Re: assistance requested for a fictional name

On Jan 24, 10:18 pm, Paula <1happyca...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I was wondering if anyone here could help me.  I am writing a
fictional novel set during the Napoleonic wars.  I need to name a
Spanish heroine who comes from a wealthy and noble family, near the
region of Valladolid.  She would be 16 in 1808, and I had thought of
incorporating the name of Montealegre on the paternal side; I would
like to give her a title but although based on fact, it needs to be
fictional, as I will have her fighting with the guerillas against the
French.

Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Regards
Paula Constant

There are remarkably few Spanish surnames and a plethora of branches
of each, so you could attach her to any of the regular noble Castilian
surnames without much improbability. Unlike the English (for example),
Spanish titles are heritable in female as well as male lines, and are
property divided among offspring, so that the great families tend to
have lots of them and give a few to each child. The Empress Eugenie,
for instance, was Countess of Teba -- but her father was the Marquis
of Montijo, which title he passed on to his elder daughter, Francesca;
Eugenie received the lesser title. Francesca then married the Duke of
Alba, who was also Duke of Liria and Berwick. As Berwick is a British
title (though not recognized there), that (and Liria) passed to a
younger line of the family -- the last Duke of Alba had only a
daughter, who received that title (and more other titles than anyone
other noble in Europe) -- but Liria had gone to a younger brother of
her father's, and he also received Berwick as the male heir of the
FitzJames family.

So for instance, your heroine could be Beatriz de Castro y Mendoza,
which would mark her out as belonging to two very ancient families,
but her father's title might be Vizconde or Baron, something very
minor. Which, barring brothers, she would inherit.

Jean Coeur de Lapin
.