Juan Carlos | king of Spain | Britannica.com king of Spain Alternative Title: Juan Carlos Alfonso Victor María de Borbón Y Borbón Juan Carlos Juan Carlos Alfonso Victor María de Borbón Y Borbón born Hernán Cortés, marqués del Valle de Oaxaca Juan Carlos, in full Juan Carlos Alfonso Victor María de Borbón y Borbón (born January 5, 1938, Rome , Italy ), king of Spain from 1975 to 2014. He acceded to the Spanish throne two days after the death of Francisco Franco . Juan Carlos was instrumental in Spain’s peaceful transition to democracy . Juan Carlos, 2005. Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images Juan Carlos was the grandson of the last king, Alfonso XIII , who left Spain in 1931 and died in exile 10 years later, after renouncing his rights in favour of his third son, Juan Carlos Teresa Silverio Alfonso de Borbón y Battenberg, conde de Barcelona (1913–93), popularly known as Don Juan.

(Alfonso’s eldest son had been killed in an automobile accident, and his second son renounced his rights in 1933 for medical reasons.) Don Juan married María de las Mercedes de Borbón y Orleans, and their elder son was Juan Carlos. Juan Carlos spent his early years in Italy and first came to Spain in 1947 for his education. After his father suggested in 1945 that Franco should step down as leader of the country and generally began opposing Falangist policies, Franco turned with increasing interest to Juan Carlos and his education, especially his military education. In 1955 Juan Carlos entered the General Military Academy at Zaragoza and later attended the Naval Military School at Marín in Pontevedra, the General Academy of the Air at San Javier in Murcia , and the University of Madrid . Juan Carlos was married in Athens on May 14, 1962, to Princess Sophia of Greece, daughter of King Paul . They had two daughters, Elena and Cristina, and a son, Felipe .

A 1947 Francoist law abolished the republic and established Spain as a “representative monarchy,” though throughout the rest of Franco’s lifetime Spain remained without a ruling monarch. On July 22, 1969, Franco presented to the Cortes (parliament) a law designating Juan Carlos the future king of Spain. The move was facilitated by two events: in December 1968 the Carlist pretender, Carlos Hugo de Borbón-Parma, had been expelled from the country; and on January 7, 1969, Juan Carlos said for the first time that he would accept the throne if offered (previously he had maintained that his father’s claim preceded his own). Although Juan Carlos swore loyalty to Franco’s National Movement in 1969, he demonstrated far more liberal and democratic principles after his accession to the throne on November 22, 1975, appointing reformist prime minister Adolfo Suárez in 1976 and encouraging the revival of political parties and amnesty for political prisoners.

In 1981 Juan Carlos underscored his democratic credentials by taking swift action to deflate a military coup that threatened to topple Spain’s nascent democracy and return the government to Franconian reactionary lines; in doing so, he alienated the military sector but preserved the state of democracy that made possible the accession of a socialist government in late 1982. Also, a liberal divorce law was passed in 1981 and a law granting limited abortion rights in 1983. Britannica Stories Felipe VI | king of Spain | Britannica.com king of Spain Alternative Title: Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia Felipe VI Felipe VI, in full Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia (born January 30, 1968, Madrid, Spain), king of Spain from 2014.

Spanish King Felipe VI (left) and former king Juan Carlos at Felipe’s coronation ceremony, June 19, … Zipi/Reuters/Landov Felipe was born in the latter years of the Francisco Franco regime, as the dictator’s health was declining and the government was taking halting steps in the direction of greater political and economic liberalization. On November 22, 1975, two days after Franco’s death, Felipe’s father, Juan Carlos , became king. Two years later his only son and heir apparent, Felipe, was named prince of Asturias . In 1981 Felipe was made a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece . From 1984 to 1985 he studied at a private school in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada. In 1986, on his 18th birthday, Felipe swore allegiance to Juan Carlos and was officially named heir to the throne. Having received training (1985–88) at each of Spain’s armed service academies, Felipe was commissioned as an officer in the army, navy, and air force and was certified as a helicopter pilot.

He was a member of the Spanish Olympic sailing team at the 1992 Games in Barcelona , where he finished sixth in the Soling event. After earning a law degree (1993) from Madrid’s Autonomous University, he received a master’s degree (1995) in international relations from Georgetown University , Washington, D.C. Throughout the 1990s Felipe took a more active role in representing the Spanish monarchy both domestically and abroad. In 2004 he married Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, a popular television news presenter, and the pair became known for their relatively modest lifestyle. Upon Felipe’s rise to the throne, she became the first commoner in Spanish history to be named queen. The couple had two children: Leonor, born in 2005, and Sofía, born in 2007. Leonor became princess of Asturias and heir presumptive when her father was proclaimed king, a position that she would retain barring the birth of a son to her parents. Felipe’s ascent came at a tumultuous time for the monarchy. On June 2, 2014, Juan Carlos announced his intention to step down.

