Giovanni Battista Moroni - Portrait of Don Gabriel de la Cueva, later Duke of Alburquerque - WGA16256

Spanish nobles are persons who possess the legal status of hereditary

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

according to the laws and traditions of the Spanish monarchy and historically also those who held personal nobility as bestowed by one of the three highest orders of knighthood of the Kingdom, namely the

Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece ( es, Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro, german: Orden vom Goldenen Vlies) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in 1430, to celebrate his marriag ...

, the Order of Charles III and the

Order of Isabella the Catholic The Order of Isabella the Catholic ( es, Orden de Isabel la Católica) is a Spanish civil order and honor granted to persons and institutions in recognition of extraordinary services to the homeland or the promotion of international relations a ...

. A system of titles and honours of Spain and of the former kingdoms that constitute it make up 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 , 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 ...

. Many noble titles and families still exist which have transmitted that status since time immemorial. Some aristocratic families use the

nobiliary particle A nobiliary particle is 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 is the same as a regular pr ...

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

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and thereafter ruled over Spain from 193 ...

, some new hereditary titles were conferred on individuals, and the titles granted by the

Carlist Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty – one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855) – o ...

pretenders were officially recognised. Despite the accession to the throne of Spain by

Juan Carlos I Juan Carlos I (;, * ca, Joan Carles I, * gl, Xoán 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 Novem ...

in 1975, the royal 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 ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for " ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...

'' (until 1923) they were exempt. King Juan Carlos resumed conferral of titles to recognize those whose public service, artistic endeavour, personal achievement, philanthropy, etc. is deemed to have benefitted the Spanish nation.

Spanish nobility today

As of 2019, there are approximately 2,237 nobles in Spain and 400 Grandes de España, with 3,200 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 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; On the contrary, 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 (; es, Grande de España, ) is an official 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 ...

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 government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of King Alfonso XIII, and was dissolved on 1 ...

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 Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Justi ...

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 , 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 ...

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

grandee Grandee (; es, Grande de España, ) is an official 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 ...

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 royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are r ...

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

marquess A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. 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 ...

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. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicia ...

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, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or kn ...

File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Lords.svg, A coronet of a Spanish '' señor'' (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 Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

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 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 * Precedence Entertainment, ...

than a marquess who is not a grandee. Since 1987, the children of Spanish infantes, 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 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 academic title. It ...

style of ''

The Most Excellent The Most Excellent ( Spanish: ''Excelentísimo Señor'' (male) or ''Excelentísima Señora'' (female), literally "Most Excellent Sir/Madam") is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in Spain and certain Spanish-speak ...

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 inheritan ...

. 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 legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...

, 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 kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term pa ...

(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 ( 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 throne of Spain. According to the Spanish Constitution ...

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

Kingdom of Aragon The Kingdom of Aragon ( an, Reino d'Aragón, ca, Regne d'Aragó, la, Regnum Aragoniae, es, Reino de Aragón) was a medieval and early modern kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon ...

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

. 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 Manuel Godoy y Álvarez de Faria, Prince of the Peace, 1st Duke of Alcudia, 1st Duke of Sueca, 1st Baron of Mascalbó (12 May 17674 October 1851) was First Secretary of State of Spain from 1792 to 1797 and from 1801 to 1808. He received many ...

, a

favourite A favourite (British English) or favorite (American English) was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In post-classical and early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated s ...

of the Spanish king and the title

Prince of Vergara Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Álvarez de Toro (27 February 17938 January 1879) was a Spanish marshal and statesman. He served as the Regent of the Realm, three times as Prime Minister and briefly as President of the Congress of Deputies ...

conferred to

Baldomero Espartero Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Álvarez de Toro (27 February 17938 January 1879) was a Spanish marshal and statesman. He served as the Regent of the Realm, three times as Prime Minister and briefly as President of the Congress of Deputies ...

. And

Joseph Bonaparte it, Giuseppe-Napoleone Buonaparte es, José Napoleón Bonaparte , house = Bonaparte , father = Carlo Buonaparte , mother = Letizia Ramolino , birth_date = 7 January 1768 , birth_place = Corte, Corsica, Republic ...

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 Grandee (; es, Grande de España, ) is an official 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 ...

