House of Cámara
Mexican branch
### Mexican branch

[thumb\|One of the [Cámara Houses](/wiki/C%C3%A1mara_Houses "Cámara Houses"), a pair of [townhouses](/wiki/Townhouse_%28Great_Britain%29 "Townhouse (Great Britain)") built for the Cámara family in the [Paseo de Montejo](/wiki/Paseo_de_Montejo "Paseo de Montejo") between 1908 and 1911\. They were designed in the fashionable [Beaux\-Arts style](/wiki/Beaux-Arts_architecture "Beaux-Arts architecture") by [Gustave Umbdenstock](/wiki/Gustave_Umbdenstock "Gustave Umbdenstock"), the French architect,](/wiki/File:One_of_Merida%27s_twin_mansions_%E2%80%9CLas_Casas_Gemelas%E2%80%9D.jpg "One of Merida's twin mansions “Las Casas Gemelas”.jpg")
[Juan de la Cámara](/wiki/Juan_de_la_C%C3%A1mara "Juan de la Cámara"), originally from [Alcalá de Henares](/wiki/Alcal%C3%A1_de_Henares "Alcalá de Henares"), arrived in the [New World](/wiki/New_World "New World") in 1539, accompanying [Francisco de Montejo](/wiki/Francisco_de_Montejo "Francisco de Montejo") in the [Spanish conquest of Yucatán](/wiki/Spanish_conquest_of_Yucat%C3%A1n "Spanish conquest of Yucatán"). In 1542, during the establishment of the city of [Mérida](/wiki/M%C3%A9rida%2C_Yucat%C3%A1n "Mérida, Yucatán"), all members of the first [municipal council](/wiki/Municipal_council "Municipal council") ([*cabildo*](/wiki/Cabildo_%28council%29 "Cabildo (council)")) were of noble hidalgo status. Juan de la Cámara was one of the founders of [Mérida](/wiki/M%C3%A9rida%2C_Yucat%C3%A1n "Mérida, Yucatán"), serving in the first municipal council as [chief constable](/wiki/Constable "Constable") of the city (*Alguacil Mayor*) and later, also as its mayor.

In Spain, [hidalguía](/wiki/Hidalgo_%28nobility%29 "Hidalgo (nobility)") was a status within the [nobility](/wiki/Nobility "Nobility") that bestowed certain privileges and [tax exemptions](/wiki/Tax_exemption "Tax exemption") upon its holders. During the [Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire](/wiki/Spanish_conquest_of_the_Aztec_Empire "Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire") led by [Hernán Cortés](/wiki/Hern%C3%A1n_Cort%C3%A9s "Hernán Cortés"), the majority of the conquerors did not belong to the hidalgo class. Conversely, during the conquest of Yucatán, the directive of King [Charles I of Spain](/wiki/Charles_V%2C_Holy_Roman_Emperor "Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor") was followed, granting the benefits of the conquest exclusively to the hidalgos. In Yucatán, documentary evidence of hidalguía ("*probanzas*") was required to hold civil positions. Hidalgos received land and [encomiendas](/wiki/Encomienda "Encomienda") as rewards for their service.

One notable aspect of the Cámara family's history is their ability to prove, through *probanzas*, their connection to medieval nobility which further enhanced their status and lineage:
> "The Cámara family is a special case, perhaps in all of Latin America: a family that has prevailed from the early moments of the Colonial era to the present day. Don Juan de la Cámara arrived in these lands with Montejo, which is why the Cámara family is the oldest criollo family in Yucatán. They had great relevance during the Colonial times and also had significant influence in the 19th century. Don Juan de la Cámara was able to prove that one of his ancestors, Alfonso Ruiz de la Cámara, had been knighted \[...] For many years, the Cámara family owned [Cancún](/wiki/Canc%C3%BAn "Cancún") and its surroundings, which is now home to one of the most important tourist destinations in the Caribbean."

