Grandee

Grandees (Spanish Grandes ) was in the Kingdom of Castile in the 13th century the title of the highest nobility, except the relatives of the royal family all called by the ancestors and riches outstanding people in Aragon ricohombres, self- concept.

Rights and obligations

In the possession of certain royal fief, they were obliged the king for military service and to position a proportionate number of lances. Moreover, they had their dignity hereditary, were free of taxes, were allowed to be considered before any Court without any special command of the king and could even, in certain cases, their king to be paid feudal duty deprive and other princes, even against the king, serve.

Apart from the entitlement to the highest offices of state had the right to cover her head in the presence of the king, ("my cousin " ) were by the king with Mi primo styled, had in the Cortes, which initially only consisted of them and the bishops, their place immediately behind the prelates and before the diplomas and the like and enjoyed other external awards, such as the Fußkuss. Under Isabella and Ferdinand the Catholic, the power of this high Lehnsadels was broken by Jimenes, and Charles V transformed it into one of the Crown court nobility.

Classes

Since then, the grandees divided into three classes:

• The grandees of the first class, the king ordered to cover herself before she had spoken to him;
• The second grade received this money only after they had been talking, and heard the king's answer with their heads covered;
• The third class were allowed to cover after hearing the king's reply.

The grandees bore the title of Excellency. During the brief reign of Joseph Napoleon, the Grand was abolished, although restored after the Restoration, however, that any significant privileges were linked to it without. By Estatuto real on April 10, 1834 grandees of first place in the Chamber of Proceres or pairs was given, they also retained until the time of the Republic, all rights and title of the grandees were lifted again. King Alfonso presented the Grand dignity restored.

With the republican constitutions of 1873 and 1931, the Grand dignity was abolished and reintroduced in 1948 under Francisco Franco. In today's Kingdom of Spain there are 404 titles that are associated with the Grand dignity. Since many of these titles are in the hands of a few individuals (eg, leads the 18th Duquesa de Alba total of 50 items), there is not so 404 grandees.

Other uses

The group of rural aristocratic officers in the New Model Army at the time of the English Civil War was informally as grandees ( Grandees ) refers. They were the opponents of the Levellers.