The 76-year-old king’s image had become tarnished after he embarked on a lavish African safari in 2012, at a time when the country was suffering nearly unprecedented economic hardship. The royal house was also embroiled in a series of scandals, most notably a tax-fraud case involving Felipe’s older sister, Princess Cristina. With nearly two-thirds of Spaniards supporting his abdication and with parliamentary approval, Juan Carlos turned over the crown to his 46-year-old son. Felipe, who emerged from the troubles plaguing the royal family largely unscathed, was proclaimed king on June 19 with the promise of “a renewed monarchy” and “a new Spain.” Chief among the new king’s challenges was the preservation of a shared Spanish identity, a task that was complicated by increasingly vocal demands for independence in Catalonia and a persistent separatist movement in the Basque Country . King Juan Carlos I Fast Facts - CNN.com King Juan Carlos I Fast Facts CNN Library Updated 12:55 PM ET, Thu December 22, 2016 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

JUST WATCHED A look at the reign of King Juan Carlos 02:20 (CNN) Here's a look at the life of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

Personal: Birth date: January 5, 1938 Birth place: Rome, Italy Birth name: Juan Carlos Alfonso Victor Maria de Borbon y Borbon Father: Don Juan de Borbon y Battenburg, Count of Barcelona, third son of King Alfonso XIII of Spain Read More Mother: Dona Maria de las Mercedes de Borbon y Orleans, Princess of the Two Sicilies and Countess of Barcelona Marriage: Princess Sofia of Greece (May 14, 1962-present) Children: Infanta Elena of Spain, Elena Maria, Isabel, Dominica de Silos de Borbon y Grecia, Duchess of Lugo, December 20, 1963; Infanta Cristina of Asturias, Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y Grecia, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca, June 13, 1965; Prince of the Asturias, Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso y de la Santísima Trinidad y de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia, January 30, 1968 Education: Marianist, Fribourg, Switzerland; Instituto San Is

idro, Madrid, Spain; Navy Orphans' College, Spain; Saragossa Military Academy, Saragossa, Spain; Naval College, Marin, Spain; Spanish Air Academy, San Javier, Spain; University of Madrid, Spain Military: Spanish Army, Spanish Navy, Spanish Air Force Other Facts: The Spanish Royal Family pays income taxes by constitutional provision and lives in a converted hunting lodge, Zarzuela Palace, by choice.

The Palacio Real, the Royal Palace, in Madrid is used for formal events such as visits from heads of state. First visited the United States in 1958, during training as a naval midshipman aboard the Juan Sebastian Elcano. Great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, distant cousin to both Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip . Distant relative of fifteenth century's King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Both King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia are descendants of Queen Victoria. Timeline: 1947 - Generalissimo Francisco Franco's Law of Succession declares the Spanish royal family will be restored to power upon his death. 1948 - Makes first trip to Spain, after Franco and Don Juan de Borbon agree to a Spanish education for the heir apparent. 1960 - Completes military training and becomes the first Spanish officer to hold the rank of lieutenant in all three branches of the military. 1962 - During his honeymoon, visits the United States and meets President John F. Kennedy. 1969 - Invested as crown prince and the designated Franco successor.

November 22, 1975 - Crowned Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, two days after the death of Franco and restores the Spanish monarchy after a 44-year interregnum. June 1-4, 1976 - First reigning Spanish monarch to visit the United States. He meets with President Gerald Ford . 1977 - Enacts political reforms that lead to the first democratic election since 1936. 1978 - Adoption of a new constitution gives the monarchy more than a titular or ceremonial role in the government. 1981 - An attempted coup is blocked when forces loyal to the King refuse to join the rebellion. 2000 - Celebrates his 25th anniversary on the throne. March 11, 2004 - Addresses the nation and visits the wounded after ten bombs go off on four commuter trains during rush hour in Madrid. November 10, 2007 - Tells Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez , "Why don't you shut up?" (¿Por qué no te callas?), during the Ibero-American summit in Santiago, Chile.

May 8, 2010 - Has a growth removed from his right lung, which turns out to be benign. August 8, 2010 - With Queen Sofia, hosts First Lady Michelle Obama and her youngest daughter, Sasha, at the summer palace on Mallorca Island. April 14, 2012 - Undergoes hip replacement surgery after falling during a trip to Botswana. July 2012 - Is dropped as honorary president of the World Wildlife Fund - Spain after his April elephant hunting trip in Botswana is widely criticized. "Although not illegal, the hunting was widely viewed as incompatible with the King's position at the head of WWF-Spain," the group said in a statement. He had held the honorary post since 1968. November 23-December 3, 2012 - Is hospitalized for hip joint reconstructive surgery. March 3, 2013 - Is hospitalized for surgery on herniated discs. While he is recovering, a small fire breaks out at the hospital but he is not affected. September 25, 2013 - The king undergoes hip surgery in Madrid, his fifth operation in 18 months.

June 2, 2014 - Announces that he is abdicating in favor of his son Prince Felipe. June 18, 2014 - King Juan Carlos I formally abdicates. January 14, 2015 - A 12 judge panel rules Juan Carlos must face a paternity lawsuit -- by a Belgian woman alleging that he's her father -- before the nation's Supreme Court. Ingrid Sartiau, from Brussels, alleges that her mother and Juan Carlos had a relationship in late 1965, and she was born, as a result, in August 1966. At that time, Juan Carlos was married but still a prince. March 11, 2015 - Spain's Supreme Court dismisses the paternity suit against Juan Carlos. November 29, 2016 - Attends the memorial service for former Cuban leader Fidel Castro . King Juan Carlos of Spain - YouTube King Juan Carlos of Spain Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented.

This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Oct 26, 2011 Juan Carlos (baptized as Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias; born 5 January 1938, Rome, Italy) is the reigning King of Spain. On 2 June 2014, Juan Carlos announced that he had decided to abdicate, with the king's son Felipe to succeed to the throne. On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. The Spanish throne had been vacant for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the next head of state. Category Juan Carlos I King of Spain Juan Carlos I The King of Spain (from 1975 to date) who after 25 years reigning the country, has managed to bring about the peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy, survive an intended coup d'etat and solidify a Parliamentary Monarchy of democratic character.

