Francisco Franco
1892 – 1975 Spanish Caudillo and dictator of Spain
Spanish dictator who ruled through National Catholicism for nearly four decades.
- Religion
- A devout traditionalist Catholic who made 'National Catholicism' the ideological cement of his regime, fusing church and state and casting the Civil War as a religious crusade.
- Affiliations
- Leader of the Nationalist forces; head of the merged Falange party (FET y de las JONS). Closely allied with the Catholic Church; no occult ties.
Franco led the Nationalist rebellion in the Spanish Civil War with Nazi and Fascist support and ruled Spain as a Catholic authoritarian dictator from 1939 to 1975. His regime persecuted opponents and enshrined the Catholic Church at the center of public life. He kept Spain formally neutral in World War II and named the future king his successor before his death.
Connections
- ally of Adolf Hitler — Received German aid in the Civil War but avoided joining the Axis war.
- ally of Benito Mussolini — Backed by Italian troops during the Spanish Civil War.
- associate of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera — His Falange was absorbed and mythologized by Franco.
- successor of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera — Absorbed the Falange after its founder's execution.
In the timeline
- 1936 Franco's coup triggers the Spanish Civil War mentioned
- 1939 Franco's victory in the Spanish Civil War mentioned
- 1953 Franco's Spain brought into the Western fold mentioned