infante

infante, the title borne from the 13th century by the children of the Spanish and Portuguese monarchs. The title infante was borne by the sons of the sovereign, and the title infanta was given to the daughters and to the wife of an infante. From the reign of John I of Castile (1379–90) there began the custom of calling the sovereign’s eldest son príncipe (prince) de Asturias and not infante. Correspondingly, until the severance of Brazil from the Portuguese monarchy, the eldest son was príncipe de Brasil. Although a son or daughter of the sovereign of Spain was by right infante or infanta of Spain, the sovereign could grant the title, alone, to other members of the blood royal.