BIOGRAPHY Juan Carlos VÃ­ctor MarÃ­a de BorbÃ³n y BorbÃ³n, Juan Carlos I, was born in Rome on January 5, 1938. Second son of Don Juan de BorbÃ³n y Battenberg -Count of Barcelona, in turn son and rightful heir to the Dynasty of Alfonso XIII- y DoÃ±a MarÃ­a de las Mercedes de BorbÃ³n y Orleans. When Juan Carlos I was born, Spain was submerged in Civil War which culminated in the victory of general Francisco Franco Bahamonde and the beginning of a dictatorship which greatly distanced the country from possible recuperation of the monarchy. In 1948 Don Juan de BorbÃ³n reached an agreement with general Franco so that his son Juan Carlos could study in Madrid, the future king entering Spain that year for the first time in his life to begin his studies. Completed his studies Franco and Don Juan had a second meeting in which they agreed that Juan Carlos begin his military preparation in the Armed forces of land sea and air.

The third meeting between the father of the future king and the Spanish Head of State took place in 1960 in which they planned his university studies. May 14 of 1962, Juan Carlos de BorbÃ³n married SofÃ­a Schleswig Holstein Sondenburg, daughter of Peter I of Greece and Federica of Hanover in the San Dionisio Cathedral in Athens. The marriage has produced three children: princesses Elena and Cristina and the prince and heir to the throne, Felipe. In July 1969 Franco appointed Juan Carlos I as successor to the Head of State and the Courts ratified the appointment and they proclaimed him Prince of Spain. From then, until the death of Franco, he temporarily assumed the functions of Head of State. November 20, 1975 Francisco Franco died. After his death Don Juan Carlos was promoted to Captain of the Armed forces and two days later, proclaimed King before the courts and congress. The presidency of the government continued to be in the hands of Carlos Arias Navarro during the first months of his reign.

But in 1976 the king, showing his democratic orientation, named Adolfo Suarez as president, seeing the difficulty in Arias leading a project of pacific transition. That is how the new president, Suarez, and the king were charged with the difficult job of the transition from dictatorship to democracy; important steps that were facilitated also by the Political reform laws, the victory in elections of 1977 of the U.C.D. - a coalition lead by Suarez - and later definitively with the approval by the Spanish people of a new Constitution on December 6, 1978. In January 1981 the president submitted his demission and when the Courts met on February 23 to designate Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo as the successor of Suarez, Lieutenant Cornell of the Civil Guard, Antonio Tejero, lead an attempted coup d'etat. The quick and decisive intervention of the King and the absence of support by large sectors of the military forces caused the attempt to fail. In 1982, with absolute majority, the political party P.S.O.E. would take charge of the government, Felipe Gonzalez being named president of Spain and leader of the party.

After governing 4 legislative periods and after a great political discredit caused by numerous cases of corruption, the Socialist Party (P.S.O.E.) was defeated by the Popular Party (P.P.) in March of 1996, which formed their government with the support of the nationalist parties for the first time. JosÃ© MarÃ­a Aznar, leader of the P.P., became the fourth president of Spanish democracy. The general elections of March 2000 again gave the victory to JosÃ© MarÃ­a Aznar, although this time with absolute majority. One of the saddest general elections celebrated in the history of Spain, just three days after a terrorist attack caused 200 deaths and more than 1400 injured in Madrid, voters gave the victory to PSOE and left PP without the governmental power they had held since 1996. The Spaniards decided to change government, and against all predictions, voters gave their support to the government formed by JosÃ© Luis RodrÃ­guez Zapatero, who obtained 42,64% of votes and 164 seats (escaÃ±os).

The foreign politics during the reign of King Juan Carlos I is characterized by the recuperation of the international prestige of Spain through the inclusion in the most representative multinational organizations such as the European Council in Strasburg (1977) and NATO (1982) or the inclusion of Spain in the European Union in 1986. Also worth mention is the important role of Spain, from the decade of the 80's, in relations with Latin America, protagonist particularly reflected in the Iberian-American Council, becoming one of the most important countries in the area of international relations. HIS WORK Juan Carlos has faithfully carried out the role attributed to him by the constitution, intervening through consultations with parliamentary leaders in the designation of a candidate to the presidency after each election. His function as State representative has brought him to travel abroad extensively, supporting foreign policy dictated by the different governments. Pointing out in this aspect his symbolic leadership in the Iberian-American Council of Nations, as well as the support to the integration of Spain in Western Organizations such as NATO and the European Union, which have occurred during his reign.

He also often travels to visit the various regions of which the Spanish nation is composed: in this aspect, the openness he demonstrates towards the cultural and linguistic plurality, the political and administrative decentralization, and the idiosyncrasies of the different regions has helped to maintain the continuity of the fragile equilibrium between unity and diversity deigned by the Constitution of 1978. Spain's King Juan Carlos I to abdicate - CNN.com Spain's King Juan Carlos I to abdicate By Al Goodman, Jethro Mullen and Elwyn Lopez, CNN Updated 4:22 PM ET, Tue June 3, 2014 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. JUST WATCHED A look at the reign of King Juan Carlos 02:20 Story highlights Some Spaniards rally, calling for an end to the monarchy It is "time to hand over to a new generation," the King says in a televised statement Crown Prince Felipe will succeed the King Many feel King Juan Carlos' finest hour was a stand against a coup After nearly 40 years on the throne, King Juan Carlos I of Spain said Monday that he will be stepping down.

