Published in Aristocracy and nobility in the Ancient and Medieval World

Keywords: Keywords: 16th Hispanic century, Historiography, Nobility, political ideology, Spanish Empire, Valencia.

The present paper makes an analysis of the concept of "nobility" throughout the work of the notary and valencian noble Rafael Martí de Viciana (1502-1582). Across his writings we can see clearly how Viciana, on the paper, combined the ancient and medieval origins of the local nobility with the privileges given by the crown in more recent times, to incorporate the nobles of his time to the new imperial project Carlos V for the Hispanic monarchy.