House of Cámara
House of Cámara | |
---|---|
Noble family | |
Place of origin | Alcalá de Henares, Spain
( Marquis of Ribeira Grande (1855) |
The House of Cámara (also known in Spanish as de la Cámara or in Portuguese as da Câmara or Gonçalves da Câmara) is an aristocratic family with a rich history in Spain, Portugal and Mexico.
Gonzalo de la Cámara was elevated to
A branch of the family established itself in the
In Mexico, the Cámara family has a history that dates back to 1542 when
History
The origins of the family date back to 1227 when Gonzalo de la Cámara, a military officer, was ennobled by orders of King Ferdinand III of Castile, thus recognizing his outstanding participation in the surrender of Baeza by the Moors.
Although Gonzalo de la Cámara was originally from Alcalá de Henares, his descendants settled in Galicia, in the north of Spain; One of the most distinguished was Juan Rodríguez de la Cámara, a poet from the late 15th century who was born in Padrón, a municipality in the Galician province of La Coruña. Speaking about his family origins, the Spanish Royal Academy of History (Real Academia de la Historia) tells us that his "family name, Cámara, appears registered in the tomb of the main local church, he must have been born in the Galician town of his last name or in its vicinity in the last years of the fourteenth century, in a family belonging to the nobility."[9]
The Portuguese Branch
Over time, a branch of the family settled in the neighboring Kingdom of Portugal. In 1420, João Gonçalves da Câmara (Zarco), a descendant of this line, discovered the Archipelago of Madeira.
For many centuries, the family maintained the hereditary title of
In 1573, the captain of São Miguel,
Rui, meanwhile, following his father's death had chosen to remain in Lisbon, and was there when the continent fell to Philip II.[10] He aligned himself, and by association, his family to the Philippine succession.[10] For his part, King Philip conceded to him, the title of Count of Vila Franca.[10] At the time, the Countship was the highest honorific title that the King could bestow on a Portuguese citizen, especially one that was not his own son.[10] There were few counts in Portugal, and many of them were wealthy and powerful.[10] The selection of the designation was specifically chosen to privilege the nobles of the island of São Miguel, where the provincial capital had been of Vila Franca do Campo until 1522.[10]
Yet, the municipal authorities at the time did not appreciate that D. Rui was named Count in their name, since that title was conferred by a Spanish King.[10] Philip II undeterred responded that the title was merely honorific, and that the title did not transgress any of the rights and privileges of the "citizens" of the town.[10]
Rui da Câmara eventually arrived in his countship along with a second fleet, ordered to the archipelago to conquer the island of Terceira, which had held out (along with other islands) the acclamation of Philip as
In the aftermath of the succession of John IV to the throne,[12] many of the islands of the Azores acclaimed the monarch and Rodrigo da Câmara, 3rd Count of Vila Franca, eventually accepted his reign following the defeat of the Spanish at the fortress of Terceira and a personal letter from John IV.[13] Rodrigo kept his titles and privileges following the defeat, but, in 1650, the Inquisition investigated and arrested the Count from several complaints raised against him associated with sexual escapades.[13] His possessions, privileges and titles were confiscated and his family's position was in crisis: the noble eventually died a miserable death in the Convent of Cape St. Vincent in 1601.[13] Although his wife was unable to liberate her husband, she was able to influence the King into restoring their family honours and possessions following her husband's death, thanks to her family connections as descendant of Vasco da Gama.[14] Her son was the direct beneficiary of this warming of ties. Owing to the tarnished nature of the Countship of Vila Franca, it was decided by the King to substitute Ribeira Grande for the blemished former provincial title.[14] The use of Vila Franca had already been a polemic decision in the first place, since Philip II of Spain had not consulted the Portuguese before instituting the honorific.[14]
