page_title: Fernando Muñoz Altea
section_title: King of Arms
hierarchical_section_title: Fernando Muñoz Altea / King of Arms
caption_attribution_description: English: Seal of Fernando Muñoz Altea as the King of Arms of the Royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.
context_page_description: Fernando Muñoz Altea was the King of Arms of the Royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. He was a Spanish/Mexican historian, specialised in the study of the aristocratic European colonial families of the Americas. Muñoz Altea was born in Madrid on November 22, 1925. He died in Mexico City on March 2, 2018. Don Fernando Muñoz Altea was considered the "Dean of the Kings of Arms", since due to his seniority in the trade, he was one of the very few and genuine Kings of Arms left in the world today. The extraordinary quality of his genealogical certifications and of his heraldic designs, which he carried out personally, is internationally renowned.
context_section_description: Muñoz Altea was introduced to the study of heraldry, genealogy and nobility by Don José de Rújula y Ochotorena, Marqués de Ciadoncha, Dean of the Corps of Chronicler King of Arms (Cuerpo de Cronista Rey de Armas), and by Don Julio de Atienza y Navajas, Barón de Cobos de Belchite, author of the  well-known work “Nobiliario Español”. Both became his mentors and friends. On 10 November 1962 Muñoz Altea was first appointed King of Arms of the Royal House by Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro, Head of the French Branch of the Royal House. The Former Kingdom of Sicily did not have actual heralds (to grant coats of arms and issue certificates of nobility) in recent times, but rather a Commission for Titles of Nobility based in Naples until 1861. This commission concerned itself with the administration of certain nobiliary institutions, recognition of titles of nobility and heraldry. The appointment of the King of Arms  by the Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro continues this tradition. Certifications of arms and certificates of nobility issued by Muñoz Altea's office in the name of the Royal House are, in effect, documents of a dynastic nature. Muñoz Altea was King of Arms of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, not of Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria.  In addition to his office as King of Arms, Muñoz Altea was delegate of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George in Mexico (Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, branch)
caption: Seal of the King of Arms of the Royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
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