. A partial list includes: * Duke of Abrantes *

Duke of Acerenza Prince of Belmonte ( it, Principe di Belmonte; es, Príncipe de Belmonte) is a noble title created in 1619 by the Spanish crown for the Barons of Badolato and Belmonte. The name of the title is taken from the fortress town of Belmonte in Calabria ...

* Duke of Ahumada * Duke of Alba * Duke of Alburquerque * Duke of Alcalá de los Gazules *

Duke of Alcudia Duke of la Alcudia (Spanish: ''Duque de la Alcudia'') is a title of Spanish nobility, Grandee of Spain 1st class. It was created by King Charles IV of Spain in 1792 for Manuel Godoy, who was the Prime Minister of Spain from 1792 to 179 ...

* 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 Andría ( es, Duque de Andría) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1507 by Ferdinand II to "El Gran Capitán" (Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba), a general who negotiated t ...

* Duke of Arco *

Duke of Arcos Duke of Arcos ( es, Duque de Arcos) is an hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, granted by Isabella I in 1493 to Rodrigo Ponce de León, then 4th Count of Arcos. The dukedom is among the first 25 titles which reached the rank of Grandee o ...

* Duke of Arión *

Duke of Arjona Duke of Arjona ( es, Duque de Arjona) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1423 by John II to Fadrique Enríquez de Castilla, Count of Trastámara and a great-grandchild of Alfon ...

* Duke of Aveiro *

Duke of Bailén Duke of Bailén ( es, Duque de Bailén) is a hereditary title in the peerage of Spain accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1833 by Ferdinand VII to Francisco Javier Castaños for his military achievements during the Peninsular ...

Duke of Béjar Duke of Béjar ( es, Duque de Béjar) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1485 by the Catholic Monarchs to Álvaro de Zúñiga, 1st Duke of Plasencia and chief justice of Castil ...

Duke of Benavente Duke of Benavente ( es, Duque de Benavente) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1473 by Henry IV to Rodrigo Alonso Pimentel, 4th Count of Benavente. Since the Countship of Bena ...

* Duke of Bivona *

Duke of Cádiz The Dukedom of Cádiz is a title of Spanish nobility. Its name refers to the Andalusian city of Cádiz. History Rodrigo Ponce de León was a Castilian military leader who was granted the title of Duke of Cádiz in 1484. After the death of the ...

Duke of Camiña Duke of Camiña ( es, Duque de Camiña) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain accompanied by the dignity of Grandee, granted in 1619 by Philip III to a Portuguese aristocrat, Miguel de Meneses, 2nd Duke of Vila Real in the peerage o ...

* Duke of Cardona * Duke of Ciudad Real * Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, bestowed on the

1st Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...

for his services to the Spanish King * Duke of Feria *

Duke of Franco Duke of Franco ( es, Duque de Franco) was a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The title was created in 1975 by King Juan Carlos and bestowed upon Carmen Franco, the daughter and only child of Spain's ''Caudillo'', General Francisco Fr ...

, bestowed upon the descendants of General Francisco Franco (Defunct as of October 2022) *

Duke of Gandia Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

* Duke of Granada de Ega *

Duke of Infantado Duke of the Infantado ( es, Duque del Infantado) is a Spanish peerage title that was granted to Diego Hurtado de Mendoza y Figueroa, son of Íñigo López de Mendoza, 1st Marquis of Santillana, by the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon a ...

* Duke of Lugo * Duke of Mandas *

Duke of Medina Sidonia Duke of Medina Sidonia ( es, Duque de Medina Sidonia) is a peerage grandee title of Spain in Medina-Sidonia, holding the oldest extant dukedom in the kingdom, first awarded by King John II of Castile in 1380.Duke of Medinaceli * Duke of Moctezuma de Tultengo, held by the descendants of the

Aztec The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...

Emperor

Moctezuma II Moctezuma Xocoyotzin ( – 29 June 1520; oteːkˈsoːmaḁ ʃoːkoˈjoːt͡sĩn̥), nci-IPA, Motēuczōmah Xōcoyōtzin, moteːkʷˈsoːma ʃoːkoˈjoːtsin variant spellings include Motewksomah, Motecuhzomatzin, Montezuma, Moteuczoma, Motecu ...