On the initiative of the
List of Counts of Vila Franca
- Rui Gonçalves da Câmara, 1st Count of Vila Franca (1578–1601)
- Manuel da Câmara, 2nd Count of Vila Franca (1601–1619)
- Rodrigo da Câmara, 3rd Count of Vila Franca (1619–1662)
- Manuel da Câmara, 4th Count of Vila Franca (1662–1673)[15]
List of Counts of Ribeira Grande
- , 1st Count of Ribeira Grande (1630–1675);
- D. José Rodrigo da Câmara, 2nd Count of Ribeira Grande (1665–1724);
- D. Luís Manuel da Câmara, 3rd Count of Ribeira Grande (1685–1723);
- D. José da Câmara, 4th Count of Ribeira Grande (1712–1757);
- D. Guido Augusto da Câmara e Ataíde, 5th Count of Ribeira Grande (1718–1770);
- D. Luís António José Maria da Câmara, 6th Count of Ribeira Grande (1754–1802);
- D. José Maria Gonçalves Zarco da Câmara, 7th Count of Ribeira Grande (1784–1820);
List of Marquess of Ribeira Grande
- D. Francisco de Sales Gonçalves Zarco da Câmara, 8th Count of Ribeira Grande (1819–1872), created 1st Marquis of Ribeira Grande by decree of King Pedro V of Portugal, issued on September 5, 1855
- D. José Maria Gonçalves Zarco da Câmara, 9th Count of Ribeira Grande (1843–1907);
- D. Vicente de Paula Gonçalves Zarco da Câmara, 10th Count of Ribeira Grande (1875–1946);
Pretendants
Following the fall of the monarchy, the Republican government abolished noble and honorific titles. Yet, some of the descendants still maintained those honorific titles and claims, including: D. José Maria Gonçalves Zarco da Câmara; D. José Vicente Gonçalves Zarco da Câmara; and D. José Cabral Gonçalves Zarco da Câmara.
The Mexican branch
Juan de la Cámara, originally from Alcalá de Henares, arrived in the New World in 1539, accompanying Francisco de Montejo in the Spanish conquest of Yucatán. In 1542, during the establishment of the city of Mérida, all members of the first municipal council (cabildo) were of noble hidalgo status. Juan de la Cámara was one of the founders of Mérida, serving in the first municipal council as chief constable of the city (Alguacil Mayor)[16] and later, also as its mayor.
In Spain, hidalguía was a status within the nobility that bestowed certain privileges and tax exemptions upon its holders. During the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire led by Hernán Cortés, the majority of the conquerors did not belong to the hidalgo class. Conversely, during the conquest of Yucatán, the directive of King Charles I of Spain was followed, granting the benefits of the conquest exclusively to the hidalgos. In Yucatán, documentary evidence of hidalguía ("probanzas") was required to hold civil positions. Hidalgos received land and encomiendas as rewards for their service.
One notable aspect of the Cámara family's history is their ability to prove, through probanzas, their connection to medieval nobility which further enhanced their status and lineage:
"The Cámara family is a special case, perhaps in all of Latin America: a family that has prevailed from the early moments of the Colonial era to the present day. Don Juan de la Cámara arrived in these lands with Montejo, which is why the Cámara family is the oldest criollo family in Yucatán. They had great relevance during the Colonial times and also had significant influence in the 19th century. Don Juan de la Cámara was able to prove that one of his ancestors, Alfonso Ruiz de la Cámara, had been knighted [...] For many years, the Cámara family owned Cancún and its surroundings, which is now home to one of the most important tourist destinations in the Caribbean."[2]
Through strategic intermarriages with other descendants of conquistadors and hidalgos, the Cámara family formed a distinct social caste, marrying the descendants of figures such as Francisco de Montejo, Gaspar and Melchor Pacheco, Andrés Dorantes de Carranza, and Francisco de Solís, who served as governor of Puerto Rico and Yucatán.