Through strategic intermarriages with other descendants of conquistadors and hidalgos, the Cámara family formed a distinct social [caste](/wiki/Caste "Caste"), marrying the descendants of figures such as [Francisco de Montejo](/wiki/Francisco_de_Montejo "Francisco de Montejo"), Gaspar and Melchor Pacheco, [Andrés Dorantes de Carranza](/wiki/Andr%C3%A9s_Dorantes_de_Carranza "Andrés Dorantes de Carranza"), and Francisco de Solís, who served as [governor of Puerto Rico](/wiki/Governor_of_Puerto_Rico "Governor of Puerto Rico") and [Yucatán](/wiki/Governor_of_Yucat%C3%A1n "Governor of Yucatán").
> "A genealogical study of the different [landowning families](/wiki/Landed_gentry "Landed gentry") \[...] demonstrates to what extent they formed a [caste](/wiki/Caste "Caste") within the Yucatecan society, and to what extent, they had consciousness of belonging to a privileged group \[...] throughout the centuries, they were a separate group \[...] With the study of the documents referring to concessions of [encomiendas](/wiki/Encomienda "Encomienda"), we were able to glimpse from the beginning the existence of a [criollo](/wiki/Criollo_people "Criollo people") [aristocracy](/wiki/Aristocracy "Aristocracy"). But as we progress in our investigations, we realized that what actually existed was a small and closed [oligarchy](/wiki/Oligarchy "Oligarchy") that, by the practice of [endogamy](/wiki/Endogamy "Endogamy"), had managed to keep their distinguished antecedents even enriching them through new connections to the descendants of other conquistadores \[...] it is curious and interesting to observe how all families are closely linked to each other, to the point of being all directly or indirectly related. What is significant is that the vast majority of all these families can boast descent from the most prominent conquistadores \[...] Apparently, it seems logical that all the criollo inhabitants of Yucatan descended from the first conquistadores. But what is no longer so normal \[...] is that of all the men who distinguished themselves in the conquest of Yucatan **—** Francisco de Montejo, Gaspar and Melchor Pacheco, Juan de Magaña, Juan de la Cámara, \[...] etc. **—** only very few stand out as common ancestors of many of the Yucatecan families \[...] The consequence is the same: a closed society that has defended at any cost its conquistador origin by marriage with other families with similar ancestry."

An example of these matrimonial alliances is the Cámara family's connection to Carlos de Arellano, a cavalry captain, who had fought in Flanders and France, and who was the first cousin of Doña Juana Ramírez de Arellano y Zúñiga, the wife of [Hernán Cortés](/wiki/Hern%C3%A1n_Cort%C3%A9s "Hernán Cortés") ([Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca](/wiki/Marquessate_of_the_Valley_of_Oaxaca "Marquessate of the Valley of Oaxaca")) and niece of the [Duke of Béjar](/wiki/Duke_of_B%C3%A9jar "Duke of Béjar"). In 1562, Carlos de Arellano married Francisca Montejo y Castillo, the only daughter of the conquistador [Francisco Montejo](/wiki/Francisco_de_Montejo "Francisco de Montejo"). Carlos de Arellano was also the great\-grandson of [Diego Hurtado de Mendoza](/wiki/Diego_Hurtado_de_Mendoza_%28poet_and_diplomat%29 "Diego Hurtado de Mendoza (poet and diplomat)"), the first [Duke of Infantado](/wiki/Duke_of_the_Infantado "Duke of the Infantado"). Their daughter, Catalina Arellano Montejo, married Diego Solís Osorio in 1583\. María Solís Casanova, a descendant of this marriage, married Antonio de la Cámara y Osorio in 1688\. Through their descent from Carlos Arellano, the de la Cámara family can claim descent from the [Houses of Mendoza](/wiki/House_of_Mendoza "House of Mendoza") and Arellano, two of the most aristocratic families in Spain. Among the most noteworthy members of the House of Mendoza, for example, is [Cardinal Mendoza](/wiki/Pedro_Gonz%C3%A1lez_de_Mendoza "Pedro González de Mendoza"), a renowned Spanish statesman whose influence was such that he was called "the Third King" during the reign of [Isabel](/wiki/Isabella_I_of_Castile "Isabella I of Castile") and Fernando, the [Catholic Monarchs of Spain](/wiki/Catholic_Monarchs_of_Spain "Catholic Monarchs of Spain"). This intermingling of conquistador lineage and noble connections further solidified the Cámara family's place among the criollo aristocracy of colonial Mexico.

However, despite their noble lineage and contributions to the [Spanish Empire](/wiki/Spanish_Empire "Spanish Empire"), the Cámara family and other conquerors faced challenges in obtaining the rewards and recognition they believed they deserved after the conquest. The Spanish Crown was reluctant to grant noble titles in the New World, as it sought to prevent the development of a powerful nobility that could challenge its authority. It was only after much agitation by the conquistadors and their heirs, who felt displaced in the granting of offices and favors by the newcomers from Spain, that Charles V agreed in 1543 that those who had participated in the conquest of Mexico should be classified as "first and principal conquerors" and, by virtue of this, should be entitled to preferential treatment.

