page_title: Manuel Fal Conde
section_title: Political beginnings
hierarchical_section_title: Manuel Fal Conde / Political beginnings
caption_attribution_description: Català: La Banda Municipal de Barcelona participa de la proclamació de la II República a la Plaça de Sant Jaume de Barcelona el 14 d’abril de 1931.
context_page_description: Manuel Fal Conde, 1st Duke of Quintillo was a Spanish Catholic activist and a Carlist politician. He is recognized as a leading figure in the history of Carlism, serving as its political leader for over 20 years and heading the movement during one of its most turbulent periods. Initially he led the belligerent faction pressing anti-Republican insurgency; during the Spanish Civil War he joined the Nationalists; later on he championed anti-Francoist strategy.
context_section_description: Fal, who later confessed to approaching politics as Christian responsibility and a call from God, was first recorded as engaged in a political enterprise in the spring of 1930. He was among members of Junta Organizadora of Partido Tradicionalista-Integrista, a new post-dictatorial incarnation of Integrism, and emerged as leader of the Seville branch of the party. In late 1930 he was also busy co-organizing local branches of Juventud Integrista. Fal witnessed emergence of militantly secular Republic with horror; he personally led local Juventud organization trying to protect the Seville churches against violence which erupted in May 1931. In June 1931 he ran for Cortes from Cadiz; the bid proved unsuccessful. According to a homage publication Fal gained enough votes to be voted in, but it was behind-the-stage manipulations which relegated him to non-electable position; embittered, he has never run for the Cortes again. Instead, he focused on a newly acquired daily, El Observador, re-launched as an ultraconservative Catholic title in Seville, apart from contributing to other local periodicals.
  In early 1932 the Integrists re-united with Carlism in Comunión Tradicionalista. Fal was entrusted the West-Andalusian jefatura and together with provincial leaders achieved remarkable success implanting Traditionalism where it was hardly popular. Characteristic feature of his leadership was – even in comparison to other Carlist leaders - unveiled hostility towards the Republic. Fal remained enthusiastic about co-operation with Sanjurjo; Andalusia was where the coup was most welcomed by local Carlists. In the aftermath Fal was arrested for 3 months, which did not discourage him from sounding other military on leading a potential Carlist rising. Also his El Observador kept making references to violence. Two other specific features of Andalusian Carlism were impact on Catholic youth and initiatives targeting the urban working-class. In many Andalusian districts Carlism emerged as an exclusively youth movement, which in the spring of 1933 pushed Fal to create a federation of local Juventud circles. Acute social problems in turn induced Fal to set up fairly successful Workers Section in early 1933.
  Fal gained nationwide attention following the Zumarraga act; in recognition of his excellent organization skills in November 1933 Alfonso Carlos nominated Fal Jefe Regional for all Andalusia, but the most impressive coup was yet to come: in April 1934 regional Carlism organized a massive gathering at Quintillo estate near Seville. This demonstration of local prowess climaxed in parade of 650 uniformed and trained Requetés, which made a stunning impact on guests from other regions. When national leadership of Conde Rodezno was called into question due to rapprochement with the Alfonsists and his gradualist strategy, Fal became one of top contenders for the job. Alfonso Carlos, himself sympathetic to Integrism and personally familiar with Fal since late Restoration, seemed well-disposed. In May 1934, despite his relatively young age and unenthusiastic welcome from Carlist stronghold, Navarre, Fal was nominated Secretary General of the Communión. El Siglo Futuro hailed him as "Sevillian Zumalacarregui" and Carlist youth welcomed him as the man who "brought Montejurra to Andalusia". An apologetic biography followed.
caption: Republic declared, 1931
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