It is "time to hand over to a new generation -- younger, with a lot of energy -- that can, with determination, take on and carry out the changes that the current situation demands, and to face with intensity and determination the challenges of tomorrow," he said in a televised statement, according to a CNN translation. "The long, deep economic crisis we are going through has left a lot of scars socially, but it has also pointed toward a future of hope," he said. Crown Prince Felipe , 46, will succeed his father. The King said he decided it was "time to prepare and pave the way so that he who is in better conditions can continue." Prince Felipe is "stable" and has "the maturity, the preparation, and the sense of responsibility necessary" to serve as king and "to lead to a new stage of hope using his experience and the drive of a new generation," King Juan Carlos added. JUST WATCHED 5 of 5 Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy first announced the King's decision. Spaniards generally hold King Juan Carlos, 76, in high regard for his service to the nation and his defense of democracy after the death of the dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.

But the King's popularity took a hit in 2012 over a controversial elephant-hunting trip to Africa while the nation was mired in a deep economic crisis. The focus of his reign was to bring about reconciliation between Spaniards of different political persuasions and from different regions. Many consider the King's finest hour to be his decisive stand to halt a right-wing military coup in 1981, when he went on television to say that the monarchy would not tolerate attempts to interrupt democracy by force. Some push for end of monarchy Thousands of people demonstrated in Madrid and elsewhere, calling for an end to the monarchy altogether after the announcement Monday. They waved flags and chanted: "La monarquia es una porqueria!" In English, that phrase means "the monarchy is garbage." On the global campaign website Avaaz.org, a petition calling for a referendum on the future of the monarchy quickly racked up more than 100,000 signatures. Most were from people indicating that they were in Spain. "This is a historic opportunity to promote a broad public debate to help regenerate our democracy and determine the future of the monarchy," Luis Javier wrote in the petition.

The call was echoed on Twitter, with some users also posting photos of elephants, saying they were celebrating the King's abdication. Retirements of monarchs (and a pope) Oversaw democracy's return Born in Rome in 1938, Juan Carlos didn't set foot in Spain until he was 10. In Franco's Spain, he carried out military training and became the first Spanish officer to hold the rank of lieutenant in all three branches of the military. In 1969, he was invested as crown prince and the designated successor to Franco. On November 22, 1975 -- two days after Franco's death -- Juan Carlos was crowned king of Spain, restoring the monarchy after a 44-year interregnum. In 1977, he enacted political reforms that led to Spain's first democratic election since 1936. During his reign, Spain grew into an economic powerhouse and a vacation playground for Europe. The King and Queen Sofia had three children and numerous grandchildren, styling their monarchy as accessible and relatively austere.

Juan Carlos: All you need to know Hunting trip dented image The private trip to Botswana in 2012 became public only after King Juan Carlos fell, broke his hip and was rushed back to Madrid for surgery. With millions of Spaniards unemployed, the expense of the African trip caused an outcry. That prompted the king to make a rare apology in which he said he had made a mistake that would not happen again. The King had previously expressed his concern about the impact of the crisis on Spaniards and called on the nation to come together to get through the tough times. Other recent scandals have also damaged the monarchy's image. Princess Cristina, the king's youngest daughter, is caught up in a tax fraud and money laundering investigation. She and her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, have denied any wrongdoing over his business dealings and the alleged diversion of public funds. The scandal has created unprecedented problems for the royal family and kept the country riveted. There have been open calls for the King to abdicate in favor of Prince Felipe, who is seen as untouched by the scandals.

Spain - THE POST-FRANCO ERA THE POST-FRANCO ERA Spain Table of Contents Transition to Democracy The democratization that Franco's chosen heir, Juan Carlos, and his collaborators peacefully and legally brought to Spain over a three-year period was unprecedented. Never before had a dictatorial regime been transformed into a pluralistic, parliamentary democracy without civil war, revolutionary overthrow, or defeat by a foreign power. The transition is all the more remarkable because the institutional mechanisms designed to maintain Franco's authoritarian system made it possible to legislate a democratic constitutional monarchy into existence. When Prince Juan Carlos took the oath as king of Spain on November 22, 1975, there was little reason to foresee that he would be the architect of such a dramatic transformation. Franco had hand-picked Juan Carlos and had overseen his education. He was considered an enigma, having publicly sworn loyalty to the principles of Franco's National Movement while privately giving vague indications of sympathy for democratic institutions. More was known of his athletic skills than of his political opinions, and observers predicted that he would be known as "Juan the Brief." Juan Carlos confirmed Arias Navarro's continuation in office as prime minister, disappointing those who were hoping for liberal reforms.

Arias Navarro had served as minister of the interior under Carrero Blanco, and he was a loyal Francoist. His policy speech of January 28, 1976, was vague--devoid of concrete plans for political reform. The hopes and expectations aroused by the long-awaited demise of Franco were frustrated in the initial months of the monarchy, and a wave of demonstrations, industrial strikes, and terrorist activity challenged the country's stability. The government responded with repressive measures to restore law and order. These measures inflamed and united the liberal opposition. At the same time, the cautious reforms that the Arias Navarro government proposed met with hostile reaction from orthodox Francoists, who pledged resistance to any form of change. It was in this volatile atmosphere that Juan Carlos, increasingly dissatisfied with the prime minister's ability (or willingness) to handle the immobilists as well as with his skill in dealing with the opposition, asked for Arias Navarro's resignation. Arias Navarro submitted his resignation on July 1, 1976.

