Grandes de España: distinción y cambio social, 1914-1931

Important changes in the configuration of Spanish society took place between 1914 and 1931. These changes were narrowly connected with the specific political circumstances of the time. Urban growth, the emergence of industrial-financial capitalism and the irruption of the masses into politics are some of the main processes which characterised this period. These changes also affected the nobility, more particularly the Grandeza de España.This was a group singled out by the King with the title ‘great’, the highest within nobility. Its origin dates back to the sixteenth-century and is closely related with the Emperor Charles V. Throughout the centuries kings granted new grandezas (titles), amounting to more than 360 for 280 nobles by 1900.Virtually no real social obstacles barred anyone from accessing a grandeza tjtle. Nonetheless, grandes had traditionally always been great landowners. On the other hand, grandezas were attached with a series of ceremonial and symbolic privileged closely related to life in the Court. Moreover, at least until 1923 grandezas granted their holder with a seat in the Senate, the higher house in the bi-cameral system of parliament. The socio-political changes towards modernization mentioned above deeply affected the Grandeza, although not necessarily leaving it in a secondary place. Their approach to these changes illustrates how modernization, understood as social change, was not always a lineal process. First, between 1914 and 1921 the Grandeza opposed the granting of some lower nobility titles to bankers and industrialists merely on the grounds of their economic merits. The Diputación de la Grandeza – their representative body – emitted a series of complaints to the King on the matter. Desires of nobility were highly widespread in society, but the Grandeza opposed what was seen as a misconception of what such social position entailed. The Grandeza failed to impose its idea of nobility although it managed to limit the number of people who were granted nobility titles. The growth of the nobility was one of the main reasons that moved historians in the field to conclude a symbiosis with the idea of bourgeoisie proposed by Schumpeter.The increasing attraction effected by the Grandeza title by the beginning twentieth-century makes one wonder why it was that more and more people were so eager to become Grandes. The Grandeza was constantly present in the printed media. In a way, they were a point of reference for the rest of society. Their family networks and the numerous palaces that they preserved and refurbished in a constantly changing Madrid were great tools for social distinction. In 1920s, they ceased to appear so much in the media, due to the changes the press was experiencing, together with the rest of society. From then on, newspapers and other publications that continued to pay attention to the Grandeza, did so only to reflect how they had been pushed back into the background. With the decay of the Grandeza, History also lost its function as a tool for social distinction. The ceremonies celebrated in Court at the time also set the Grandeza apart from the rest of society. These ceremonies were preserved until the end of the Alfonso XIII’s reign, and the Grandeza always played an essential role in them. The Cobertura was the most exclusivist of all the ceremonies. In it, a Grande’s head was firstly covered with a hat before the king. A speech was also given, in which Spanish History was narrated highlighting the glorious deeds of the Grande´s forefathers and of the Monarchy. Coberturas were attended by all Grandes, either ancient Grandes, new ones or by the husbands of Grande women. Many new Grandes also used the speeches given at the Coberturas to justify their accessing the title. Modestly stating that one did not deserve the Grandeza was also another way of seeking distinction from the rest. In the 20s Grande´s speeches were concerning more about the present and their skills to face the idea of Grandeza. The godfathers –every Grande needs anyone who presented him- also talked about a wider acceptance to new Grandes.From an economic point of view, their power was still based in landowning. Actually, their administrators cared about his possessions, but this absenteeism didn’t mean passivity. The problem was these rents became them riches but not as others who were involved in different economic activities. Moreover, without property privileges, they lived without safety net. It’s true that, step by step, Grandes used to have bonds in industrial or financial enterprises but didn’t manage any of them. Many times, they were involved through trustful bankers –relatives or Grandes as them- and invest their money in ‘sure’ enterprises. When they were directors of these enterprises, they usually had a sheer ornamental character.Since the first moment, political situation was so complicated for them. In Senate, their interventions were such a few, dealing to avoid laws and measures than could affect them negatively. Rarely, there were some intentions which pretended the nobility union as political movement. These failed strongly. Other proposals tried to support the King’s image against different attacks: their union didn’t go so far away. Also they received without complaints the arrival of Primo dictatorship in 1923. Some Grandes seek get some benefits of the social peaceful situation to develop the country in certain terms. Anyway, they never were near Primo and, with this unhelpful attitude, collaborated in his fall. At least, the Grandes’ participation in some of the last Monarchy’s governments was a clear demonstration of their political disorientation.Grandeza was a varied group and, at the same time, it had very singular ingredients which make his research so interesting. His privileged position in society and his wiping out in the beginning of the century, his lost chance in economics and his disorientation in politics, offers interesting links with other European nobilities from Great Britain, Italy and the Habsburg Empire, which experienced similar situations.