to the king and received his reply with their heads covered. # those who addressed the king uncovered, but put on their hats to hear his answer. # 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

s and some very ancient titles of

es and

s, 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

-grandee enjoys higher precedence than a marquess who is not a grandee. Since 1987, the children of Spanish

s, 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 Albuquerque, Duke of Nájera, Duke of Frías and Duke of Medina Sidonia, Marquess of Aguilar de Campoo, Marquess of Astorga, Marquess of Santillana, Marquess of Los Vélez, Count of Benavente, Count of Guaqui, Count of Lerín, Count of Olivares, Count of Oñate, and Count of Lemos.

Form of address

Dukes, Grandees, their spouses and heirs are entitled to the

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), h ...

style Style, or styles may refer to: Film and television * ''Style'' (2001 film), a Hindi film starring Sharman Joshi, Riya Sen, Sahil Khan and Shilpi Mudgal * ''Style'' (2002 film), a Tamil drama film * ''Style'' (2004 film), a Burmese film * '' ...

of ''

The Most Excellent The Most Excellent ( (male) or (female), literally "Most Excellent Lord/Lady") is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in Spain and certain Spanish-speaking countries. Following Spanish tradition, it is an '' ex off ...

Lord/Lady''. Non-Grandee titled nobles, their spouses and offspring use the style of '' The Most Illustrious Lord/Lady''.

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 first man of a family who was raised to the nobility (or recognized as belonging to the hereditary nobility) to all his legitimate descendants, male and female, in the

male line Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...

(with some very few and notable exceptions). Thus, most persons who are legally noble hold no noble title. Hereditary titles formerly descended by male-preference

primogeniture Primogeniture () is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn Legitimacy (family law), legitimate child to inheritance, inherit all or most of their parent's estate (law), estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some childre ...

, a woman being eligible to inherit only if she had no brother or if her brothers also inherited titles. However, by Spanish law, all hereditary titles descend by absolute primogeniture, gender no longer being a criterion for preference in inheritance, since 2005. On October 21, 2022, the Spanish authorities abolished 33 aristocratic titles: In early October, the Senate (upper house of parliament) of Spain approved a bill on historical memory, declaring the dictatorship of Francisco Franco and the judicial decisions made under his regime illegal.

Princes

The often overlooked title of 'prince' (''príncipe/princesa'') has historically been borne 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. Prince/Princess are English translations of Infante/Infanta, referring to the son or daughter of a king; such titles are reserved for members of the

royal family A royal family is the immediate family of monarchs and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term papal family describes the family of a pope, while th ...

(the heir to the throne or the consort of the Queen regnant). Historically, infante or infanta could refer to offspring, siblings, uncles and aunts of a king. The heir's princely titles derive from the ancient kingdoms which united to form Spain. Three titles of prince are held by the heir to the Spanish throne. *

Prince of Asturias Prince or Princess of Asturias () is the main substantive title used by the heir apparent, or heir presumptive to the monarchy of Spain, Spanish Crown. According to the Spanish Constitution of 1978: The title originated in 1388, when King J ...

as heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Castile and León. *

Prince of Girona 200px, Shield of Princes of Girona The Prince or Princess of Girona (, ) is one of the titles of the heir of the Crown of Spain. The title was historically accorded to the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Crown of Aragon. Current legis ...

as heir apparent to the throne of the

Kingdom of Aragon The Kingdom of Aragon (; ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Monarchy, kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain. It became a part of the larger ...

. * Prince of Viana as heir apparent to the throne of the

Kingdom of Navarre The Kingdom of Navarre ( ), originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, occupied lands on both sides of the western Pyrenees, with its northernmost areas originally reaching the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay), between present-day Spain and France. The me ...

. 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 acknowledged, but rarely were Spanish nobles the recipients of a title of prince in Spain. The most notable exceptions were the title Prince of the Peace conferred in 1795 on Manuel Godoy, a

favourite A favourite was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In Post-classical Europe, post-classical and Early modern Europe, early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated signifi ...

of the Spanish king and the title Prince of Vergara conferred to Baldomero Espartero. And

Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte (born Giuseppe di Buonaparte, ; ; ; 7 January 176828 July 1844) was a French statesman, lawyer, diplomat and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Napoleonic Wars, the latter made him King of Naples (1806–1808), an ...

conferred the title to be hereditary on his grandchildren in both the male and female line, Although legislation of the twentieth century ended official recognition of the title of prince outside the royal bloodline family, it did allow the holder of a princedom to have the dignity converted to a ducal title of the same name. When military dictator

appointed Juan Carlos de Borbón as his heir apparent with the future title of king, he created the new titles of prince of Spain for him.