Proponents of reform were both surprised and disappointed when the king chose, as Arias Navarro's successor, Adolfo Suarez Gonzalez, who had served under Franco and who had been designated secretary general of the National Movement in the first government of the monarchy. The new prime minister's Francoist links made it appear unlikely that he would promote major evolutionary change in Spain, but it was these links with the political establishment that made it possible for him to maneuver within the existing institutions to bring about the reforms that Juan Carlos desired. Throughout the rapid democratization that followed the appointment of Suarez, the collaboration between the king and his prime minister was crucial in assuaging opposition from both the immobilists of the old regime and those who agitated for a more radical break with the past. Whereas Suarez's political expertise and pragmatic approach enabled him to manipulate the bureaucratic machinery, Juan Carlos's ability to maintain the allegiance of the armed forces made a peaceful transition to democracy possible during these precarious months. In July 1976, the government declared a partial amnesty that freed approximately 400 political prisoners. On September 10, Suarez announced a program of political reform, calling for a bicameral legislature based on universal suffrage.

With skillful maneuvering, he was able to persuade members of the Cortes to approve the law, thereby voting their own corporatist institution out of existence, in November. The reforms were then submitted to a national referendum in December 1976, in accordance with Franco's 1945 Law on Referenda. The Spanish people voted overwhelmingly in favor of reform: about 94 percent of the voters (78 percent of the electorate took part in the referendum) gave their approval. The results of the referendum strengthened the position of the Suarez government and of the king and represented a vindication for those who favored reform from above rather than revolution. In the first six months of 1977, significant reforms were enacted in rapid succession. There were further pardons for political prisoners in March; independent trade unions replaced vertical and labor syndicates; and the right to strike was restored. In April the National Movement was disbanded. Suarez and the king began to prepare the Spanish people for the first free elections--to be held on June 15, 1977--since the Civil War.

The legalization of political parties began in February, and an electoral law outlining the rules for electoral competition was negotiated with opposition political forces and went into effect in March. The government adopted the d'Hondt system of proportional representation, which favored the formation of large parties or coalitions. A major crisis appeared to be in the offing over the issue of legalizing the Communist Party of Spain (Partido Comunista de Espana--PCE). Parties of the left and the center-left demanded legal recognition, refusing to participate in the elections otherwise. Suarez feared a strong reaction from military leaders, however, if such a step were taken. Members of the armed forces had been dedicated to the suppression of Marxism since the time of the Civil War; moreover, Suarez had assured them the previous September that the PCE would never be legalized. In a bold but necessary move, Suarez legalized the PCE on April 9, 1977. Military leaders were upset by the decision and publicly expressed their dissatisfaction with the measure, but they grudgingly accepted it out of patriotism. Juan Carlos's close relations with senior military officers were a factor in defusing a potentially explosive state of affairs.

His earlier efforts to replace ultraconservative commanders of the armed forces with more liberal ones also benefited him when he took this controversial step. The moderation that the communists exercised in accepting the monarchy in spite of their avowed republicanism also helped to normalize the political situation. As the country prepared for elections, a large number of diverse political parties began to form. Only a few of these parties gained parliamentary representation following the June 15, 1977, elections, however, and none achieved an absolute majority. The Union of the Democratic Center (Union de Centro Democratico--UCD), a centrist coalition of several groups, including Francoist reformists and moderate opposition democrats, led by Suarez, emerged from the election as the largest party, winning 34.6 percent of the vote. The leading opposition party was the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Espanol--PSOE), which received 29.3 percent of the vote. Having been in existence since 1879, the PSOE was Spain's oldest political party.

A group of dynamic young activists, led by a Seville lawyer, Felipe Gonzalez Marquez, had taken control of the party from the exiles in 1972, and their revolutionary idealism, combined with pragmatic policies, enabled the PSOE to appeal to a broader spectrum of the electorate. Both the neo-Francoist right, embodied in the Popular Alliance (Alianza Popular--AP), and the PCE were disappointed with the election results, which gave them each less than 10 percent of the popular vote. Catalan and Basque regional parties accounted for most of the remaining votes. The election results were a victory for both moderation and the desire for change. They boded well for the development of democracy in Spain. The domination of Spain's party system by two relatively moderate political groups marked an end to the polarization that had plagued the country since the days of the Second Republic. The political skill of Suarez, the courage and determination of Juan Carlos, and the willingness of opposition leaders to sacrifice their hopes for more radical social change to the more immediate goal of securing political democracy helped to end the polarization.

The deferral of these hopes led to eventual disenchantment with the Suarez government, but in 1977 it was a key factor in the peaceful transition to democracy. A formidable array of problems, including a growing economic crisis, Basque terrorism, and the threat of military subversion, confronted the new Suarez government. Long-range solutions could not be devised until after the new constitution had been approved, but in the interim, the socioeconomic difficulties had to be faced. It was apparent that austerity measures would have to be taken, and Suarez knew he needed to gain support for a national economic recovery program. This was achieved in October 1977 in the Moncloa Pacts, named for the prime minister's official residence where leaders of Spain's major political parties met and agreed to share the costs of, and the responsibility for, economic reforms. The parties of the left were promised an increase in unemployment benefits, the creation of new jobs, and other reforms; in return they agreed to further tax increases, credit restrictions, reductions in public expenditures, and a 20 percent ceiling on wage increases. The new government set forth a provisional solution to demands for regional autonomy.

