What honorifics and forms of address were appropriate for 17th century Spanish nobility?
Upvote:3
While the commonest Spaniard will have to do with just a name (that can be a complex compound one) followed by a paternal surname and a maternal surname (nowadays the order can be changed), aristocrats tend to spouse extremely long multiple first names followed by a plethora of surnames and family names.
For example, the current duchess of Alba is Eugenia Brianda Timotea Cecilia (4 names) Martínez de Irujo (first, very aristocratic, surname) y Fitz-James Stuart (second, and even posher, surname), daughter of María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, the former duchess. She is normally known as Eugenia Martínez de Irujo, while her mother was universally called Cayetana de Alba (first name + title). Similarly, one of the nephews of the current king of Spain, Philip VI, is called Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y Borbón although he is normally just called Froilán, given that there must be less than 10 people in the whole country with that uncommon name.
For the XVII/XVIII centuries the usual custom would be referring to the current owner of the title by a combo of name + title, where the name would be the one the person liked the most or that his/her family used the most, while the other relatives would be referred as name + surname, where the surname used would usually correspond to the branch of the family ostenting most important title, whether it comes from the paternal or maternal branch (a duke takes precedence over a count or marquis).
Upvote:5
A good primary source for the honorifics and the forms of adress of the Spanish nobility from the Siglo de Oro (the Golden Century, the period you are asking for) is the several plays by Calderón de la Barca and Lope de Vega.
From them, the rules are more or less:
- All nobility gets a Don/Doña before the name, even the hidalgos (the lowest of nobility). If you are writing in English, maybe that "Don" looks weird. It comes from the Latin dominus/domina (master/mistress), so maybe you want to change it to Lord/Lady.
- The usual adress to the nobility is señor/señora, gran señor/señora sometimes for the higher nobles. Excelencia is reserved for dukes, princes and kings. With the times, lower titles added an Ilustrísimo.
- So, Fernando Álvarez de Toledo (1595-1667), Duke of Alba would be in Spanish: Excelentísimo Señor D. Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Mendoza, Duque de Alba
- Cayetano Rebolledo (1665-1692), Marquis of Lazán would be in Spanish: Ilustrísimo Señor D. Cayetano Rebolledo de Palafox y Martínez de Marcilla, Marqués de Lazán
- The two family names are always separated by the "y". During the 16th century, the first family name wasn't always the father's and even siblings could have changed family names. This was more uncommon during the 18th century but it wasn't regulated until the second half of the 19th century.
- Unlike a common misconception, the "explosion" of given names some Spaniards got (two common names + a common name given by the godfather + a common name by the godmother + a beloved saint or the saint of the birthday) wasn't usual until almost 1800. Even nobles only had one given name (two at the most).
More post
- 📝 In what way and to what extent did the USSR exert influence on Mongolia?
- 📝 Why did the Indian National Congress fail to convince Indian minorities to support united India
- 📝 How did people boil water before metal pots?
- 📝 Have any national leaders been kept unaware of their own wars?
- 📝 When and where was the term "nigra" used and what was its relation to "nigger"?
- 📝 What is the highest number of brothers who became ruler of the same country?
- 📝 When did the use of chevrons as military rank devices begin?
- 📝 What was the nature of conflict between Helvetii and German in prelude to Gallic Wars?
- 📝 What is the painting within this 17th c. painting?
- 📝 Why are doughnuts toroidal?
- 📝 Was King Henry VIII, mid-late in his reformation campaign, motivated more by theology or absolutist drive?
- 📝 How long did historical sessions of the US congress last?
- 📝 How to rebut Holocaust denial argument?
- 📝 What did the Musa Dagh monument look like?
- 📝 What is the main difference between an Emperor, a King, a Char, a Sultan, a Dictator, a Dynast and a Tyrant?
- 📝 How many warriors (troops) did feudal vassals have to provide to the king?
- 📝 Regarding Khomeini's speech against USA in Qom-1964?
- 📝 Did the Safavid rulers require all subjects to convert to Shi'a Islam?
- 📝 What do these symbols & annotations in medieval and related texts mean?
- 📝 Did Stalin offer Hitler peace after Stalingrad?
- 📝 What major historical event opened the door to the passage of a homesteading bill?
- 📝 What was "primitive labor rent" or "mains mortales"?
- 📝 Is there a global foot race among religions on the most beautiful churches and when did this start historically?
- 📝 In WW2, how long could a submarine stay submerged if it wasn't moving?
- 📝 Germany's "Economic Miracle"
- 📝 How did MILAN ATGMs make their way to Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion?
- 📝 Why did Mexico encourage the settlement of Texas by Americans?
- 📝 What were Germany's long-term aims in World War I?
- 📝 Why did Switzerland not grant votes to women until 1971?
- 📝 Where does Lincoln say the South wants us to believe as they believe?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What honorifics and forms of address were appropriate for 17th century Spanish nobility?
- 📝 Was murdering a slave illegal in American slavery, and if so, what punishments were given for it?
- 📝 What were the original casualty projections for Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
- 📝 What were Hiroshima and Nagasaki known for prior to World War II?
- 📝 What is the historical evidence for asserting Huns were one and the same as Xiongnu?
- 📝 What were the rights and responsibilities of (various classes of) 11th century English commonfolk?
- 📝 What sorts of people were popular celebrities in 17th to 19th century Europe?
- 📝 What Land Runs were there in the U.S., and were the Indians paid for their land?
- 📝 What were conditions like for Chinese men subject to recruitment by the army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and Chinese Civil War?
- 📝 Was it widespread during the 17th and 18th Century for British country people to be evicted and replaced with more profitable agriculture?
- 📝 What were Helfrich's orders for Doorman in 1942 prior to the Battle of the Java Sea, and did he comment on these in later life?
- 📝 What were the requirements for Iron Cross first and second class?
- 📝 What incentives were there for Soviet and Chinese politicians to try climb to the top when there was so much history of deposing their own?
- 📝 What were the reasons for the Renaissance / scientific revolution in Europe?
- 📝 To what extent did Native American cultures develop metalworking for tools and weapons?
- 📝 What were the reasons for making Prohibition a constitutional amendment?
- 📝 Why were British ships not of the same quality as French and Spanish ships until the latter part of the 18th century?
- 📝 Were there any Germans in Japan after the surrender of Germany in May, 1945 and if so, what happened to them?
- 📝 Are there any documented examples of wooden ships which were in active service for 100 years or more? If not, what is the longest?
- 📝 What were sandbags used for in medieval duels?
- 📝 In WWII, what were the major differences in tank combat on the eastern and western fronts?
- 📝 What kind of ink was used by medieval scribes in Iceland, given that there were no plant galls for iron-gall ink?
- 📝 What were the EMP effects, if any, of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
- 📝 What East German laws and regulations were extended to the West after unification?
- 📝 What is the primary source for this quote by Julius Caesar's on Celts and Germans?
- 📝 What were the criteria for class ranking at West Point prior to the Civil War?
- 📝 What were the demographics and economics of South-East Asian islands around year 1400?
- 📝 What were the Nazi racial views on Hungarians and the Japanese?
- 📝 What were Greek and Roman sails made from?
- 📝 At what point were the most current and former US Presidents alive?