Spanish Infante Crown.
(
masculine) or
infanta (
feminine), also
anglicised as
infant, was the title and rank given in the European kingdoms of
Spain (includings the predecessor kingdoms of
Aragon,
Castile,
Navarre and
León) and
Portugal to a son or daughter of the king, or to a grandson or granddaughter in the male line of a reigning
monarch (and also to a princess's children if she was the heir apparent to the throne). Female consorts of princes of the blood when married automatically gained the title
Infanta, while male consorts did not have an inherent right to the title, style and rank of
Infante upon marriage to a princess of the blood.
The name derives from the same root as "
infant," but this means simply "child" in Romance languages (cfr. French
Enfants de France), and in this case indicates that the Infante or Infanta is the child of the monarch. Like the
Enfants de France, all
Infantes in the different kingdoms were and are always royal princes, in the general meaning of the word.
Portuguese infantes
Infante had no feminine form at first in Portugal, and may be related in Portuguese to the Portuguese lower nobility, the
infanções, who were also the younger children with no prospects of heritage in the noble houses they were born to, just distinguished in law by some prerogatives, but almost no patrimony.
Afterwards, the word
Infanta emerged in Portugal as a feminised form applied to the Portuguese princesses after the 16th and 17th centuries. Also, after
Edward of Portugal, in the 15th century, the heir apparent and his older son, or daughter, were styled just as "Prince" and "Princess". The first Prince in Portugal was the future
Afonso V, his eldest son, maybe adopting the French royal style by an English influence brought by queen
Philippa of England.
After the ascension of the
House of Braganza to the royalty, it was added the title "Most Serene" (
Sereníssimo) to the title of Infante - as well as
Sereníssima to Infanta -, since the complete name of this house was "Most Serene House of Braganza" (
Sereníssima Casa de Bragança), a style granted by the
Pope. The style, however, does not seem to be used with the title of Prince Royal.
The current Infantes of Portugal (presently a republic) are close relatives of
Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza, head of the Portuguese Royal House:
Afonso de Santa Maria, Prince of Beira, Duarte Pio eldest son, as heir apparent to the Portuguese Royal House, is styled
Prince of Beira, not Infante.
Brazilian infantes
After its independence from Portugal (1822), Brazilian monarchy kept the use of
Infante to indicate the siblings of the heir apparent. However, its use was gradually decreased since the official style for them was
Princes of Brazil, distinguishing the Brazilian Infantes from the
Imperial Prince of Brazil, the heir apparent, and the
Prince of Grão-Pará, his/her eldest born son (or daughter). It should be noted that the Brazilian title of
Prince of Brazil must not be confused with the former Portuguese homonym title.
Spanish infantes
In contemporary Spain, distantly related princes of the blood of the Spanish
royal family are also granted the title. Note that
infante is also used for a hereditary title of nobility, as in
los infantes de Carrión in
The Lay of the Cid. In the Royal Family the style of Infante is reserved for the children of the Monarch and the
heir apparent (
Infantes by birth). A second category of Infantes received the style by Royal Decree (
Infantes by grace).
The current Infantas of Spain (
by birth). are:
Carlos de Borbón,
Duke of Calabria and King Juan Carlos' cousin, also holds the title of Infante of Spain (
by grace).
Alicia of Bourbon-Parma, mother of Infante Carlos, Infanta of Spain (
by grace) from her marriage with
Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria.
Prince Felipe, son of King Juan Carlos, as
heir apparent to the Spanish throne, is styled
Prince of Asturias, not Infante.
See also
Footnotes
Category:History of PortugalCategory:History of SpainCategory:Noble titles Category:Portuguese languageCategory:Spanish languagebe-x-old:Інфантbs:Infantcs:Infantde:Infantes:Infanteeo:Infantofr:Infantko:인판테hr:Infantit:Infantehe:אינפנטהlv:Infantsnl:Infanteja:インファンテ (称号)no:Infantepl:Infantpt:Infanteru:Инфантsk:Infantsr:Инфант (титула)sv:Infantuk:Інфант