Preautonomy decrees were issued for Catalonia in September and for three of the Basque provinces in December, 1977. The significance of these decrees was primarily symbolic, but the decrees helped to avoid potentially disruptive conflict for the time being by recognizing the distinctive political character of the regions and by promising autonomy when the constitution was ratified. The regional issue nevertheless continued to be the government's most intractable problem, and it became even more complicated as autonomist demands proliferated throughout the country. During the early months of the Suarez government, there were disturbing indications that the army's toleration of political pluralism was limited. Military unrest also boded ill for the regime's future stability. The major task facing the government during this transitional period was the drafting of a new constitution. Since previous constitutions had failed in Spain because they had usually been imposed by one particular group and were not the expression of the popular will, it was imperative that the new constitution be based on consensus. To this end, the Constitutional Committee of the Cortes in August 1977 elected a parliamentary commission representing all the major national parties and the more important regional ones. This group began its deliberations in an atmosphere of compromise and cooperation.

Although members of the group disagreed over issues of education, abortion, lock-outs, and regionalism, they made steady progress. The Cortes passed the document they produced--with amendments--in October 1978. The new 1978 Constitution is long and detailed, because of its framers' desire to gain acceptance for the document by including something for everyone. It proclaims Spain to be a parliamentary monarchy and guarantees its citizens equality before the law and a full range of individual liberties, including religious freedom. While recognizing the autonomy of the regions, it stresses the indivisibility of the Spanish state. The Constitution was submitted to popular referendum on December 6, 1978, and it was approved by 87.8 of the 67.7 percent of the eligible voters who went to the polls. After the king had signed the new Constitution, Suarez dissolved the Cortes and called another general election for March. It was widely predicted that the results would show an erosion of support for Suarez and the UCD (which had begun to show signs of fragmentation) and a gain for the PSOE. The PSOE was experiencing its own internal crisis, however.

The party's official definition of itself as Marxist hampered Gonzalez's efforts to project an image of moderation and statesmanship. At the same time, the party's more radical members were increasingly resentful of Gonzalez's ideological moderation. Contrary to expectations, the PSOE did not improve its position when Spaniards went to the polls on March 1, 1979. The election results were not significantly different from those of 1977, and they were seen as a reaffirmation and a consolidation of the basic power structure.

HISTORY CONTENTS 50 Truths About the Spanish King, Juan Carlos I de Borbón | The Huffington Post 50 Truths About the Spanish King, Juan Carlos I de Borbón 07/10/2014 01:58 pm ET | Updated Sep 09, 2014 Salim Lamrani Doctor, Paris Sorbonne Paris IV University, Lecturer, University of La Réunion This post first appeared at Opera Mundi After 38 years on the Spanish throne, Juan Carlos I de Borbón decided, at the age of 76, to abdicate and relinquish the throne to his son Felipe, Prince of Asturias. 1.

Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, or Juan Carlos I, was born January 5, 1938, in Rome from the union of Don Juan, Count of Barcelona, and Doña María de las Mercedes de Borbón y Orleans, Princess of the two Sicilies, with whom he had four children: Pilar (1936), Juan Carlos, Margarita (1939) and Alfonso (1941). 2. Juan Carlos is the paternal grandson of Alfonso XIII and a member of the Capetian dynasty of the Bourbons, a lineage that has produced kings of France since Henri IV. 3. The young Juan Carlos spent the first four years of his childhood in Rome where the royal family had lived in exile since the proclamation of the Second Republic on April 14, 1931. In 1942, Don Juan, deposed from the throne, chose to move to Lausanne, Switzerland. 4. General Francisco Franco, who reigned supreme from 1939, took an interest early on in the young Juan Carlos.

On August 25, 1948, the dictator and the Count of Barcelona - who had supported the fascists during the Civil War - meet secretly on the Bay of Biscay and together decided that Juan Carlos would move to Spain in order to receive a pro-Franco education. The Generalissimo's eventual aim was to reinstall the House of Bourbon on the Spanish throne. On November 8, 1948, the young prince, for the first time, moved to the Iberian Peninsula where he lived for one year. 5. In 1950, after spending a year in the family residence in Estoril, Portugal, Juan Carlos returned to Spain to continue his studies under the benevolent tutelage of Franco. 6. After obtaining his baccalaureate degree, Juan Carlos, from 1955 to 1959, received military training at the Zaragosa General Military Academy, the Marin Naval Academy and the San Javier General Air Force Academy. All of these institutions had been chosen personally by the dictator who followed closely the career of his future successor. 7.

On March 29, 1956, Alfonso, Juan Carlos's younger brother, aged 14, died from a bullet wound to the head in the Estoril family residence. The royal family's official declaration states that the young Alfonso was killed accidentally while handling a revolver. In fact, it was Juan Carlos who was responsible for the accident. No investigation was carried out and Alfonso was buried the very next day. Franco intervened personally at the Spanish Embassy in Lisbon and asked his brother, Nicolás Franco, then Spain's ambassador to Portugal, to write a falsified statement on the tragedy designed to protect Juan Carlos. Don Jaime, brother of Don Juan and uncle of the young Alfonso, is the only person to request - albeit in vain - an investigation: "I demand that you conduct a criminal investigation because it is my duty as head of the House of Bourbon and because I cannot accept that someone who has failed to fulfill his responsibilities might aspire to the Spanish throne." In October, 1992, Juan Carlos, then King of Spain for some 17 years, acceded to his father's request and repatriated his brother's remains to the Spanish Royal Pantheon. 8.

