The Spanish Civil War officially began 90 years ago this weekend - on Friday 17 July 1936 to be precise.
The conflict had been simmering for many years and was triggered by a series of events, starting in April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed and King Alfonso XIII went into exile.
[Wikimedia Commons]
After five years of unrest - a failed military coup in 1932 and revolting Asturian miners in 1934 - the Popular Front coalition won the general election in February 1936, when a new republican government was formed.
The assassination of the Monarchist leader Calvo Sotelo was a prelude to the triggering of the right-wing military coup against the Republican government proclaimed in Spanish Morocco on 17 July 1936.
There followed three years of a brutal conflict between the Nationalists led by General Franco and the Republicans. Franco was supported by the Catholic Church and in some areas churches were sacked and precious artefacts destroyed for ever. In others the Nationalist troops conquered quickly and this wanton destruction was avoided, eg in Seville.
The Civil War changed the course of Spanish history and culminated in a nearly 40-year-long dictatorship led by Franco, which only ended on his death in November 1975, when his protege Don Juan Carlos, nephew of Alfonso XIII, became king, thereby restoring the monarchy to Spain.
[Wikipedia]
Links:
Franco dead 50 years! Eye on Spain
Should Franco fade into a mere footnote in Spanish history? | Sur in English
The Truth About Franco Eye on Spain
© The History Man MMXXVI
Thanks:
Eye on Spain, RTVE, SUR in English, Tony Bryant
Images:
Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia
Tags:
Alfonso XIII, Calvo Sotelo, Eye on Spain, Franco, Juan Carlos, RTVE, SUR in English, Tony Bryant, Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia