Modern Aztec Royals

Did you know that there is still a Spanish peer with a title dating back to the rulers of the Aztec Empire? I surely knew this at one point as I re-discovered it while cleaning out my school notes on Latin American History. Juan José is the 6th Duke of Montezuma and related to Montezuma II, and can trace his lineage back to the 1360s with Acamapichtli, the founder of the Aztec Dynasty. However, the title is given by the Spanish crown and their ancestors renounced any claim to a throne and pledged allegiance to Spain since the conquest. So while they may trace their lineage to the Aztec royalty, and the title is related to that lineage, they are Spanish royals, not Modern Aztec royals.

Huēyi Tlahtoāni is often translated as Aztec Emperor and the most famous is the 9th Emperor, Montezuma II (1502-1520). After the conquest of the Aztecs, some encomiendas were granted to Indian nobles. Montezuma's surviving family benefited from the encomienda structure. In 1567, Diego Luis de Moctezuma emigrated to Madrid from modern day Hidalgo, Mexico, in order to represent his family's interest at the royal court. While at court, he met and married Francisca de la Cueva y Bocanegra, who was the granddaughter of a Duke of Albuquerque and a lady-in-waiting to Anne of Austria, wife of Phillip II. They had a son, Pedro Tesifón Moctezuma de la Cueva, born in Spain.

Upon Diego's death in 1612, Pedro renounced his right to claim the throne in the New Spain lands and declared himself a vassal of the Spanish crown as he inherited his father's estates in Mexico. Fifteen years later, in 1627, King Philip IV of Spain gave the title of "Count of Moctezuma" to Pedro.

In 1865, Queen Isabella II of Spain then granted the title of Duke of Moctezuma to Pedro's descent, Antonio María Marcilla de Teruel-Moctezuma y Navarro.

The current holder of the title is Juan José Marcilla de Teruel-Moctezuma y Valcárcel, 6th Duke of Moctezuma. There's a really good interview with the Duke's daughter and heir, Sofia, in El Independiente from March 2024. I get the sense that there is a huge difference between their economic situation and the other Dukes of the Spanish peerage, even though they've been peers for 500 years in Spain.

Source: El Independiente Interview

Wikipedia and A History of Latin America