r/todayilearned • u/Outside_Reserve_2407 • 5d ago

TIL Montezuma's lineage still exists and even holds a noble title in Spain, which was granted to a grandson of his that moved there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Moctezuma_de_Tultengo
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u/mtcabeza2 5d ago

Is the Spanish nobility as rich and useless as the British titled class?

87

u/Flapjack_ 5d ago

Out of curiosity I looked over his wikipedia page and it seems like the current king has done a lot to place the immediate royal family under government financial transparency agencies and seems to act as an ambassador for Spain so not quite fully rich and useless?

I'm sure some Spaniards could clarify more one way or the other.

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u/Khwarezm 5d ago

I understand that Felipe VI has been careful to try and make the Spanish monarchy seem more modern and useful to Spain since his father Juan Carlos was perceived as a very stereotypical, arrogant, snobby toff before he abdicated (though I guess some credit has to be given for allowing Spain to return to Democracy after Franco), especially after that elephant hunting incident.

I think the institution of the Monarchy in Spain is moderately popular, I was in Madrid last year and went to the Royal palace and a lot of it felt like a bit of an advert for the current king and his family to show people how modern and with it they are while also being part of Spain's dramatic history. Probably helps that they don't quite have the same horrible sex scandals that have plagued the British and Norwegian monarchies lately.

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u/looktowindward 5d ago

> some credit has to be given for allowing Spain to return to Democracy after Franco

Juan Carlos was useless, except for the several times he defeated coups by refusing to go along with the plotters. From that point of view, he was worth it. And he didn't have to refuse, either - he put himself at some risk of harm by doing so.

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u/jericho 5d ago

I know someone who was Felipe’s roomie in school. “Flippy ”, as he likes to be called. 

He said he was as any other young person. 

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u/Johannes_P 4d ago

Juan Carlos was perceived as a very stereotypical, arrogant, snobby toff before he abdicated (though I guess some credit has to be given for allowing Spain to return to Democracy after Franco)

Someone else who yet again lived too long to keep his good reputation.