In 1962, Juan Carlos, by then 24 years old, married Princess Sofia of Greece in Athens. Juan Carlos and Doña Sofía have three children: Infanta Elena (1963), the Infanta Cristina (1965) and Prince Felipe (1968). 9. In 1963, Franco persuaded the young couple to settle in the Palacio de La Zarzuela in Madrid, despite the fierce opposition of the Count of Barcelona, who had begun to understand that the dictator's machinations were designed to deprive him of the throne. 10. During this period Juan Carlos was surrounded and advised by members of Opus Dei. 11. In January of 1966, Juan Carlos made a statement to the U.S. news magazine Time in which he swore loyalty to his father: "I will never accept the crown as long as my father is alive." 12.

On March 5, 1966, the date of the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the death of Alfonso XIII, Juan Carlos, on the advice of Franco, refused to participate in the Count of Barcelona's Privy Council meeting held in Estoril, a conclave designed to reaffirm the dynastic rights of Juan de Borbón y Battenberg. Juan Carlos thus chose to break with dynastic unity in order that he might himself come to power. 13. In 1969, Franco decided officially to appoint Juan Carlos as his successor, a decision he based on the 1947 Law of Succession to the position of head of state. In so doing he broke with the dynastic rules that stipulated that Juan de Borbón y Battenberg, the legitimate heir of King Alfonso XIII, must come to occupy the throne. 14. Don Juan had heard the news when he received a letter from his son Juan Carlos asking for his father's blessing. The father's response is scathing: "What monarchy are you saving? A monarchy that is against your father? You have saved nothing. You want to save a Franco monarchy?

I do not agree and I never will. I will never accept that you can be king of Spain without the consent of the monarchy, without passing through the dynasty." He decided to withdraw the title "Prince of Asturias" from his son. 15. In response, Franco decided to grant Juan Carlos the title "Prince of Spain," a title that had never before been used. The successor designate took the oath of office in July of 1969 and swore loyalty to Franco; to the principles of the National Movement, the party founded by the Generalissimo; as well as to the Fundamental Laws of the Realm, laws designed to replace the constitution that had been imposed by the dictator during his reign. 16. Juan Carlos, always very close to Franco, did not fail to express allegiance to the caudillo. In an interview on French television in 1969 he stated: "General Franco is truly a decisive figure for Spain, both historically and politically. He knew how [...] to solve our crisis of 1936. He played a political role that got us out of the Second World War. Over the past thirty years, he has laid the foundations for the development [of the country].

For me, he serves as a living example through his daily patriotic devotion and service to Spain. I have a very great affection and admiration for him." 17. In January 1971, Juan Carlos went to the United States at the invitation of President Richard Nixon to strengthen ties with Washington, a country that had supported the Franco regime since the 1950s. 18. Franco being gravely ill, Juan Carlos was designated for the first time interim head of state between July 19 and September 2, 1974. On July 18, 1974, he replaced the Generalissimo at the 1936 anniversary celebration of the uprising against the Spanish Republic. 19. On July 20, 1974, Juan Carlos performed his first official act by signing a joint statement with the United States that extended the mutual assistance treaty between the two countries. 20. On October 30, 1975, Juan Carlos again assumed the role of head of state through November 20, 1975.

A few weeks earlier, on October 1, 1975, he had appeared alongside Franco at a rally organized by the regime in response to the international community's unanimous condemnation that followed Spain's execution of five political prisoners. 21. The official biography published on the website of the Casa Real (the household of the king of Spain) carefully omits noting the close links between Juan Carlos and Franco. Neither is mention made of his political responsibilities before November 22, 1975. 22. Two days after Franco's death on November 20, 1975, Juan Carlos was proclaimed king of Spain by the Franco Cortes (the Spanish legislature), in accordance with the wishes the Generalissimo had expressed in a posthumous message to the nation: "I ask you to preserve unity and peace and surround the future king of Spain, Don Juan Carlos de Borbón, with the same affection that you offered me." The new king was "moored and well moored" to the throne. 23.

The official biography on the Casa Real website evokes this episode as follows: "Following the death of former head of state Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was proclaimed king on November 22, 1975 and delivered before Parliament his first message to the nation. In it he expressed the principal ideas of his reign: that of restoring democracy and being the king of all Spaniards, without exception." 24. However, historical reality contradicts this assertion. Far from advocating for a democratic transition, Juan Carlos, quite to the contrary, swore loyalty to Franco's legacy and said that he would continue his work: "I swear before God and the Holy Gospels to respect and uphold the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and remain loyal to the principles of the National Movement. "During his speech, he paid vibrant tribute to the dictator Franco: "An exceptional figure enters into history. The name of Francisco Franco will be a highlight of Spanish history, an essential reference point and a key to understanding our contemporary political life. With respect and gratitude, I wish to remember the face of the one who for so many years bore the heavy burden of leading the country." At no time did Juan Carlos speak of democracy or mention the establishment of a democratic transition. 25.