* Duke of Mola, held by the descendants of Emilio Mola, a leader of the 1936 military putsch (Defunct as of October 2022) *

Duke of Osuna Duke of Osuna is a Spanish noble title that was first awarded in 1562 by King Philip II of Spain to Pedro Girón de la Cueva, ( Osuna, Seville, 29 July 1537 – 1590). Pedro was also Viceroy of Naples, (1582–1586), Ambassador in Portugal and ...

* Duke of Palma de Mallorca * Duke of Primo de Rivera * Duke of Seville * Duke of Suárez *

Duke of Sueca Duke of Sueca is a title of Spanish nobility, Grandee of Spain 1st class. It was created by King Charles IV of Spain in 1804 for Manuel Godoy, who was the Prime Minister of Spain from 1792 to 1797 and from 1801 to 1808. Its name refers to '' Su ...

* Duke of Tamames * Duke of Tetuán * Duke of Veragua, held by the descendants of

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

* 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 ( es, Marqués de Astorga) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1465 by Henry IV to Álvar Pérez Osorio, 2nd Count of Trastámara and captain general of Galici ...

* 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 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 Mohernando * 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 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 Villabrágima * Marquess of Villaviciosa de Asturias * Marquess of Villena

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

* Count of Altamira *

Count of Barcelona The Count of Barcelona ( ca, Comte de Barcelona, es, Conde de Barcelona, french: Comte de Barcelone, ) was the ruler of the County of Barcelona and also, by extension and according with the Usages of Barcelona, usages and Catalan constitutions, of ...

held by Don Juan, heir of Alfonso XIII, father of Juan Carlos I *

Count of Baños Count of Baños ( es, Conde de Baños) is an hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain accompanied by the dignity of Grandee, granted in 1621 by Philip IV to Sancho Martínez de Leyva, ''iure uxoris'' Marquess of Leyva and knight of the Order o ...

* Count of Batanes * Count of Bornos * Count of Cervera * Count of Covadonga * Count of Elda: belonged to the

House of Coloma Coloma or de Coloma or Colomba is an old important Spanish Noble House. A branch belongs to the Flemish nobility, and became the Counts of Bornhem. Other branches became the Counts of Elda, Marquesses of Espinar, Marquesses of Noguera and Marq ...

. *

Count of Empúries 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: ...

* Count of Fontanar * Count of Fontao *

Count of Lemos 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 ...

Count of Lerín Count of Lerín ( es, Conde de Lerín) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and of Constable of Navarre, granted in 1424 by Charles III to Luis de Beaumont, grandchild of Louis of Évreux and a gre ...

* Count of Lucena * Count of Maceda *

Count of Manila Count of Manila (Spanish: ''Conde de Manila'') is a Spanish hereditary title created in 1848 for Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa, Governor-General of the Philippines.

* Count of Mansilla * Count of la Maza * Count of la Mejorada *

Count of Montijo Count of Montijo ( es, Conde de Montijo) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain accompanied by the dignity of Grandee, granted in 1599 by Philip III to Juan Portocarrero, Lord of Montijo, mayordomo mayor and a knight of the Order of San ...

* Count of Olocau * Count of Roussillon *

Count of Salvatierra Count of Salvatierra ( es, Conde de Salvatierra) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1613 by Philip III to Diego Sarmiento de Sotomayor, Lord of Salvaterra and of the Castle of S ...

* Count of San Esteban de Cañongo * Count of Teba * Count of Toreno * Count of Torre Arias * Count of Urgell * Count of Velayos * Count of Villacieros * Count of Villada * Count of Yebes *

Count of Osorno Count of Osorno is a Spanish hereditary peerage which was granted on 31 August 1445 by John II of Castile to Gabriel Fernández Manrique, first Duke of Galisteo (1451), son of Garci IV Fernández Manrique de Lara, Garci Fernandez Manrique, first C ...

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 The Lordship of Biscay ( es, Señorío de Vizcaya, Basque: ''Bizkaiko jaurerria'') was a region under feudal rule in the region of Biscay in the Iberian Peninsula between 1040 and 1876, ruled by a political figure known as the Lord of Biscay. On ...

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 suzerai ...