Duke/Duchess (''Duque''/''Duquesa'')

All dukedoms (except Fernandina) are attached to a grandeeship. A partial list includes: * Duke of Abrantes * Duke of Acerenza (no apparent record at La Diputación de la Grandeza de España y Títulos del Reino) * Duke of Ahumada * Duke of Alba * Duke of Alburquerque * Duke of Alcalá de los Gazules * Duke of Alcudia * Duke of Algeciras * Duke of Algete * Duke of Aliaga * Duke of Almazán * Duke of Almazán de Saint Priest * Duke of Almodóvar del Río * Duke of Amalfi * Duke of Andría * Duke of Arco * Duke of Arcos * Duke of Arión * Duke of Arjona * Duke of Aveiro * Duke of Bailén * Duke of Béjar * Duke of Benavente * Duke of Bivona * Duke of Cádiz * Duke of Camiña * Duke of Cardona * Duke of Ciudad Real * Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, bestowed on the 1st Duke of Wellington for his services to the Spanish King * Duke of Feria * Duke of Franco, bestowed upon the descendants of General Francisco Franco (Defunct as of October 2022) * Duke of Gandia * Duke of Granada de Ega * Duke of Infantado * Duke of Lugo * Duke of Mandas * Duke of Medina Sidonia *

Duke of Medinaceli Duke of Medinaceli () is an hereditary title in the peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee. The Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, created the title and awarded it on 31 October 1479 to Luis ...

* Duke of Moctezuma de Tultengo, held by the descendants of the

Aztec The Aztecs ( ) were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the Post-Classic stage, post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central ...

Emperor

Moctezuma II Moctezuma Xocoyotzin . ( – 29 June 1520), retroactively referred to in European sources as Moctezuma II, and often simply called Montezuma,Other variant spellings include Moctezuma, Motewksomah, Motecuhzomatzin, Moteuczoma, Motecuhzoma, Motē ...

* Duke of Mola, held by the descendants of Emilio Mola, a leader of the 1936 military putsch (Defunct as of October 2022) * Duke of Nájera * Duke of Osuna * Duke of Palma de Mallorca * Duke of Primo de Rivera * Duke of Seville * Duke of Suárez * Duke of Sueca * Duke of Tamames * Duke of Tetuán * Duke of Veragua, held by the descendants of

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

* Duke of la Victoria

Marquess/Marchioness (''Marqués''/''Marquesa'')

* Marquess of Almenara * Marquess of Altamira * Marquess of Alventos * Marquess of Ardales *

Marquess of Astorga Marquess of Astorga () is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility, Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1465 by Henry IV of Castile, Henry IV to Álvar Pérez Osorio, 2nd Count of Trastámara and captain gener ...

* Marquess of Bolarque * Marquess of Borghetto * Marquess of Camarasa * Marquess of Campotéjar * Marquess of Castel-Moncayo * Marquess of Cañada Honda * Marquess of Cañete * Marquess of Casa Fuerte * Marquess of Del Bosque * Marquess of Fontellas * Marquess of Fuster * Marquess of Griñón * Marquess of Iria Flavia * Marquess de los Jardines de Aranjuez * Marquess of Leganés * Marquess of Maratea * Marquess of Moratalla * Marquess of Navamorcuende * Marquess of Novaliches * Marquess of Larios * Marquess of Laserna * Marquess of Laula * Marquess of Merry del Val * Marquess of O'Shea * Marquess of Oquendo * Marquess of Portago * Marquess of Samaranch * Marquess of San Damián * Marquess of San Felices de Aragón * Marquess of Santa Cruz * Marquess of San Saturnino * Marquess of Silvela * Marquess of Tabuérniga * Marquess of Terranova * Marquess of Torre Soto de Briviesca * Marquess of Urquijo * Marquess of Valdecarzana * Marquess of Valdueza * Marquess of Vallado * Marquess of Vargas Llosa * Marquess of Vessolla * Marquess of Villabrágima * Marquess of Villaviciosa de Asturias * Marquess of Villena * Marquess of Villa Marcilla, grandee of Spain

Count/Countess (''Conde''/''Condesa'')

* Count of Altamira *

Count of Barcelona The count of Barcelona (, , , ) was the ruler of the County of Barcelona and also, by extension and according with the Usages of Barcelona, Usages and Catalan constitutions, of the Principality of Catalonia as Prince#Prince as generic for ruler, p ...

held by

Don Juan Don Juan (), also known as Don Giovanni ( Italian), is a legendary fictional Spanish libertine who devotes his life to seducing women. The original version of the story of Don Juan appears in the 1630 play (''The Trickster of Seville and t ...

