The House of Cámara is an aristocratic family with a rich history in Spain, Portugal and Mexico.
The Coat of arms of the House of Cámara as depicted in the Livro do Armeiro-Mor, the oldest and most important roll of arms of the Kingdom of Portugal, circa 1520.
São Miguel, the largest island in the Azores, was governed by the family between the 15th and 18th centuries.
Built in the 17th century, the Palace of the Counts of Calheta was the residence of the Camara family in Lisbon.
Philip II of Spain ascended to the throne of Portugal in 1580, uniting the Portuguese and Spanish Empires. His claim to the throne, however, was disputed during the War of the Portuguese Succession (1580–83). After securing his throne after the battle of Vila Franca do Campo, Felipe II recognized the support that the Câmara family had given him during the conflict by granting them the Countship of Vila Franca.
Juan de la Cámara (1525–1602) was a Spanish conquistador, nobleman, and colonial administrator known for his role in the Spanish Conquest of Yucatán. Born into the noble de la Cámara family, he arrived in the New World in 1539 and played a key role in founding Mérida, the second Spanish city in the Yucatan peninsula. He held influential positions in the city council, serving as chief constable and later as mayor of Mérida. Juan also explored and settled parts of Yucatán, Guatemala and Belize, receiving encomiendas from the Spanish Crown.
The Coat of Arms of the de la Cámara family were granted by Ferdinand III in 1227. This copy is found in the Livro do Armeiro-Mor, a Portuguese armorial dating from 1520 which included the heraldry of the most important European royal and noble families.
In 1542, Juan de la Cámara co-founded Mérida, the second Spanish city in the Yucatán peninsula. The Cathedral, shown here, was built by the Spanish between 1561 and 1598.