: 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 The Lordship of Biscay ( es, Señorío de Vizcaya, Basque: ''Bizkaiko jaurerria'') was a region under feudal rule in the region of Biscay in the Iberian Peninsula between 1040 and 1876, ruled by a political figure known as the Lord of Biscay. On ...

, held by the

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 ...

since 1378, when merged with the previously semi-independent lordship of Biscay * Lord of Higuera de Vargas * Lord of Casa Lazcano *

Lord of Meirás Lord of Meirás ( es, Señor de Meirás) was a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain accompanied by the dignity of Grandee, granted in 1975 by Juan Carlos I to Carmen Polo y Martínez-Valdés, First Lady of Spain between 1939 and 1975 and ...

, ''señora de Meiras'', Carmen Polo wife of

* Lord of Casa Rubianes * Lord of Solar de Tejada *

Lord of Sonseca Lord of Sonseca ( es, Señor de Sonseca) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, granted in 1650 by Philip IV to Duarte Fernández de Acosta. Lords of Sonseca (1650) *Duarte Fernández de Acosta, 1st Lord of Sonseca *Luis Beltrán de Li ...

Other titles

* Infante: currently borne by royal princes, other than the

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

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 ' ( Spanish, Portuguese and Galician for "reconquest") is a historiographical construction describing the 781-year period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the N ...

''. By the 17th century, it was a synonym of nobleman. *Condestable: cognate with "

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

", 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

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

, 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 In history and heraldry, 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, t ...

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 an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

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 Podestà (, English: Potestate, Podesta) 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 city ...

'', an administrative title. It disappeared with the

Nueva Planta decrees The Nueva Planta decrees ( es, link=no, Decretos de Nueva Planta, ca, Decrets de Nova Planta, en, link=no, "Decrees of the New Plant") were a number of decrees signed between 1707 and 1716 by Philip V, the first Bourbon King of Spain, durin ...

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 (; eu, Iruña or ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. It is also the third-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region. Lying at near above ...

and

Asturias Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensiv ...

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 (; la, feudum) 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 ...

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

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

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 ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, tit ...

which created the title determine the

order of succession An order of succession 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 Cortes, Cortés, Cortês, Corts, or Cortès may refer to: People * Cortes (surname), including a list of people with the name ** Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), a Spanish conquistador Places * Cortes, Navarre, a village in the South border of ...

'', 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 some offi ...

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 an order (distinction), order of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic Military order (religious society), military orders of the ...

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 A kinsman is a male relative (see kinship). The term kinsman (or plural kinsmen) may also refer to: Places in the United States *Kinsman, Illinois *Kinsman, Ohio * Kinsman Township, Trumbull County, Ohio *Kinsman Mountain, in the White Mountains ...

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 María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, 18th Duchess of Alba GE (28 March 1926 – 20 November 2014) was one of the most senior aristocrats in Spain, as well as the most titled aristocrat in the world, a distinction now held by ...

(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 reference book published annually, listing world ...

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 but the eldest would have been excluded from succession.

Alternative nobility

The pretender

branch of the

Bourbons The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spani ...

created its own titles for its supporters, unrecognized by the ruling

Christinos The Christinos (Spanish: Cristinos) (sometimes called the ''Isabellinos'' or the ''Liberales'') was the name for the supporters of the claim of Isabel II to the throne of Spain during the First Carlist War. The Christinos drew their name from Mari ...

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 King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ti ...

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 María del Carmen Franco y Polo, 1st Duchess of Franco, Grandee of Spain, Marchioness of Villaverde (14 September 1926 – 29 December 2017) was the only child of Spain's ''caudillo'', General Francisco Franco and his wife, Carmen Polo y Mart ...

, 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, Prime Minister, created ''1st Duke of Suárez'' and Grandee of Spain in 1981 *

Andrés Segovia Andrés Segovia Torres, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987) was a Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist. Many professional classical guitarists were students of Segovia or their students. Segovia's contribution to the m ...

, classical guitarist, created ''1st Marquess of

Salobreña Salobreña (, < Phoenician ''Salambina Salawbiniya'') is a town on the ''

Costa Tropical

'' in

'' in 1981 *

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

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

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swis ...

, 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 Camilo José Cela y Trulock, 1st Marquess of Iria Flavia (; 11 May 1916 – 17 January 2002) was a Spanish novelist, poet, story writer and essayist associated with the Generation of '36 movement. He was awarded the 1989 Nobel Prize in Liter ...