, heir of Alfonso XIII, father of Juan Carlos I * Count of Baños * Count of Batanes * Count of Bornos * Count of Cervera * Count of Covadonga * Count of Elda: belonged to the House of Coloma. * Count of Empúries * Count of Fontanar * Count of Fontao * Count of Lemos * Count of Lerín * Count of Lucena * Count of Maceda * Count of Manila * Count of Mansilla * Count of la Maza * Count of la Mejorada * Count of Montijo * Count of Olocau * Count of Roussillon * Count of Salvatierra * Count of San Esteban de Cañongo * Count of Teba * Count of Torrubia * Count of Toreno * Count of Torre Arias *

Count of Urgell This is a list of the counts of Urgell, a county of the Principality of Catalonia in the 10th through 13th centuries. {{circa, 798–870 Counts appointed by the Carolingians *798–820 Borrell, count of Urgell and Cerdanya *820–824 Aznar ...

* Count of Velayos * Count of Villacieros * Count of Villada * Count of Yebes * Count of Osorno

Viscount/Viscountess (''Vizconde''/''Vizcondesa'')

* Viscount of la Alborada * Viscount of Altamira * Viscount of Banderas * Viscount of Cabrera * Viscount of la Calzada * Viscount of Castillo de Almansa * Viscount of Jala-Jala * Viscount of Mindanao * Viscount of Quintanilla de Florez * Viscount of Rocabertí

Baron/Baroness (''Barón''/''Baronesa'')

Baronies did not exist in the Kingdom of Castile nor the Kingdom of Navarre, and the subsequent kings of Spain did not confer any baronies attached to Castilian or Navarrese estates. However, they did exist in the Kingdom of Aragon, such as: * Baron of Polop

Lord/Lady (''Señor''/''Señora'') (''Don''/''Doña'')

The title of ''Señor'' is, together with that of ''Conde'', the oldest in seniority of the Spanish realms. Many of these lordships are among the oldest titles of nobility in Spain, and the ''señor'' usually exercised military and administrative powers over the 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 Biscay held 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 automatically a

vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...

: each new lord of Biscay had to renew his oath to the king. Ultimately, however, the kings of Castile inherited the lordship. Besides those held by the King, in Spain remain seven lordships that maintain the official consideration of Titles of the Kingdom according to the Official Guide of the Titles and Grandees of the Kingdom published by the Ministry of Justice: the Lordship of Solar de Tejada, the Lordship of Solar de Mandayona y Villaseca, the Lordship of Alconchel, the Lordship of Lazcano (with Grandee of Spain), the Lordship of Rubianes (with Grandee of Spain), the Lordship of Higuera de Vargas (with Grandee of Spain), the Lordship of Meirás (with Grandee of Spain) and the Lordship of Sonseca. Other lordships that were considered as Titles of the Kingdom in the past, have not been rehabilitated. * Lord of Alconchel * Lord of Balaguer, held by the King of Spain * Lord of Biscay, held by the

Spanish monarchy The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish monarchy is constitu ...

since 1378, when merged with the previously semi-independent lordship of Biscay * Lord of Higuera de Vargas * Lord of Casa Lazcano * Lady of Meirás, ''señora de Meiras'', created for Carmen Polo, wife of

and abolished in 2022. * Lord of Casa Rubianes * Lord of Solar de Tejada * Lord of Sonseca

Other titles

Infante Infante (, ; f. ''infanta''), also anglicised as "infant" or translated as "prince", is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of Aragon, Castile, Navarre, and León) and Portugal to the ...

: currently borne by royal princes, other than the

heir apparent An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...

to the throne, who are sons of a Spanish king. *Knight of the Order of Charles III ''caballero de la Orden de Carlos III'': the bestowal of the highest order of knighthood on an individual grants personal nobility and certain heraldic privileges such as a heraldic mantle. The King of Spain continues to bestow this honor. *Knight of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic ''caballero de la Orden de Isabel la Catolica'': the bestowal of the second highest order of knighthood on an individual grants personal nobility and certain heraldic privileges such as a golden heraldic mantle. The King of Spain continues to bestow this honor. * ricohombre (fem. ''Ricahembra''): used during the ''

Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...

''. The transition from ricohombres to grandes occurred between 1390 and 1530 as the new "noble oligarchy" replaced the old one due to the change of power base caused by the conflict between infantes of Aragon and the supporters of

John II of Castile John II of Castile (; 6 March 1405 – 20 July 1454) was King of Castile and León from 1406 to 1454. He succeeded his older sister, Maria of Castile, Queen of Aragon, as Prince of Asturias in 1405. Regency John was the son of King Henry ...

with his favorite Álvaro de Luna. Alfonso de Cartagena in his ''Doctrinal de los caballeros'' ( 1441-1444), while discussing the grandes, states that the previous term ''ricohombres'' is "old-fashioned". By the 17th century the term was used to describe any nobleman. *Condestable: cognate with "

constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. ''Constable'' is commonly the rank of an officer within a police service. Other peo ...

", it was a hereditary title used in the kingdoms of Castile and León for the official second in authority to the king. It became hereditary in the Velasco family which, however, gradually lost the powers once attributed to the ''Condestable'' of Castile. *Caballero: equivalent to

, 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'': borne by those ''infanzones'' (descendants of one of the

cadet branch A cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets (realm, titles, fiefs, property and incom ...

es of the kings of Aragon which did not inherit the throne) who had been knighted. They were the highest ranking knights. **Royal-privilege ''caballero'': a personal, non-hereditary title granted by the king to doctors of the law. It was rarely used by its holders, since the doctoral status enjoyed more privileges. **''Caballero Mesnadero'': borne by the

cadet A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...

sons of a '' ricohombre''. It fell into desuetude during the 18th century, when the Bourbon kings purged the ranks of the nobility. **''Caballero franco'': borne by those of ''hijosdalgo'' or ''infanzone'' status, but who were commoner-born. *Potestad: borne only in the kingdom of Aragon, the equivalent of the Italian ''

podestà (), also potestate or podesta in English, was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of central and northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a c ...

'', an administrative title. It disappeared with the

Nueva Planta decrees The Nueva Planta decrees (, , ) were a number of decrees signed between 1707 and 1716 by Philip V of Spain, Philip V, the first House of Bourbon, Bourbon Monarchy of Spain, King of Spain, during and shortly after the end of the War of the Spani ...

in 1713.

Lower nobility

Lower nobility held ranks, without individual titles, such as (in Aragon, e.g. Latas Family), or . These did not, however, correspond to the status of a , a title unknown to Spanish nobility except in Catalonia. was the most common of these: Originally all the nobles in the Western Peninsular Christian Realms were and, as ("old Christians"), held nearly exclusive right to privileged status (although there were some Jews and Muslims recognized as , who shared their privilege to bear arms as knights in the ). The first of the kings of

Pamplona Pamplona (; ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Navarre, Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. Lying at near above sea level, the city (and the wider Cuenca de Pamplona) is located on the flood pl ...

and

Asturias Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...

were originally elected and lifted up on a shield to assume status, by these otherwise untitled nobles. For approximately three hundred years the retained this privilege, only a few of them eventually being granted the non-heritable title of . Unlike Spain's later titled nobles, the early did not necessarily possess or receive any

fief A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...

land grant A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...

. Many were as poor as commoners, although they were tax-exempt and could join the civil service or the army. During the

became a title granted by the kings of Castile as a reward for service done to the crown (or, as in Biscay, as a way of recognizing prior rights). In the same way was granted for military achievement when the ended. Being the most obvious proof of noble descent, came to be the only lesser title to remain among the modern ranks of Spanish nobility. From this ancient estate of the realm emerged Spain's nobility. All titled and untitled nobles are considered , but many of the modern titled nobility do not descend from the original . The term indicated membership in a family whose noble status was recognized in the earliest records of its existence; thus its immemorial nobility was acknowledged but not created by any monarch.

Succession

Dona-Maria-del-Rosario-Cayetana-Fitz-James-Stuart-y-de-Silva-352039306840

The evidence supporting one's claim to a title may be reviewed by the Council 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 unattached to a grandeeship. Succession to Spanish noble titles is hereditary, but not automatic. The original

letters patent Letters patent (plurale tantum, plural form for singular and plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, President (government title), president or other head of state, generally granti ...

which created the title determine the

order of succession An order, line or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated, such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.Cortes'', establishing the inheritance of hereditary noble titles by the firstborn regardless of gender. The law is retroactive to 27 July 2005. Following the death of a noble, the senior heir may

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 called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to an officia ...

the sovereign 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 potential heirs may do so on their own behalf. There is a limit of forty years from the vacancy by death or relinquishment of a title within which that title may be claimed and revived by an heir. 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 An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is a society, fellowship and college of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades ( 1099–1291) and p ...

deemed noble, or that the father's family is recognized as noble. The amount of fees due depend on whether the title is attached to a grandeeship or not, and on whether the heir is a direct descendant or a 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, this 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. The late Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba (1926–2014) holds the

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...

for number of titles with over 50 titles. Before her death, she ceded some of her titles to each of her six children; otherwise, all of them would have be inherited by the oldest.