"A genealogical study of the different landowning families [...] demonstrates to what extent they formed a caste within the Yucatecan society, and to what extent, they had consciousness of belonging to a privileged group [...] throughout the centuries, they were a separate group [...] With the study of the documents referring to concessions of encomiendas, we were able to glimpse from the beginning the existence of a criollo aristocracy. But as we progress in our investigations, we realized that what actually existed was a small and closed oligarchy that, by the practice of endogamy, had managed to keep their distinguished antecedents even enriching them through new connections to the descendants of other conquistadores [...] it is curious and interesting to observe how all families are closely linked to each other, to the point of being all directly or indirectly related. What is significant is that the vast majority of all these families can boast descent from the most prominent conquistadores [...] Apparently, it seems logical that all the criollo inhabitants of Yucatan descended from the first conquistadores. But what is no longer so normal [...] is that of all the men who distinguished themselves in the conquest of Yucatan — Francisco de Montejo, Gaspar and Melchor Pacheco, Juan de Magaña, Juan de la Cámara, [...] etc. — only very few stand out as common ancestors of many of the Yucatecan families [...] The consequence is the same: a closed society that has defended at any cost its conquistador origin by marriage with other families with similar ancestry."[7]
An example of these matrimonial alliances is the Cámara family's connection to Carlos de Arellano, a cavalry captain, who had fought in Flanders and France,[17] and who was the first cousin of Doña Juana Ramírez de Arellano y Zúñiga,[18] the wife of Hernán Cortés (Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca)[19] and niece of the Duke of Béjar.[20] In 1562, Carlos de Arellano married Francisca Montejo y Castillo, the only daughter of the conquistador Francisco Montejo.[17] Carlos de Arellano was also the great-grandson of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, the first Duke of Infantado.[21][22] Their daughter, Catalina Arellano Montejo, married Diego Solís Osorio in 1583.[23] María Solís Casanova, a descendant of this marriage, married Antonio de la Cámara y Osorio in 1688.[24] Through their descent from Carlos Arellano, the de la Cámara family can claim descent from the Houses of Mendoza and Arellano, two of the most aristocratic families in Spain. Among the most noteworthy members of the House of Mendoza, for example, is Cardinal Mendoza, a renowned Spanish statesman whose influence was such that he was called "the Third King" during the reign of Isabel and Fernando, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. This intermingling of conquistador lineage and noble connections further solidified the Cámara family's place among the criollo aristocracy of colonial Mexico.
However, despite their noble lineage and contributions to the Spanish Empire, the Cámara family and other conquerors faced challenges in obtaining the rewards and recognition they believed they deserved after the conquest. The Spanish Crown was reluctant to grant noble titles in the New World, as it sought to prevent the development of a powerful nobility that could challenge its authority. It was only after much agitation by the conquistadors and their heirs, who felt displaced in the granting of offices and favors by the newcomers from Spain, that Charles V agreed in 1543 that those who had participated in the conquest of Mexico should be classified as "first and principal conquerors" and, by virtue of this, should be entitled to preferential treatment.[25]
The Cámara family also held significant influence in the second half 19th century and early 20th century. During this period, Yucatán became the world's main producer of
The boom rapidly transformed the Yucatan into the wealthiest and most industrialized
Alfonso Cámara y Cámara was a conservative politician who served as lieutenant governor of Yucatán during the administration of Francisco Cantón. In 1902, Cantón proposed him as his successor, but Porfirio Díaz, the dictator who ruled Mexico for 30 years, favored the candidacy of his rival, Olegario Molina.[38]
On the other hand, Gonzalo Cámara Zavala was a philanthropist, lawyer, essayist, and writer who founded the League of Social Action. His son, Carlos Cámara, was also a prominent troubadour and composer. The influence of the Cámara family manifested itself in the cultural and artistic sphere. Hortensia Cámara Vales and
Alfredo Pino Cámara, another grandson, was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Justice[42] who had achieved notoriety when he acted as the presiding judge in the criminal trial of Tina Modotti, the communist photographer accused of murdering Julio Antonio Mella, her lover and an exiled Cuban activist.[43] Similarly, Fernando Cámara Barbachano was a social anthropologist and museologist linked to the INAH.[44] Finally, Raymundo's great-grandson, Ismael Moreno Pino, was one of the diplomats that negotiated the Treaty of Tlatelolco which prohibited nuclear weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean.[45]
The family had extensive properties throughout the Yucatán Peninsula. A few of the haciendas owned by members of the Cámara family in the early 20th century include Hacienda San Antonio Cámara,[46] Hacienda Chucmichén,[46] Hacienda Santa Ana,[47] Hacienda Xcalak,[47] Hacienda San Diego Azcorra,[48]Hacienda Itzincab Cámara,[49] Hacienda Polyuc[47] and Hacienda Dzuiché, among many others.[47] They were also the owners of the iconic Cámara Houses in Mérida.
