Mexican Nobility
Interlude: Mexican Nobility
After the Mexican Empire was first proclaimed, one of the issues with which Imperial Congress concerned itself was the recognition of previously existing noble titles. In the wake of independence, existing nobility was a mixture of ruling elites from the precolonial era recognized as such by Spanish authorities and elites who had been granted noble titles by Spanish authorities during the colonial period, though less than a few hundred entitled nobles lived in the Mexican Empire at that time.
Shortly after the coronation of Emperor Charles in 1824, he worked together with an Imperial Congress commission in order to reform the peerage of empire — older titles were to be recognized, but expected to be soon outnumbered by the new set of Imperial titles, which were honorary in so far as they did not imply financial obligations by the state, and in fact, required an ascertainable minimum of wealth or lands to keep, being more of a badge of distinction and honor which could in turn secure the title holder certain social privileges. The Imperial titles could only be granted by the Emperor of Mexico, but had to be confirmed by Imperial Congress, and there were five different ranks: Baron, Viscount, Count, Marquess, and Prince; members of the Imperial Family were granted the title Prince of Mexico, title which indicated seniority over all other members of the noble class.
Additionally, several different Knightly orders were created, including the Imperial Order of the Knights of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the Imperial Order of the Mexican Eagle, but unlike other titles, the ones granted to members of these orders were not hereditary, though depending on the specific circumstances, members could be granted a pension.
After the Mexican Empire was first proclaimed, one of the issues with which Imperial Congress concerned itself was the recognition of previously existing noble titles. In the wake of independence, existing nobility was a mixture of ruling elites from the precolonial era recognized as such by Spanish authorities and elites who had been granted noble titles by Spanish authorities during the colonial period, though less than a few hundred entitled nobles lived in the Mexican Empire at that time.
Shortly after the coronation of Emperor Charles in 1824, he worked together with an Imperial Congress commission in order to reform the peerage of empire — older titles were to be recognized, but expected to be soon outnumbered by the new set of Imperial titles, which were honorary in so far as they did not imply financial obligations by the state, and in fact, required an ascertainable minimum of wealth or lands to keep, being more of a badge of distinction and honor which could in turn secure the title holder certain social privileges. The Imperial titles could only be granted by the Emperor of Mexico, but had to be confirmed by Imperial Congress, and there were five different ranks: Baron, Viscount, Count, Marquess, and Prince; members of the Imperial Family were granted the title Prince of Mexico, title which indicated seniority over all other members of the noble class.
Additionally, several different Knightly orders were created, including the Imperial Order of the Knights of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the Imperial Order of the Mexican Eagle, but unlike other titles, the ones granted to members of these orders were not hereditary, though depending on the specific circumstances, members could be granted a pension.
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