In Spain, a grandee was a noble of the first rank, which consisted partly of the relatives of the royal house, and partly of such members of the high feudal nobility distinguished for their wealth as had, by the grant of a banner received from the king, the right to enlist soldiers under their own colours. Besides the general prerogatives of the higher nobility, and the priority of claim to the highest offices of state, the grandees possessed the right of covering the head in the presence of the king, with his permission, on all public occasions. The king called each of them 'my cousin' (mi primo), while he addressed the other members of the high nobility only as 'my kinsman' (mi pariente). Under Ferdinand and Isabella and Charles V the independent feudal nobility became a dependent order of court nobles, and their privileges were curtailed. Research Grandee
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
People
Research Grandee