After the
See also
- List of noble houses
- Count of Vila Franca
- Count of Ribeira Grande
- Portuguese nobility
- Spanish nobility
- Mexican nobility
- Juan Rodríguez de la Cámara
- João Gonçalves da Câmara (Zarco)
- Captains of the Donataries
Bibliography
- Barreto, Maxcahrenas. Portuguese columbus : secret agent of King John II.. London, England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. OCLC 935190217
- Melo, Carlos. História dos Açores: Da descoberta a 1934 . Ponta Delgada: Câmara Municipal de Ponta Delgada, 2008.
- Faria e Maia, Francisco de Athayde M. de.. Capitães dos donatários (1439–1766). Lisboa, Portugal: Núcleo Gráfico da Escola Preparatória de F. Arruda, 1972. OCLC 976699653[51]
- Valdés Acosta, José María. A Través de las Centurias (Vol. I). México DF: Talleres Litográficos de la Impresora Bravo, 1979. OCLC 6626094[52]
- García Bernal, Manuela Cristina. La Sociedad en Yucatán (1700–1750). Sevilla, España: Editorial CSIC, 1972. OCLC 1178651[53]
- González Muñoz, Victoria and Martínez-Ortega, Ana. Cabildos y élites capitulares en Yucatán (1700–1725). Sevilla, España: Escuela de Estudios Hispano-Americanos de Sevilla, 1989. OCLC 782343653[54]
- Ladd, Doris. The Mexican Nobility at Independence (1780–1826) . Austin, Texas: Institute of Latin American Studies, 1976. OCLC 491921643[55]
References
- ^ Valdés Acosta (1979),p. 367
- ^ a b c d "Las 24 Familias Yucatecas con Hidalguía y Algunas Más". 9 December 2013.
- ^ Barreto (2014), p.314
- ^ Melo Bento (2008), p.52
- ^ "Câmara". Heraldry Institute of Rome.
- ^ González Muñoz and Martínez Ortega (1989),p. 169
- ^ ISBN 978-84-00-02030-9.
- ^ a b Montiel, Elsie. ""Yucatán's Green Gold"". UNAM.
- ^ "Juan Rodríguez de la Cámara | Real Academia de la Historia". dbe.rah.es. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Carlos Melo Bento (2008), p.47
- ^ Carlos Melo Bento (2008), p.48
- ^ a b Carlos Melo Bento (2008), p.49
- ^ a b c Carlos Melo Bento (2008), p.50
- ^ a b c Carlos Melo Bento (2008), p.52
- ^ Technically, Manuel da Câmara did not hold his title for long, as the Inquisition had stripped these rights and privileges with the condemnation and imprisonment of his father
- ^ Cogolludo, Diego López de (1957). Historia de Yucatán: Notas y acotaciones (in Spanish). Editorial Academia Literaria.
- ^ a b Cogolludo, Diego López de (1957). Historia de Yucatán: Notas y acotaciones (in Spanish). Editorial Academia Literaria.
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- ^ Gallardo, Ricardo Ortega y Pérez (1908). Historia genealógica de las familias más antiguas de México (in Spanish). Imprenta de A. Carranza y hijos.
- ISBN 978-0-7614-1482-7.
- ^ Castro, Luis de Salazar y (1685). Historia genealogica de la Casa de Silva: donde se refieren las acciones mas señaladas de sus Señores, las Fundaciones de sus Mayorazgos, y la calidad de sus alianças matrimoniales (in Spanish). por Melchor Alvarez y Mateo de Llanos.
- ^ Peón, Joaquín de Arrigunaga (1967). Estirpe de conquistadores (in Spanish). Academia Yucateca de Historia y Genealogía Francisco de Montejo.
- ^ Mañé, Jorge Ignacio Rubio (1971). Los Sanjuanistas de Yucatán: Manuel Jiménez Solís, el Padre Justis (in Spanish). Boletin del Archivo General de la Nación.
- ^ Acosta, José María Valdés (1923). A través de las centurias: obra especial que contiene apuntes históricos, relatos genealógicos, reseñas biográficas, páginas literarias, antiguos documentos y retratos, etc., etc., etc (in Spanish). Talleres "Pluma y Lápiz".
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- ^ Who's Notable in Mexico. Who's Who in Mexico. 1972.
- ^ Toraya, Betina González. "María Casimira Cámara Vales, la estoica esposa de un vicepresidente de México". www.lajornadamaya.mx. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
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