Grandee of Spain

Grandees of Spain (Spanish: Grandes de España) are the highest-ranking members of the Spanish nobility. They comprise nobles who hold the most important historical landed titles in Spain or its former colonies. Many such hereditary titles are held by heads of families, having been acquired via strategic marriages between landed families.

All Grandees, of which there were originally three ranks, are now deemed to be of equal status (i.e. "of the first class"); this designation is nowadays titular, conveying neither power nor legal privileges.

A grandeza de España (Grandeeship) can be held regardless of possession of a title of nobility, however each grandeza was normally (although not always) granted in conjunction with a noble title. Almost without exception, grandezas have been granted with Spanish ducal titles.

Grandees and their consorts are entitled to the honorific prefix of The Most Excellent (Spanish: Excelentísimo Señor, male, or Excelentísima Señora, female; abbreviated as Excmo. Sr. or Excma. Sra.). In written form, their names are followed by the post-nominals GdeE.

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