[John Elliott](/wiki/John_Elliott_%28historian%29 "John Elliott (historian)"), a history professor at the [University of Oxford](/wiki/University_of_Oxford "University of Oxford"), noted that the Crown was also hesitant to reward the conquerors with land, resulting in only a small percentage of the European population in the Indies receiving large land grants. The descendants of the few conquerors that did, faced difficulties in maintaining their position and privileges. High attrition rates, caused by death or return to Spain, were common among the original landowners. Only 45 percent of the land granted in [New Spain](/wiki/New_Spain "New Spain") remained within the family beyond the first recipient. This meant that the initial "natural aristocracy" of [Spanish America](/wiki/Spanish_America "Spanish America") required continuous replenishment through newcomers who had the means or connections to acquire lands, encomiendas, or to marry into the families of the original conquerors. It is for this reason, that the Cámara family are considered a special case. Even without formal titles, they managed to become part of the [landed aristocracy](/wiki/Landed_nobility "Landed nobility") and have prevailed from the Conquest to the present day. During the Colonial period they became one of the most notable families of the [Mexican nobility](/wiki/Mexican_nobility "Mexican nobility") and one of the most important [landowners](/wiki/Land_tenure "Land tenure") in the [Yucatán Peninsula](/wiki/Yucat%C3%A1n_Peninsula "Yucatán Peninsula"), competing with the Peón family that arrived in Yucatán during the 18th century.

The Cámara family also held significant influence in the second half 19th century and early 20th century. During this period, Yucatán became the world's main producer of [henequen](/wiki/Henequen "Henequen") fiber; out of its haciendas came 90% of the sacks and rope consumed internationally. Both goods were considered essential in the context of the [Second Industrial Revolution](/wiki/Second_Industrial_Revolution "Second Industrial Revolution") and the [naval arms races](/wiki/Anglo-German_naval_arms_race "Anglo-German naval arms race") between the [Great powers](/wiki/Great_power "Great power") as the world prepared for [World War I](/wiki/World_War_I "World War I"). Between 1870 and 1920, "\[henequen] crossed all borders. It was sold everywhere: [binder twine](/wiki/Twine "Twine") in the United States; silk in Germany and henequen sacks throughout the Americas. In other words, it almost became an article of first necessity in the entire world." By 1900, the United States, alone, was importing 81 million kilograms of henequen [per annum](/wiki/Per_annum "Per annum"). Indeed, "the [wheat crops](/wiki/Wheat "Wheat") in the United States \[...] sent so many dollars to the Yucatan Peninsula that it quickly became [El Dorado](/wiki/El_Dorado "El Dorado")." During this period, solely from the United States, henequen exports were generating revenue for Yucatán of roughly US$1\.7 billion in 1900\. Adjusted for inflation, this 1900 revenue would amount to approximately US$62 billion in 2023\.
[thumb\|[Raymundo Cámara](/wiki/Raymundo_C%C3%A1mara_Luj%C3%A1n "Raymundo Cámara Luján"), was a powerful landowner.](/wiki/File:Raymundo_C%C3%A1mara_Luj%C3%A1n.jpg "Raymundo Cámara Luján.jpg")
The boom rapidly transformed the Yucatan into the wealthiest and most industrialized [region in Mexico](/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_Mexico "Administrative divisions of Mexico") at the turn of the century. In this context, "the traditional landowning families, owners of [latifundios](/wiki/Latifundium "Latifundium"), encomiendas and [estancias](/wiki/Estancia "Estancia"), whose prestige came from the colonial period, demonstrated a mysterious ability to adapt to the changing economic order." Various members of the Cámara family formed part of "a group of the 20 or 30 industrialists, who concentrated ownership of the land, were capable of producing 50% of the henequen, of controlling close to 90% of its trade, of directing, of course, the regional political destinies; in other words, they formed an oligarchy," also known as the [Divine Caste](/wiki/Divine_Caste "Divine Caste"), whose members forged "incalculable fortunes, placing them among the richest men in [the Americas](/wiki/The_Americas "The Americas")."