, author and

Nobel laureate The Nobel Prizes ( sv, Nobelpriset, no, Nobelprisen) 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 o ...

, 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 b ...

, Prime Minister, created ''1st Marquess of the Ría of Ribadeo'' and Grandee of Spain in 2002 *

Margarita Salas Margarita Salas Falgueras, 1st Marchioness of Canero (30 November 1938 – 7 November 2019) was a Spanish scientist, medical researcher, and author in the fields of biochemistry and molecular genetics. She started developing molecular biology i ...

, scientist, created ''1st Marchioness of Canero'' in 2008 * Paloma O'Shea Artiñano, pianist, created '' Marchioness of O'Shea'' in 2008 * José Ángel Sánchez Asiaín, an international banker, created ''1st Marquess of Asiaín'' in 2010 *

Antoni Tàpies Antoni Tàpies i Puig, 1st Marquess of Tápies (; 13 December 1923 – 6 February 2012) was a Catalan People, Catalan painter, sculptor and art theorist, who became one of the most famous European artists of his generation. Life The son of Jo ...

, 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 (born 28 March 1936), more commonly known as Mario Vargas Llosa (, ), is a Peruvian novelist, journalist, essayist and former politician, who also holds Spanish citizenship. Vargas Ll ...

, 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, but used as a title of pretence by his father, '' Infante'' Juan, during the

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

'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 (;, * 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, an ...

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 to the crown the dukedom of Palma Mallorca, 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).

Gallery

File:Alvaro de luna.jpg,

Álvaro de Luna, Duke of Trujillo Álvaro (, , ) is a Spanish, Galician and Portuguese male given name and surname (see Spanish naming customs) of Visigothic origin. Some claim it may be related to the Old Norse name Alfarr, formed of the elements ''alf'' "elf" and ''arr'' "warrior ...

(1390–1453) File:Sopetran-santillana.jpg,

Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, 1st Duke of the Infantado Don Diego Hurtado de Mendoza y Figueroa, 1st Duke of the Infantado, or Diego Hurtado de Mendoza y Suarez de Figueroa (Guadalajara, Castile, 25 September 1417 – Manzanares el Real, Spain, 25 January 1479) was a Spanish noble. Biography ...

(1417–1479) File:El gran capitán (Museo del Prado).jpg,

Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba (1 September 1453 – 2 December 1515) was a Spanish general and statesman who led successful military campaigns during the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars. His military victories and widespread p ...

, Duke of Terranova and Santangelo, Andria, Montalto and Sessa (1453–1515) File:Tizian (Umkreis) - Bildnis eines Edelmanns - WAF 1085 - Bavarian State Painting Collections.jpg, Pedro de Toledo y Zúñiga, 2nd Marquis of Villafranca del Bierzo (1484–1553) File:Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, III Duque de Alba, retratado por Antonio Moro.jpg, Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba (1507–1582) File:Giovanni Battista Moroni - Portrait of Don Gabriel de la Cueva, later Duke of Alburquerque - WGA16256.jpg, Gabriel de la Cueva, 5th Duke of Alburquerque (1515–1571) File:ÁlvaroDeBazánRafaelTegeo1828.jpg, Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquess of Santa Cruz (1526–1588) File:LuisdeVelascoII.jpg, Luis de Velasco, Marquess of Salinas (1534–1617) File:Garcia Hurtado de Mendoza 2.jpg, García Hurtado de Mendoza, 5h Marquess of Cañete (1535–1609) File:Alonso Pérez de Guzmán.jpg,

Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia Alonso is a Spanish name of Germanic origin that is a Castilian variant of ''Adalfuns''. Geographical distribution As of 2014, 36.6% of all known bearers of the surname ''Alonso'' were residents of Spain (frequency 1:222), 26.1% of Mexico (1:83 ...

(1550–1615) File:El Greco, Portrait of Juan Alfonso de Pimentel y Herrera.jpg,

Juan Alonso Pimentel de Herrera, 5th Duke of Benavente Juan Alonso Pimentel de Herrera ( Villalón, baut. 29 June 1553 - Madrid, 7 November 1621) was a Knight of the Order of Santiago, Grandee of Spain, 5th Duke of Benavente at the death without issue of the 4th Duke, as he was the second son of the ...

