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Franco was born
Francisco Franco Bahamonde was born in Ferrol (A Coruña) on December 4, 1892 into a middle-class family with a maritime tradition. -
Admission to the military academy
At the age of 12, in 1907, he managed to enter the Military Academy of Toledo. There he did not achieve a good qualification and could not participate in the Rif War. However, two years later he was finally posted to Morocco. -
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Military Promotion
During his 14 years there, he rose from soldier to general through lieutenant (1912), captain (1914) and general in 1926, becoming, at the age of 33, the youngest general in Europe. Franco exerted on the troops a firm and implacable mandate with insubordination. In addition, during the fight, he suffered a serious wound in the stomach that kept him hospitalized for several months. -
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REPUBLIC, COUP AND CIVIL CONTEST
Franco did not trust liberalism or the parliamentary regime. After several conspiracies, he finally joined the uprising against the Republic in July 1936. In the capital,the coup d'état was unsuccessful, which led to the Spanish Civil War,pitting Republicans and rebels against each other in a conflict that lasted two years and eight months. During the war,Franco did not follow the trends of modern warfare,being a conservative strategist. Finally, on April 1, 1939, the rebel side won the victory. -
Dictoship
After the victory, Franco liquidated the Republic by establishing a new political order and proclaiming a dictatorship of personal command.
Regarding the economy, Franco used and implemented several systems during the 40 years of dictatorship, among which the economic autarchy stood out. He applied a fierce repression against the opposition, executing more than 60,000 people until 1945 and continuing with political executions until his death in 1975. -
Hitler and Franco Meet
In September 1939, World War II broke out in Europe, and on 23 October 1940 Hitler and Franco met in Hendaye, France, to discuss the possibility of Spain's entry on the side of the Axis. However, Franco's demands, which included food, military equipment, and Spanish control of Gibraltar and French North Africa proved too much for Hitler, and no agreement was reached. -
Creation of the Spanish Cortes
The Francoist or Spanish Courts were created by Franco on the sixth anniversary of the 1936 coup. This body, which functioned as a pseudo-parliament, opened its sessions almost a year later, on March 17, 1943. The attorneys were members own right appointed by Franco. -
Franco's death
He died of serious medical problems that dragged on for several months. Parkinson, several heart attacks and other derived problems.