[John Kenneth Turner](/wiki/John_Kenneth_Turner "John Kenneth Turner"), an American journalist, pointed out that families like the Cámara family, belonging to the Yucatecan oligarchy, "lived in expensive palaces in Mérida, and many of them have houses abroad. They travel a lot, usually speak multiple languages, and they and their families are a highly cultured class of people. The entire Yucatán Peninsula depends on \[them]. Naturally, these men control the political machinery of their state and, naturally, operate the machinery for their own benefit." On the other hand, [Gilbert Joseph](/wiki/Gilbert_Joseph "Gilbert Joseph"), a history professor at [Yale University](/wiki/Yale_University "Yale University"), described the families that made up this oligarchy as a group that:
> "elbowed their way confidently past bowing waiters to the [roulette](/wiki/Roulette "Roulette") tables of [San Remo](/wiki/Sanremo_Casino "Sanremo Casino") with the silver Peruvians, the cattle\-Argentines, and the steel Americans. French lessons became the rage in the best circles of local society and, once a year, a team of Parisian milliners and modistes visited Mérida to take orders from the grandest dames. At least once a year, *Yucatecos* made sure to polish their newly acquired linguistic skills and exhibit their sartorial splendor abroad, and local social columnists faithfully reported their European triumphs."

The descendants of Raymundo Cámara and other members of the family played a significant role in various fields that shaped the history and development of Mexico in the 20th century. His eldest daughter, [María Cámara Vales](/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_C%C3%A1mara_Vales "María Cámara Vales"), married [José María Pino Suárez](/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Mar%C3%ADa_Pino_Su%C3%A1rez "José María Pino Suárez"), who served as [vice\-president of Mexico](/wiki/List_of_vice_presidents_of_Mexico "List of vice presidents of Mexico") between 1911 and his assassination in 1913, during the earlier stages of the [Mexican Revolution](/wiki/Mexican_Revolution "Mexican Revolution"). Two of his sons, [Alfredo](/wiki/Alfredo_C%C3%A1mara_Vales "Alfredo Cámara Vales") and [Nicolás Cámara Vales](/wiki/Nicol%C3%A1s_Cam%C3%A1ra_Vales "Nicolás Camára Vales") served as [governor of Quintana Roo](/wiki/Governor_of_Quintana_Roo "Governor of Quintana Roo") and [Yucatan](/wiki/Governor_of_Yucat%C3%A1n "Governor of Yucatán"), respectively. Similarly, another sister, Lucrecia Cámara Vales, was the wife of Calixto Maldonado, a distinguished lawyer, historian, former president of the [Anti\-Reelectionist National Party](/wiki/Maderism "Maderism"), and one of the main figures in Mexican [Freemasonry](/wiki/Freemasonry "Freemasonry"). Likewise, María del Carmen Cámara Vales was the wife of Arcadio Zentella y Sánchez Mármol, a distinguished writer and journalist with a marked liberal and [republican](/wiki/Republicanism "Republicanism") inclination. María del Pilar Ponce Cámara, a first cousin of the Cámara Vales family, was the wife of Serapio Rendón, a prominent Maderist military leader and politician who emerged as one of the main opponents of the military dictatorship of Huerta. After the assassination of Madero and Pino Suárez in February 1913, the family faced political persecution by the military dictatorship led by [Victoriano Huerta](/wiki/Victoriano_Huerta "Victoriano Huerta"), and many of its members had to go into exile in Europe and the United States. Many remained in exile throughout the revolutionary period.

Alfonso Cámara y Cámara was a conservative politician who served as [lieutenant governor](/wiki/Lieutenant_governor "Lieutenant governor") of Yucatán during the administration of Francisco Cantón. In 1902, Cantón proposed him as his successor, but [Porfirio Díaz](/wiki/Porfirio_D%C3%ADaz "Porfirio Díaz"), the dictator who ruled Mexico for 30 years, favored the candidacy of his rival, [Olegario Molina](/wiki/Olegario_Molina "Olegario Molina").