(c. 1550–1621) File:Retrato ecuestre del duque de Lerma (Rubens).jpg, Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, 1st Duke of Lerma (1552–1625) File:Ambrogio Spinola (Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt, 1633).jpg, Ambrogio Spínola, 1st Marquess of Balbases (1569–1630) File:Álvaro de Bazán y Benavides (Antoon van Dyck).png,

Álvaro de Bazán, 2nd Marquess of Santa Cruz Álvaro de Bazán, 2nd Marquess of Santa Cruz, a.k.a. Álvaro de Bazán y Benavides, a.k.a. Alvaro II de Bazán, (12 September 1571 in Naples, Italy – 1646), was the son of Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquess of Santa Cruz. Career Not as ...

(1571–1646) File:Pedro Téllez-Girón y Velasco.jpg,

Pedro Téllez-Girón, 3rd Duke of Osuna Pedro Téllez-Girón, 3rd Duke of Osuna (17 February 1574 – 20 September 1624) was a Spanish nobleman and politician. He was the 2nd Marquis of Peñafiel, 7th Count of Ureña, Spanish Viceroy of Sicily (1611–1616), Viceroy of Naples (1616– ...

(1574–1624) File:Conde-Duque de Olivares.jpg, Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares (1587–1645) File:DiegoLopezPacheco,CabrerayBobadilla.jpg,

Diego López Pacheco, 7th Duke of Escalona Don Diego Roque López Pacheco Cabrera y Bobadilla, 7th Duke of Escalona, 7th Marquess of Villena and 7th Count of Xiquena (16 August 1599, La Mancha, Spain – 27 February 1653, Pamplona, Spain) was a Spanish nobleman who was viceroy of New S ...

(1599–1653) File:Luis de Benavides Carrillo.jpg, Luis de Benavides Carrillo, Marquess of Caracena (1608–1668) File:PedroNugnoColondePortugal.jpg, Pedro Nuño Colón de Portugal, 6th Duke of Veragua (1628–1673) File:InigoMelchorVelasco.JPG, Íñigo Melchor de Velasco, 7th Duke of Frías (1635–1696) File:Retrato del Cardenal Luis Manuel Fernández de Portocarrero.jpg, Cardinal Luis Manuel Fernández de Portocarrero (1635–1709) File:Claudio Coello - Juan Francisco de la Cerda, VIII Duke of Medinaceli - Google Art Project.jpg, Juan Tomas Enriquez de Cabrera, 7th Duke of Medina de Rioseco (1646–1705) File:Juan Carreño de Miranda - Duque de Pastrana.jpg,

Gregorio María de Silva y Mendoza, 9th Duke of the Infantado Gregorio de Silva y Mendoza (1649 in Pastrana – 1693 in Madrid) was a Spanish noble from the House of Mendoza. He was the 5th Duke of Pastrana, 9th Duke of the Infantado, 7th Duke of Lerma, 6th Duke of Francavilla, 5th Duke of Estremera, ...

(1649–1693) File:BaltasardeZugniga.jpg,

Baltasar de Zúñiga, 1st Duke of Arión Baltasar de Zúñiga y Guzmán, 1st Duke of Arión, 2nd Marquess of Valero (1658 in Spain – December 26, 1727 in Madrid) was Spanish viceroy of New Spain from August 16, 1716, to October 14, 1722, and later president of the Council of the In ...

(1658–1727) File:Voet-duque de medinacelli-prado.jpg,

Luis Francisco de la Cerda Luis Francisco de la Cerda y Aragón, 9th Duke of Medinaceli (2 August 1660, in El Puerto de Santa María – 26 January 1711, in Pamplona), 9th Duke of Medinaceli, was a Spanish noble and politician. Biography Eldest son of Valido Don Jua ...

, 9th Duke of Medinaceli (1660–1711) File:FranciscoFernandezdelaCueva.jpg,

Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 8th Duke of Alburquerque Francisco Fernández de la Cueva y Enriquez de Cabrera, 8th Duke of Alburquerque, 6th Marquess of Cuéllar, 8th Count of Ledesma, GE, KOS (1619 – March 27, 1676) was a Spanish military officer and viceroy of New Spain from August 15, 165 ...