Alternative nobility

The pretender

branch of the Bourbons created its own titles for its supporters, unrecognized by the ruling Christinos branch. When General Francisco Franco became head of state with the support of, among others, Carlist troops, Carlist titles became officially recognized.

Titles created during the reign of King Juan Carlos

From the beginning of his reign in November 1975, King Juan Carlos 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: * Carmen Franco y Polo, daughter of dictator

, created 1st Duchess of Franco and Grandee of Spain in 1975 * Carlos Arias Navarro, Prime Minister, created 1st Marquess of Arias Navarro and Grandee of Spain in 1976 * Torcuato Fernández-Miranda, Prime Minister, created 1st Duke of Fernandez-Miranda and Grandee of Spain in 1977 *

Adolfo Suárez Adolfo Suárez González, 1st Duke of Suárez (; 25 September 1932 – 23 March 2014) was a Spanish lawyer and politician. Suárez was Spain's first democratically elected Prime Minister of Spain, prime minister since the Second Spanish Republi ...

, Prime Minister, created 1st Duke of Suárez and Grandee of Spain in 1981 * Andrés Segovia, classical guitarist, created 1st Marquess of Salobreña in 1981 *

Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (11 May 190423 January 1989), known as Salvador Dalí ( ; ; ), was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, ...

surrealist Surrealism is an art movement, art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike s ...

painter, created 1st Marquess de Dalí de Púbol in 1982 * Joaquín Rodrigo, composer and pianist, created 1st Marquess de los Jardines de Aranjuez in 1991 * Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...

, created 1st Marquess of Samaranch and Grandee of Spain in 1991 * Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado, officer and politician, created 1st Marquess of Gutiérrez-Mellado in 1994 * Camilo José Cela, author and

Nobel laureate The Nobel Prizes (, ) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make outstanding contributions in th ...

, created 1st Marquess of Iria Flavia in 1996 *

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo Leopoldo Ramón Pedro Calvo-Sotelo y Bustelo, 1st Marquess of Ría de Ribadeo (; 14 April 1926 – 3 May 2008), usually known as Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo, was Prime Minister of Spain between 1981 and 1982. Early life and career Calvo-Sotelo was ...

, Prime Minister, created 1st Marquess de la Ría of Ribadeo and Grandee of Spain in 2002 * Margarita Salas, scientist, created 1st Marchioness of Canero in 2008 *

Paloma O'Shea Paloma O'Shea Artiñano, 1st Marchioness of O'Shea (born 19 February 1936) is a Spanish piano, pianist, Patronage, patron of the arts, founder and current president of the Reina Sofía School of Music, and founder and president of the Albéniz F ...

Artiñano, pianist, created 1st Marchioness of O'Shea in 2008 * José Ángel Sánchez Asiaín, an international banker, created 1st Marquess of Asiaín in 2010 * Antoni Tàpies, painter, created 1st Marquess of Tàpies in 2010 * Vicente del Bosque, football manager, created 1st Marquess of Del Bosque in 2011 *

Mario Vargas Llosa Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquess of Vargas Llosa (28 March 1936 – 13 April 2025) was a Peruvian novelist, journalist, essayist and politician. Vargas Llosa was one of the most significant Latin American novelists and essayists a ...

, author and

, created 1st Marquess of Vargas Llosa in 2011. King Juan Carlos also exceptionally confirmed the title of Count of Barcelona, a title historically attached to the

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, parti ...

, but used as a title of pretence by his father,

Juan, during the

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. H ...

's 20th century exile and the subsequent reign of his son.

Titles created during the reign of King Felipe VI

King

Felipe VI Felipe VI (; Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain. In accordance with the Spanish Constitution, as monarch, he is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed For ...

has not yet created any new titles of nobility. He has, however, revived the dukedom of Fernandina, the marquisate of Murillo, and the county of Torre Alegre; and has reverted the dukedom of Palma Mallorca to the

crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, parti ...

, formerly belonging to his elder sister, Infanta Cristina of Spain, over a corruption enquiry. "The King revokes the title of Duchess of Palma used by his sister doña Cristina". Europapress (15-06-11).
(Accessed on 12 June 2015).

Notes

References

Nobility & Grandee Titles in Spain (Ministry of Justice)
*Atienza, Julio de. ''Nobiliario Español: Diccionario Heráldico de Apellidos Españoles y de Títulos Nobiliarios''. Madrid: Aguilar, 1948. *Figueroa y Melgar, Alfonso de. ''Estudio Histórico Sobre Algunas Familias Españolas''. 6v. in 12 parts. Madrid: Editions Dawson & Fry, 1965.

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Spanish Nobility