On the other hand, Gonzalo Cámara Zavala was a philanthropist, lawyer, essayist, and writer who founded the League of Social Action. His son, Carlos Cámara, was also a prominent troubadour and composer. The influence of the Cámara family manifested itself in the cultural and artistic sphere. Hortensia Cámara Vales and [Pablo Castellanos León](/wiki/Pablo_Castellanos_Le%C3%B3n "Pablo Castellanos León"), his daughter and son\-in\-law, were a couple of [concert pianists](/wiki/Concert_pianist "Concert pianist") remembered for having introduced the [French](/wiki/French_classical_music "French classical music") and [German](/wiki/German_classical_music "German classical music") tradition of classical music to the [Mexico Conservatory](/wiki/National_Conservatory_of_Music_%28Mexico%29 "National Conservatory of Music (Mexico)"). Their only son, [Pablo Castellanos Cámara](/wiki/Pablo_Castellanos_C%C3%A1mara "Pablo Castellanos Cámara"), was also a concert pianist who, following in his father's footsteps, trained at the [Paris](/wiki/Conservatoire_de_Paris "Conservatoire de Paris") and [Berlin Conservatories](/wiki/Berlin_University_of_the_Arts "Berlin University of the Arts") under the supervision of [Alfred Cortot](/wiki/Alfred_Cortot "Alfred Cortot") and [Edwin Fischer](/wiki/Edwin_Fischer "Edwin Fischer").[thumb\|[María Cámara Vales](/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_C%C3%A1mara_Vales "María Cámara Vales") was married to [José María Pino Suárez](/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Mar%C3%ADa_Pino_Su%C3%A1rez "José María Pino Suárez"), [vice\-president of Mexico](/wiki/List_of_vice_presidents_of_Mexico "List of vice presidents of Mexico") between 1911 and his assassination in 1913, during the [Mexican Revolution](/wiki/Mexican_Revolution "Mexican Revolution").Alfredo](/wiki/File:Pino_C%C3%A1mara.jpg "Pino Cámara.jpg") Pino Cámara, another grandson, was an associate justice of the [Supreme Court of Justice](/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_Justice_of_the_Nation "Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation") who had achieved notoriety when he acted as the presiding judge in the criminal trial of [Tina Modotti](/wiki/Tina_Modotti "Tina Modotti"), the communist photographer accused of murdering [Julio Antonio Mella](/wiki/Julio_Antonio_Mella "Julio Antonio Mella"), her lover and an exiled Cuban activist. Similarly, [Fernando Cámara Barbachano](/wiki/Fernando_C%C3%A1mara_Barbachano "Fernando Cámara Barbachano") was a [social anthropologist](/wiki/Social_anthropology "Social anthropology") and [museologist](/wiki/Museology "Museology") linked to the [INAH](/wiki/Instituto_Nacional_de_Antropolog%C3%ADa_e_Historia "Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia"). Finally, Raymundo's great\-grandson, [Ismael Moreno Pino](/wiki/Ismael_Moreno_Pino "Ismael Moreno Pino"), was one of the diplomats that negotiated the [Treaty of Tlatelolco](/wiki/Treaty_of_Tlatelolco "Treaty of Tlatelolco") which prohibited [nuclear weapons](/wiki/Nuclear_weapon "Nuclear weapon") in Latin America and the [Caribbean](/wiki/Caribbean "Caribbean").

The family had extensive properties throughout the Yucatán Peninsula. A few of the [haciendas](/wiki/Haciendas_of_Yucat%C3%A1n "Haciendas of Yucatán") owned by members of the Cámara family in the early 20th century include Hacienda San Antonio Cámara, [Hacienda Chucmichén](/wiki/Hacienda_Chucmich%C3%A9n "Hacienda Chucmichén"), Hacienda Santa Ana, [Hacienda Xcalak](/wiki/Xcalak "Xcalak"), Hacienda San Diego Azcorra,[Hacienda Itzincab Cámara](/wiki/Hacienda_Itzincab_C%C3%A1mara "Hacienda Itzincab Cámara"), Hacienda Polyuc and [Hacienda Dzuiché](/wiki/Dziuch%C3%A9 "Dziuché"), among many others. They were also the owners of the iconic [Cámara Houses](/wiki/C%C3%A1mara_Houses "Cámara Houses") in Mérida.

After the [Mexican Revolution](/wiki/Mexican_Revolution "Mexican Revolution"), Article 27 of the [1917 Constitution](/wiki/1917_Constitution "1917 Constitution") had laid the foundation for [Agrarian reform](/wiki/Agrarian_reform "Agrarian reform") in Mexico. In 1937, a [socialist](/wiki/Socialism "Socialism") government headed by president [Lázaro Cárdenas del Río](/wiki/L%C3%A1zaro_C%C3%A1rdenas_del_R%C3%ADo "Lázaro Cárdenas del Río") expropriated the [Haciendas](/wiki/Haciendas_of_Yucat%C3%A1n "Haciendas of Yucatán") from the traditional landowning families and transformed them into [ejidos](/wiki/Ejido "Ejido"), an autonomous collective unit, with communal right to land ownership. Prior to the expropriation, *The Association for the Defense of the Henequen Industry*, a landowners' organization, "sent five of its affiliates –among them a [Molina](/wiki/Olegario_Molina "Olegario Molina"), a Cásares and a Cámara, the inevitable names" to the [Los Pinos Presidential Residence](/wiki/Los_Pinos "Los Pinos") to meet with President Cárdenas, who "listened calmly to their grievances" but refused their request. Many former haciendas stopped being the economic powerhouses they had once been and now lay in ruins.


What happened to haciendas after the Mexican Revolution?