Elsa M.
Heir Apparent , TRF Author
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2004
- Messages
- 5,808
- City
- --
- Country
- Portugal
Here’s part of an interview given by Don José Miguel Flores de Lizaur to Diogo Pereira, from the Portuguese Jornal Fonte Nova:
http://www.jornalfontenova.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=219&Itemid=130
The Castle of Seguras bellongs to Don José Miguel Carrillo de Albornoz y Muñóz de Sam Pedro Montijano y Flores de Lizaur, the heir of Doña Branca, Viscontess de Torre y Hidalgo and grandson of the Count de Canilleiros (who was the father of the new modern Historiography of Extremadura).
Jose Miguel is graduated in Law and works as an exhibition commissioner, an art investments councillor, a subscriber of the first World’s insurance company of arts for Spain, Portugal and Latin America and a writer.
D.P. - José Miguel, how is it to live in a castle, in 21st century?
J.M. – Well, it’s very agreeable, certainly very different from back in the centuries. A castle, in the 21st century, has central heating systems, canalized water, light, television, telephone, Internet, swimming pool... A castle is a great house, with thicker walls and normally with deeper familiar experiences.
D.P. – What does a nobleman live in Spain of?
J.M. - Some noblemen live of their incomes, others work… In Spain, there’s a bit of everything among the nobility, there’s people who keep large estates (like the Dukes of Alba, Medinaceli, Osuna, Infantado, Terra Nova, the Countess of Canilleros, etc), but most of them live of its work.
D.P. – What relations do you (or the nobility in general) have with the Power, be it central, regional or local?
J.M. - With the central power we do not have any institutional connection. In Spain we do not have a Court since Don Juan Carlos re-established the Monarchy; there are no chamber men (like it usually happened in the previous Courts) and this dictates that the nobles do not have a specific function among the society. I think that it was a great loss for the society. The nobility nowadays has more a role of conserving the historical memory of the times that have passed. At the level of the central power, there’s already a few noblemen who “allow” a group of politicians to join them, and appearing next to renowned people pleases many politicians. It’s at the local level that there is a bigger interaction however, because the noblemen usually come from culturally excellent families, who have had some kind of involvement in this or that kind of power. What’s clear is that they count on us for the relevant local affairs; in Cáceres they normally count on me.
D.P.- How’s your relation with Portugal, being you a border Spaniard?
J.M. - I have always had very good relations with Portugal and the Portuguese. As a matter of fact, I like Portugal very much. There’s only a little sad memory, since this castle was smashed by D. Nuno Álvares Pereira… but I do not keep any resentment… I passed great part of my vacations in Estoril. I am a personal friend of many important Portuguese people, I met great part of the Portuguese high society, the noble families, the Duke of Bragança, his wife and children, many families from Beiras, who continue receiving in the very way it used to be in the 19th century and that is now disappeared, except for a small part of Europe. I continue thinking it is a privilege to live in Portugal.
D.P. - I know that you’ve just concluded two books very recently and that you are going to publish them. Can you speak a bit of them?
J.M. - I have written mainly about the 15th century, my last published book is about Doña Juana, la Beltraneja (D.ª Juana of Castile, D. Joana of Portugal), the wife of Don Afonso V, which I am trying to publish now in Portugal. One of my new books is a story of 18th century, the story of the first wife of the first Borbón – Felipe V. The other will be released later on and it is about her Lady in Waiting, Marie Anne of le Tremoille – Princess of Ursinos, Princess Widower of Chalais (1st husband), Duchess Widower of Bracciano (2nd husband) – a French Lady with a great politic elegance and an enormous sense of State. She lived in Spain between 1701 and 1714.
http://www.jornalfontenova.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=219&Itemid=130
The Castle of Seguras bellongs to Don José Miguel Carrillo de Albornoz y Muñóz de Sam Pedro Montijano y Flores de Lizaur, the heir of Doña Branca, Viscontess de Torre y Hidalgo and grandson of the Count de Canilleiros (who was the father of the new modern Historiography of Extremadura).
Jose Miguel is graduated in Law and works as an exhibition commissioner, an art investments councillor, a subscriber of the first World’s insurance company of arts for Spain, Portugal and Latin America and a writer.
D.P. - José Miguel, how is it to live in a castle, in 21st century?
J.M. – Well, it’s very agreeable, certainly very different from back in the centuries. A castle, in the 21st century, has central heating systems, canalized water, light, television, telephone, Internet, swimming pool... A castle is a great house, with thicker walls and normally with deeper familiar experiences.
D.P. – What does a nobleman live in Spain of?
J.M. - Some noblemen live of their incomes, others work… In Spain, there’s a bit of everything among the nobility, there’s people who keep large estates (like the Dukes of Alba, Medinaceli, Osuna, Infantado, Terra Nova, the Countess of Canilleros, etc), but most of them live of its work.
D.P. – What relations do you (or the nobility in general) have with the Power, be it central, regional or local?
J.M. - With the central power we do not have any institutional connection. In Spain we do not have a Court since Don Juan Carlos re-established the Monarchy; there are no chamber men (like it usually happened in the previous Courts) and this dictates that the nobles do not have a specific function among the society. I think that it was a great loss for the society. The nobility nowadays has more a role of conserving the historical memory of the times that have passed. At the level of the central power, there’s already a few noblemen who “allow” a group of politicians to join them, and appearing next to renowned people pleases many politicians. It’s at the local level that there is a bigger interaction however, because the noblemen usually come from culturally excellent families, who have had some kind of involvement in this or that kind of power. What’s clear is that they count on us for the relevant local affairs; in Cáceres they normally count on me.
D.P.- How’s your relation with Portugal, being you a border Spaniard?
J.M. - I have always had very good relations with Portugal and the Portuguese. As a matter of fact, I like Portugal very much. There’s only a little sad memory, since this castle was smashed by D. Nuno Álvares Pereira… but I do not keep any resentment… I passed great part of my vacations in Estoril. I am a personal friend of many important Portuguese people, I met great part of the Portuguese high society, the noble families, the Duke of Bragança, his wife and children, many families from Beiras, who continue receiving in the very way it used to be in the 19th century and that is now disappeared, except for a small part of Europe. I continue thinking it is a privilege to live in Portugal.
D.P. - I know that you’ve just concluded two books very recently and that you are going to publish them. Can you speak a bit of them?
J.M. - I have written mainly about the 15th century, my last published book is about Doña Juana, la Beltraneja (D.ª Juana of Castile, D. Joana of Portugal), the wife of Don Afonso V, which I am trying to publish now in Portugal. One of my new books is a story of 18th century, the story of the first wife of the first Borbón – Felipe V. The other will be released later on and it is about her Lady in Waiting, Marie Anne of le Tremoille – Princess of Ursinos, Princess Widower of Chalais (1st husband), Duchess Widower of Bracciano (2nd husband) – a French Lady with a great politic elegance and an enormous sense of State. She lived in Spain between 1701 and 1714.
[...]
But now...
unk:
For a woman of her age she looks pretty good. If she wants to wear a bikini, more power to her.