, (1619–1676) File:PedroCebrianyAgustin.jpg, Pedro Cebrián, 5th Count of Fuenclara (1687–1752) File:Pedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea, Count of Aranda.jpg, Pedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea, 10th Count of Aranda (1718–1798) File:Pompeo Girolamo Batoni - Don José Moñino y Redondo, Conde de Floridablanca - 1974.386 - Art Institute of Chicago.jpg, José Moñino, 1st Count of Floridablanca (1728–1808) File:Duchess Countess of Benavente by Goya.jpg, María Josefa Pimentel, Duchess of Osuna (1752–1834) File:Pedro de Alcántara Téllez-Girón y Pacheco by Guillermo Ducker.jpg, Pedro Téllez-Girón, 9th Duke of Osuna (1755–1807) File:Duchess of Alba by Ducker.jpg, María Cayetana de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba (1762–1802) File:Anonymous_portrait_of_Pedro_de_Alcántara_Alonso_Pérez_de_Guzmán,_14th_Duke_of_Medina_Sidonia_(1724-1779).jpg,

Pedro de Alcántara Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, 14th Duke of Medina Sidonia Pedro de Alcántara Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y Lopez-Pacheco, 14th Duke of Medina Sidonia (Madrid, 25 August 1724 – Vilafranca del Penedès, 6 January 1779) was a Spanish noble who became Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1739. Biography His parent ...

(1724–1779) File:José Álvarez de Toledo, Duque de Alba.jpg,

José Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba Don José Álvarez de Toledo Osorio y Gonzaga, 11th Marquess of Villafranca, Grandee of Spain, ''jure uxoris'' Duke of Alba de Tormes, Grandee of Spain (16 July 1756 – 9 June 1796) was a patron of the artist Francisco Goya. Biography Álvarez ...

(1756–1796) File:Unknown_Portrait_16th_Duke_of_Medina_Sidonia.jpg,

Francisco de Borja Álvarez de Toledo, 12th Marquis of Villafranca Francisco de Borja Álvarez de Toledo y Gonzaga, 12th Marquis of Villafranca (9 June 1763 – 12 February 1821) inherited the title of Marquis of Villafranca from his elder brother José Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba in 1796, as well as 14th ...

(1763–1821) File:Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Salm Salm, XIII duque del Infantado (Museo del Prado).jpg, Don Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duke of the Infantado (1768–1841) File:Duque de San Carlos.jpg,

José Miguel de Carvajal-Vargas, 2nd Duke of San Carlos José Miguel de Carvajal-Vargas y Manrique de Lara Polanco, 2nd Duke of San Carlos, (8 May 1771 in Lima, Perú – 27 September 1828 in París), 6th conde de Castillejo and 9th conde del Puerto, 10th "Correo Mayor de las Indias", was the son of ...

(1771–1828) File:Condesa de chinchon.jpg, María Teresa de Borbón, 15th Countess of Chinchón (1779–1828) File:José Rafael de Silva Fernández de Híjar, duque de Híjar (Diputación Provincial de Zaragoza).jpg, José Rafael de Silva Fernández de Híjar, 12th Duke of Híjar (1776–1863) File:José María Queipo de Llano, conde de Toreno (Museo del Prado).jpg, José María Queipo de Llano, 7th Count of Toreno (1786–1843) File:El capitán general Francisco Serrano, duque de la Torre.jpg,

Francisco Serrano, 1st Duke of la Torre Francisco Serrano Domínguez Cuenca y Pérez de Vargas, 1st Duke of la Torre, Grandee of Spain, Count of San Antonio (17 December 1810 – 25 November 1885) was a Spanish marshal and statesman. He was Prime Minister of Spain in 1868–69 ...

(1810–1885) File:El duque de Rivas (Federico de Madrazo).JPG, Ángel de Saavedra, 3rd Duke of Rivas (1815–1854) File:Francisco Javier Azlor de Aragón portrait.jpg, Francisco Javier Azlor de Aragón, 6th Duke of Granada de Ega (1842–1919) File:Infante_Juan_by_Laszlo.jpg, Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona (1941–1977)

Notes

References

*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.
Noble Titles in Spain and Spanish Grandees
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spanish Nobility