The word is of Arabic origin al-qāḍī - “judge”. Alcald is the administrative and judicial head of a city or village in Spain or in areas under the control or influence of Spain. The title was applied to local government officials whose functions were different but always included a judicial element.
Differentiation of the term
Types of alkalds were differentiated depending on the specifics of their judicial functions. Alcald de corte was the judge of the courtyard with jurisdiction to live near the king. In New Spain (Mexico), the Alcaldean majors were the chief administrators of the territories of the colonial era, they assisted the royal judges (corregidores) in the cities. In the days of colonial Peru, they were called corregimientos.
Alcald de hermandad was a petty municipal official with police and judicial powers. Alcaldes de crimen were ordinary criminal judges in the Spanish courts. Since the 19th century, the term has been twofold: it denoted the head of the local council (ayuntamiento) and the representative of the central government at the same time. In addition to administrative matters, his duties included court ones.
Alcalde ordinario is a traditional Spanish municipal magistrate that has both judicial and administrative functions. Alcald, in the absence of the correchidor, was the chair of the Castilian cabildo (municipal council) and the judge of the first instance of the city. He was elected annually, without the right to be re-elected for two or three years by reidors - members of the municipal council. The woman who could hold this post was called the Alcaldess.
In addition, Alcald is a title given to Indian officials in Spanish missions. These performed a large number of duties for Franciscan missionaries.
The brilliant drama of Pedro Calderon de la Barca
The true story that occurred in 1581 was used by Pedro Calderon de la Barca (1600–1681) to create the “Salamean Alcalde” (Spanish El Alcalde de Zalamea). The play belongs to the Golden Age of Spanish drama, most likely, was written in 1636. She pays tribute to the work of the same name by Lope de Vega, which, however, surpasses in popularity due to its excellent development of characters.
"Salamean Alcald" is one of the most famous dramas of its time. It has three acts that examine the power of man against the political authorities of 17th-century Spanish society and the continuous struggle of honor.
The performance was turned into several films, including German dumb 1920 and Spanish with voice acting in 1954. The East German version of the "Salamean Alcald" was released in 1956.
Spanish singer
The surname of Tono Alcalde - left-handed guitarist, composer and singer - came from the word discussed in the article. He was born on April 30, 1973 in Spain (Iruna). The unique sound of the game style he invented gives him a special sound, in which there is no need to drag the strings for his left hand. Tono Alcalde participated and performed in many festivals, among them: “Suma Flamenca de Madrid” (Madrid), Viva Spain 2014 (Moscow) and “No Siesta / Fiesta” (Norway). He is currently working on promoting a new program.
First prize for the best musical performance without dancing with tango "Enamorao" in the 13th edition of the Viva España flamenco festival in Russia, organized in Moscow by the FlamenquerÍa flamenco house. Nominated for the MAKETON 2017 and 2018 Award from Los40 from Radio Vigo in the Musical Trajectory category.
Modern use
In modern Spanish, the term is equivalent to the mayor and is used to refer to a local executive officer in municipalities throughout Spain and Latin America. The name continued to be used in the Spanish-speaking American Commonwealth of Puerto Rico after the occupation of the island during the Spanish-American War in 1898. However, in the autonomous Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla, the presidential alcaldes have greater powers than their counterparts on the peninsula.
In the city of Sonoma, California, Alcald is an honorary title. The tradition of “honorable choice” is associated with him to preside over the city's celebrations. In this case, the mayor is an official position of the city manager.
In Belize, any rural community can appoint an alcalde. He performs both judicial and administrative functions and receives a small scholarship from the government. Alcald is responsible for managing communal land, resolving disputes and determining penalties for petty crimes. This type of local government is most often used by Mayan communities in southern Belize.