The Prince or Princess of Viana ( es, Príncipe de Viana, eu, Vianako Printzea) is one of the titles of the heir of the

Crown of Spain , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...

. Other associated titles originate from the rest of the kingdoms that formed Spain:

Prince of Asturias Prince or Princess of Asturias ( es, link=no, Príncipe/Princesa de Asturias; ast, Príncipe d'Asturies) is the main substantive title used by the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the monarchy of Spain, throne of Spain. According to the Sp ...

Prince of Girona 200px, The Coat of Arms of the Princes of Girona The Prince or Princess of Girona ( ca, Príncep o Princesa de Girona) is a title that was historically accorded to the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Crown of Aragon. Current legislatio ...

Duke of Montblanc Duke of Montblanc ( ca, Duc de Montblanc, es, Duque de Montblanc) is a noble Spanish title which since the 15th century has been preserved as one of the titles of the heir apparent to, first, the Aragonese crown and, later and currently, the Spa ...

, Count of Cervera and Lord of Balaguer.

History

Originally it was the title of the heir of the

Kingdom of Navarre The Kingdom of Navarre (; , , , ), originally the Kingdom of Pamplona (), was a Basque kingdom that occupied lands on both sides of the western Pyrenees, alongside the Atlantic Ocean between present-day Spain and France. The medieval state took ...

. It was instituted by

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...

for his grandson

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

, born of the marriage between his daughter Blanche I of Navarre and

John II of Aragon John II ( Spanish: ''Juan II'', Catalan: ''Joan II'', Aragonese: ''Chuan II'' and eu, Joanes II; 29 June 1398 – 20 January 1479), called the Great (''el Gran'') or the Faithless (''el Sense Fe''), was King of Aragon from 1458 until his death ...

. The title was used also for

Gaston Gaston is a masculine given name of French origin and a surname. The name "Gaston" may refer to: People First name *Gaston I, Count of Foix (1287–1315) *Gaston II, Count of Foix (1308–1343) *Gaston III, Count of Foix (1331–1391) *Gaston ...

, the son and heir of

Eleanor of Navarre Eleanor of Navarre ( eu, Leonor and es, Leonor) (2 February 1426 – 12 February 1479), was a Navarrese princess and monarch. She served as the regent of Navarre from 1455 to 1479, during the absence of her father, and then briefly as the qu ...

and

Gaston IV of Foix Gaston IV (27 November 1422 – 25 or 28 July 1472) was the sovereign Viscount of Béarn and the Count of Foix and Bigorre in France from 1436 to 1472. He also held the viscounties of Marsan, Castelbon, Nébouzan, Villemeur and Lautrec and was, ...

. Its creation and use was a reflection of a Western European trend of bestowing upon the heirs of a kingdom rents for his personal benefit. In pre-unification Spain, the comparable titles were Prince of Asturias, in Castile and Prince of Girona, in

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...

. In other European states, similar titles included Dauphin, in France,

Prince of Beira Prince of Beira ( pt, Príncipe da Beira, feminine: ''Princesa da Beira'') is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent of the heir apparent to the throne of Portugal. The title's original use that it be granted on the eldest daughter o ...

Prince of Brazil Prince of Brazil ( pt, Príncipe do Brasil) was the title held by the heir-apparent to the Kingdom of Portugal, from 1645 to 1815. Tied with the title of Prince of Brazil was the title Duke of Braganza and the various subsidiary titles of the ...

, in Portugal and

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

, in England. Agustí Rigalt Cortiella- Ausias March i el príncep de Viana- 1279

Due to several historical events, such as the 15th century dynastic union of Spain between

Isabella I of Castile Isabella I ( es, Isabel I; 22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504), also called Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: ''la Católica''), was Queen of Castile from 1474 until her death in 1504, as well as List of Aragonese royal consorts, Queen consort ...

and

Ferdinand II of Aragon Ferdinand II ( an, Ferrando; ca, Ferran; eu, Errando; it, Ferdinando; la, Ferdinandus; es, Fernando; 10 March 1452 – 23 January 1516), also called Ferdinand the Catholic (Spanish: ''el Católico''), was King of Aragon and Sardinia from ...

, as well as the early 16th century invasion and annexation of Navarre by

, the title lost its importance. This was exacerbated when the Kingdom of Navarre ended up divided between the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France ( fro, Reaume de France; frm, Royaulme de France; french: link=yes, Royaume de France) is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period. ...

and the

Kingdom of Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. While the title "Prince of Viana" has recently been revived, Viana itself no longer provides the heir with an income. Rather, it symbolizes the historical continuity of the former Crown of Navarre within the united

Spanish monarchy , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...

. The current holder of the Principality of Viana is Princess Leonor, daughter of

Felipe VI of Spain Felipe VI (;, * eu, Felipe VI.a, * ca, Felip VI, * gl, Filipe VI, . Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain. He is the son of former King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía, and ...

and Queen

Letizia Letizia () is a predominantly Italian feminine given name. People bearing the name Letizia include: * Queen Letizia of Spain (born 1972), wife of King Felipe VI *Letizia Battaglia (born 1935), Italian photographer and photojournalist *Letizia Bert ...

. Leonor also uses the rest of the traditional titles of the heir of the Spanish Crown:

and Lord of Balaguer. There are still a few people left with the royal surname of Viana, though they no longer have the Spanish Throne.

References

External links

History of the kingdom of Navarre.- The Prince of Viana in Messina
{{Spanish royal titles Viana