I've read this book a ton, but I suffer from the fact that I first read it as a teenager and just kind of used context clues or completely skipped over things that didn't make sense. And whenever I read it again over the years, I kind of did the same thing because it's the story that's most important to me. But this time I'm doing a very in-depth read, so I'm determined to look up everything and figure out that which previously eluded me.

I understand how Fernand got his money, but what I don't get is why everyone in society treats him like he's old nobility from a powerful family. Like when Albert's friends are talking to him about marrying Eugenie, they're kind of mocking Danglars for being a newly made Baron and acting as if that's why Mercédès doesn't want Albert to marry the girl, like she's beneath them (I know that's not actually why Mercédès feels that way, but that's just an example of how society views both families). And when the Count arrives in Paris, Albert explains their coat of arms and they talk about how his family probably goes back to the times of the crusades. Albert also mentions that the Count de Morcerf has a genealogical study with all their illustrious ancestors.

Fernand Mondego was a Catalan fisherman as far as I knew. He got his fortune and was elevated because of his various betrayals, but was he actually related to a powerful family, just an impoverished branch, or is he just tricking everyone into believing he's a member of the de Morcerf family as part of his con? Or did he just like, invent the whole family?

I know I'm missing something probably very obvious about this. Anyone able to help?