M Norton wrote:
Mr Carmain's scans are quite meaningless. Where is the scholarly and historical reference found in print that Mr Carmain, an American citizen, is actually a "Marques"? It would be mentioned somewhere, if he was.
Not if it's a title that was created for me. There is no historical precedent for it, it's a new creation. I'm not the Vizconde de Perellós nor have I ever claimed to be. I published the entire list of holders of that title from its creation down to the present day under another topic heading on this forum the last time you tried to get my attention (and yes, I knew it was you as I'd been alerted that you were simultaneously trying to stir up dust on the newsgroups - they know who you are too). Don't you think I'd put my own name on that list if I were making such a claim?
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Furthermore, it would break the Constitution of the United States:
The United States Constitution
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html"No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State."
I'm not a government official or employee.
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The "diplomas" in question could simply have been copied by the Catholic organisations that Mr Carmain belongs to without paying further attention to his claims.
And what would these organizations gain from having an American nonentity like me on its membership rolls that would prompt them to compromise their integrity? It would be pretty stupid of them to put their reputations in doubt for my sake.
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As for example, scan seven of his "Coat-of-Arms" is similar to these found here:
http://home.comcast.net/~pensil/A23.htmlSimilar? It's the same rendering by the same artist. You'll find his work on the Burke's Peerage website as well. He has been commissioned by several royal houses.
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Actually showing the 'The Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam'. This is a highly dubious Vietnamese order once conferred by a dubious claimant to the non-existent Vietnamese throne. Mr Carmain acknowledged that he became a member of the 'Order of Annam' by that bogus claimant. So here is a definite dud.
So "dubious" that it is now listed as a bona fide dynastic order in
Burke's World Orders of Knighthood and Merit, edited by the eminent Guy Stair Sainty. You seem to be under the impression that Mr. Sainty's problem was with me and not with the former head of the order. Once the latter was removed and replaced by another prince appointed by the head of the Imperial house, Mr. Sainty and I have had no issues, and in fact have corresponded quite amicably.
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Dom Duarte de Bragança is the disputed Head of the Royal House of Portugal - does a disputed non-reigning claimant to the throne have the right to issue arms or titles? Historians think not.
The Portuguese government and the
Associação da Nobreza Histórica de Portugal recognize only one legitimate claimant - the one who lives on a former royal estate now owned by the Portuguese Republic. That would be Dom Duarte. His "rival" is an Italian who maintains he was adopted by a woman claiming to have been an illegitimate daughter of a Portuguese king. He is rotting away in prison at the moment. Not much merit to that dispute. Futhermore, the Portuguese government allows Dom Duarte to award the historical dynastic orders which were never assumed by the Republic - the
Ordem de Nossa Senhora de Conceição de Vila Viçosa and the
Real Ordem de São Miguel da Ala (his wife heads the
Real Ordem de Santa Isabel), which are authorized to be worn by Portuguese citizens. The government only restricts heraldic and titular concessions made to Portuguese nationals, not to foreigners.
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I have already pointed out that Heraldry has no proper regulation in Spain, there are no laws or rules on who can take what arms, and what Mr Carmain has presented is merely that he is an Order Collector whose title of "Marques" is most probably not genuine and was conferred upon him by the bogus Vietnamese pretender.
"Most probably"? You seem to have lost your certainty, Paul. In the past you've covered the full spectrum, first accusing me of forgery and then claiming I'd hoodwinked the issuing authorities. Now you're claiming they're simply lax. Why don't you pick one explanation and stick to it if you're so certain there's something amiss? You are horrifically misinformed about the regulation of heraldic authority in Spain, which falls under the purview of the
Ministerio de Gracia y Justicia. Here, educate yourself so you can come up with a better explanation next time:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_heraldry
TCP