Fidalgo
Encyclopedia
Fidalgo from Galician
and Portuguese
filho de algo—sometimes translated into English as "son of somebody" or "son of some (important family)"—is a traditional title used in Portugal (and later in Brazil) to refer to a member of the titled or untitled nobility
. A fidalgo is comparable in some ways to the French gentilhomme (the word also implies nobility by birth or by charge) and to the Italian nobile
. The title was abolished after the overthrow of the Monarchy in 1910. It is also a family surname
.
and historical roots as its Spanish cognate
, hidalgo
. Although the word algo generally means "something", in this expression the word specifically denotes "riches" or "wealth"; therefore, it was originally a synonym
of rico homem (literally a "rich man").
As late as the reign of Afonso III
(1248–1279), who completed the conquest of the Algarve, the nobility was not differentiated as it would later be. All nobles, who were the large landowners, were simply referred to by the two synonyms, fidalgo or ricos homens. Originally rico homem referred to the administrative duties entrusted to a noble and fidalgo referred to the inherited status of nobility, or in an older parlance, "the nobility of blood." Below the ricos homens were a descending category of their vassal
s: the infanções, the knight
s (cavaleiros) and the squire
s (escudeiros). It was during the reign of John I
(1385–1433) that the terms rico homem and fidalgo came to have their final meanings. Since large segments of the nobility did not side with John I in the 1383–1385 Crisis
and the subsequent war with Castile, they lost their lands once the new king secured his claim to the throne. It was replaced by a new nobility elevated out of previously non-noble families by John I, modeled on the English system. The term fidalgo came to be applied to a category analogous to the English "gentleman." By the start of the fifteenth century the term infanção fell out of use and knight came to mean all those below the ricos homens. Fidalgo began to be emphasized because, in its sense of someone who had inherited nobility, it differentiated the older knights from the growing bourgeoisie
that was continuing to gain access to the knighthood through their accomplishments in the service of the state.
Galician language
Galician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
and Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
filho de algo—sometimes translated into English as "son of somebody" or "son of some (important family)"—is a traditional title used in Portugal (and later in Brazil) to refer to a member of the titled or untitled nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
. A fidalgo is comparable in some ways to the French gentilhomme (the word also implies nobility by birth or by charge) and to the Italian nobile
Nobile (aristocracy)
Nobile or Nob. is an Italian title of nobility ranking between that of baron and knight. As with the other titles of nobility, such as baron or count, nobile is also used immediately before the family name, usually in the abbreviated form: Nob.The word “nobile” is derived from the Latin “nobilis”,...
. The title was abolished after the overthrow of the Monarchy in 1910. It is also a family surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
.
Origins and etymology
The word has the same etymologicalEtymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
and historical roots as its Spanish cognate
Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin. This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus . Cognates within the same language are called doublets. Strictly speaking, loanwords from another language are usually not meant by the term, e.g...
, hidalgo
Hidalgo (Spanish nobility)
A hidalgo or fidalgo is a member of the Spanish and Portuguese nobility. In popular usage it has come to mean the non-titled nobility. Hidalgos were exempt from paying taxes, but did not necessarily own real property...
. Although the word algo generally means "something", in this expression the word specifically denotes "riches" or "wealth"; therefore, it was originally a synonym
Synonym
Synonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy. The word comes from Ancient Greek syn and onoma . The words car and automobile are synonyms...
of rico homem (literally a "rich man").
As late as the reign of Afonso III
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
(1248–1279), who completed the conquest of the Algarve, the nobility was not differentiated as it would later be. All nobles, who were the large landowners, were simply referred to by the two synonyms, fidalgo or ricos homens. Originally rico homem referred to the administrative duties entrusted to a noble and fidalgo referred to the inherited status of nobility, or in an older parlance, "the nobility of blood." Below the ricos homens were a descending category of their vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
s: the infanções, the knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s (cavaleiros) and the squire
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
s (escudeiros). It was during the reign of John I
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
(1385–1433) that the terms rico homem and fidalgo came to have their final meanings. Since large segments of the nobility did not side with John I in the 1383–1385 Crisis
1383–1385 Crisis
The 1383–1385 Crisis was a period of civil war in Portuguese history that began with the death of King Ferdinand I of Portugal, who left no male heirs, and ended with the accession to the throne of King John I in 1385, in the wake of the Battle of Aljubarrota.In Portugal, this period is also known...
and the subsequent war with Castile, they lost their lands once the new king secured his claim to the throne. It was replaced by a new nobility elevated out of previously non-noble families by John I, modeled on the English system. The term fidalgo came to be applied to a category analogous to the English "gentleman." By the start of the fifteenth century the term infanção fell out of use and knight came to mean all those below the ricos homens. Fidalgo began to be emphasized because, in its sense of someone who had inherited nobility, it differentiated the older knights from the growing bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
that was continuing to gain access to the knighthood through their accomplishments in the service of the state.