List of titles and honours of the Spanish Crown

King Juan Carlos I is a direct descendant of many famous European rulers from different countries, such as Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (who as Carlos I is said to have been the first King of Spain), King Louis XIV of France and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Therefore, he is related to all the current monarchs of Europe.

The current Spanish constitution refers to the monarchy as "the crown of Spain" and the constitutional title of the monarch is simply rey/reina de España: that is, "king/queen of Spain". However, the constitution allows for the use of other historic titles pertaining to the Spanish monarchy, without specifying them. A decree promulgated 6 November 1987 at the Council of Ministers regulates the titles further, and on that basis the monarch of Spain has a right to use ("may use") those other titles appertaining to the Crown. Contrary to some belief, the long titulary that contains the list of over 20 kingdoms, etc., is not in state use, nor is it used in Spanish diplomacy. In fact, it has never been in use in that form, as "Spain" was never a part of the list in pre-1837 era when the long list was officially used [ [http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Admin/constitucion.t2.html Article 57 of the Spanish Constitution] (Spanish Only)] .

Spain, mentioned differently in the titulary depending on which monarch was reigning, was for more than three centuries also symbolized by the long list that started "...of Castile, Leon, Aragon,..." - The following long titulary in the feudal style was the last used officially in 1836 by Isabella II of Spain (see the account of titulary in her article) before she became constitutional queen.

The first king to officially use a derivation of the name "Spain" as the realm in the titulary was Carlos I of Spain, who used "Rex Hispaniarum et Indiarum"(i.e., King of the Spaniards and the Indians). It should be noted that this title was often used after his title of "Holy Roman Emperor," as "Emperor" was considered a superior title to "King." During his brief and controversial occupancy of the throneJoseph Napoleon Bonaparte, brother of Emperor Napoleon, also used a similar title, "King of the Spains and the Indies".

During the first restoration of the historic dynasty, it returned to the traditional format (...of Castile, Leon, Aragon,...) until 1837, when the short version "queen of the Spains" was taken into use by Isabel II. The singular "Spain" was first used by Amadeo — he was "by divine grace and will of nation, king of Spain." During the second restoration, King Alfonso XII started to use "constitutional king of Spain, by divine and constitutional grace".

With the current (and third) restoration of the royal house of Spain, the present monarch, Juan Carlos, uses the simple title "king of Spain", without any divine, national or constitutional reference.

Titles held by the King of Spain

Spanish monarchical Titles or Style are listed in order of degrees of sovereignty, nobility, and honor: [ [http://www.dhistoria.com/carpetas/2004/05/los_ttulos_del.html List of titles and honours of the Spanish Crown] . dhistoria.com (Spanish Only)]

Notes: titles marked with * are historical titles which are only nominal and ceremonial; titles marked with ** under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, ["Juridical Facts as Sources of International Rights and Obligations", vol. 6 in "International law in historical perspective", J. H. W. Verzijl, W. P. Heere, J. P. S. Offerhaus, p. 174. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1973. ISBN 9028602232] the Spanish Crown emphasized the viewpoint that Britain merely enjoyed "possession" of Gibraltar, rather than "sovereignty" over it. ["Spain", George Hills, p. 80. Praeger, 1970]

Kingdoms

*

*

*

*

**

**

*

*

*

*

*

**

*

**

*

*

*s*

*

***

*

**

Archduchies

**

Duchies

**
**
**
**
**

Counties

**
**
**
**
*

Lordships

*
*

Military Rank

*Captain General of the Royal Spanish Armed Forces and its Supreme Commander

Hereditary Orders

*Sovereign Grand Master of the Celebrated Order of the Golden Fleece (Spain)
*Grand Master of the Royal & Distinguished Order of Charles III (Spain)
*Grand Master of the Royal Order of Isabel, the Catholic (Spain)
*Grand Master of the Royal & Military Order of St. Hermenegildo (Spain)
*Grand Master of the Royal & Military Order of St. Fernando (Spain)
*Grand Master of the Order of Montesa (Spain)
*Grand Master of the Order of Alcántara (Spain)
*Grand Master of the Order of Calatrava (Spain)
*Grand Master of the Order of Santiago (Spain)
*Grand Master of the Order of Maria Luisa (Spain)

Non-Hereditary Orders held by King Juan Carlos I

*Knight of the Order of the Annunziata (Italy)
*Knight of the Order of the Elephant (Denmark)
*Knight of the Order of the Garter (United Kingdom)
*Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim (Sweden)
*Bailio Grand Cross of Justice with Necklace of the Order of Constantino and George (Greece)
*Bailio Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
*First Class Star of the Order of the White Lion (Czech Republic)
*Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great (Lithuania)
*Grand Collar of the Order of the Tower and Sword (Portugal)
*Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum (Japan)
*Grand Cordon of the Order of Léopold (Belgium)
*Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy)
*Grand Necklace of the Dynasty of Reza (Iran)
*Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (France)
*Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (France)
*Grand Cross, Special Class Class Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Germany)
*Grand Cross of the Order of the Dutch Lion (The Netherlands)
*Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (Norway)
*Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose (Finland)

Titles held by the heir apparent to the Spanish Throne

Titles and styles are listed in order of degrees of rank, nobility, and honor [ [http://www.casareal.es/sar_principe/index-ides-idweb.html The Royal Household of His Majesty the King] (Spanish only)] :

Principalities

*
*
*

Duchies, Counties and Lordships

*
*
*

Orders

pain

*Knight of the Celebrated Order of the Golden Fleece
*Knight of the Royal & Distinguished Order of Charles III
*Knight of the Royal & Military Order of St. Hermenegildo
*Knight of the Order of Montesa
*Knight of the Order of Alcántara
*Knight of the Order of Calatrava
*Knight of the Order of Santiago

Foreign Orders

*Knight of The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (Norway)
*Grand Officer of the Order of the Tower and Sword (Portugal)

Byzantine Empire

The last titular Byzantine Emperor, Andreas Palaiologos, sold his imperial title to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile before his death in 1502. [Norwich, John Julius, "Byzantium — The Decline and Fall", p. 446.] However, the sale of such a title in pretense was of uncertain validity and no kings of Spain are known to have used the Byzantine Imperial titles.

ee also

*Imperator totius Hispaniae
*Spanish monarchy
*Juan Carlos I of Spain
*Felipe, Prince of Asturias

References