Similarly, during his speech to the kingdom on Christmas eve, December 24, 1975, Juan Carlos again praised Franco and his legacy: "The year ends on a deep note of sadness because of the illness and death of one who was for many years our generalissimo. The testament that he leaves the Spanish people is undoubtedly a historical document that reflects the enormous human qualities, the enormous feelings of patriotism on which he wished to base his work as head of our nation. We now have a very solid basis on which to build. It is inherited from the generation that was sacrificed and the extraordinary efforts of certain exemplary Spaniards. Today, I dedicate to them a tribute of respect and admiration." 26. Despite bloody crackdowns by the government, protests and strikes multiplied across the country. Faced with armed resistance from the ETA, communists from the Revolutionary Antifascist Patriotic Front (FRAP) and the First of October Anti-fascist Resistance Groups (GRAPO), the king of Spain became aware that the status quo would be impossible to maintain and that change was inevitable. He realized that Francoism would not survive the death of its leader. 27.

In 1976, he decided nonetheless to appoint Adolfo Suárez, a former president of the National Movement, as President of the Government (prime minister). 28. Faced with republican opposition, which viewed him as Franco's heir, Juan Carlos concluded a pact: he would open the way for a democratic transition, but solely on the condition that the monarchy be restored. He presented himself as the guarantor of a reconciliation of all Spaniards. 29. On November 18, 1976, the Political Reform Act, paving the way for a democratic transition, was approved by nearly 95% of voters in a national referendum. Political parties -- including the Spanish Communist Party -- were legalized and an amnesty was declared for some political prisoners. 30. On May 14, 1977, Juan Carlos compelled his father, the Count of Barcelona and legitimate heir to the throne, to renounce his dynastic rights. This action consolidated his own power and legitimized the power he had been granted by the man who had triggered the civil war between 1936 and 1939. Juan Carlos became Prince of Asturias on November 1, 1977.

31. During June of 1977, the first democratic election since 1936 was held in Spain, a country that had been without a constitution from 1936 to 1978. The Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD), the party of Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez, who had been appointed by the king, won the election. The new Parliament -- with 41 senators appointed by Juan Carlos, following the practice established by Franco -- adopted the 1978 constitution. The new constitution (ratified in a referendum by nearly 95% of the voters), made Spain a parliamentary monarchy and recognized Juan Carlos as "the legitimate heir to the historic dynasty" (Article 57). The new text replaced Franco's Fundamental Laws. 32. The king became head of state, head of the armed forces and guarantor of the unity of the nation. He endorses and ratifies laws, appoints the Presidents of the Government and may dissolve Parliament with the consent of the President of the Congress of Deputies. He represents the country internationally and exercises the right of pardon (Article 62).

He accredits ambassadors, signs international treaties and, after authorization by the Parliament (Article 63), disposes of the power to declare war. Finally, as stated in Article 56, he has full and absolute immunity for all crimes and misdemeanors, including even cases of treason to the fatherland. 33. Juan Carlos I de Borbón is granted an annual budget for the support of his family and his entourage. He may dispose of it as he sees fit (Article 65). According to the Casa Real, for 2014, it was 7.8 million euros. 34. However, according to retired Colonel Amadeo Martínez Inglés, a specialist on matters pertaining to the Royal House and critic of Juan Carlos I, the real cost of the monarchy is over 560 million euros per year. In addition to the initial budget directly allocated to the Casa Real, the budget of the Ministry of the Presidency (royal administration, receptions, preservation of national heritage for the exclusive use of the royal family) should also be included, as well as that of the regiment of the Royal Guard and the armed forces required for the protection of the King during his travels.

Also to be included are all of the logistical expenses, for example, the cost of security for the Casa Real that is charged to the Ministry of the Interior, the cost of foreign travel charged to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the cost of the staff of the Casa Real (372 employees), etc. 35. The New York Times estimates the personal fortune of the King of Spain to be almost 2 billion euros. 36. On February 23, 1981, the young Spanish democracy faced an attempted military coup orchestrated by Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero. The National Assembly was stormed by some 200 civil guards and 100 soldiers during the inauguration of the presidential candidate Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo. The army occupied strategic points in the capital and the country. King Juan Carlos gave a nationally televised address seven hours later to condemn the attempted coup: "The Crown, symbol of the permanence and unity of the nation, cannot tolerate, in any form, the actions or attitudes of people attempting by force to interrupt the democratic process. A process which the constitution, voted for by the Spanish people, determined by referendum." This intervention enhanced the image of the king, henceforth considered the savior of democracy.

37. In 1981, Juan Carlos met with U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Spain decided to join NATO in 1982. The same year, the Spanish Socialist Workers Party came to power and the new President of the Government, Felipe González, maintained excellent relations with the crown. 38. Between 1983 and 1987, under the government of Felipe González, the GAL, the Antiterrorist Liberation Groups' death squads, created by the Spanish government to fight against Basque separatists, killed 27 people, the majority of whom were political opponents. Officially, Juan Carlos I knew nothing of this policy of state terrorism. However, this version is hardly credible. Indeed, the King had a reputation for being thoroughly informed about the situation in the country and received daily reports. 39. In 1992, the conservative Spanish daily El Mundo revealed an extramarital relationship between Juan Carlos and Marta Gayá, a Majorque decorator, thereby causing a scandal. 40. On October 1, 1995, Juan Carlos was the victim of an assassination attempt in Palma de Mallorca, organized by ETA, the Basque separatist organization.

41. In 2002, during the coup d'état against President Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, the Spain of Juan Carlos de Borbón and President of the Government José María Aznar became, after the United States, the only other country in the world to recognize officially the group responsible for the coup, a junta led by Estanca Pedro Carmona. During his appearance before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Spanish Congress on December 1, 2004, Miguel Angel Moratinos, Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke clearly about this: "My statements were: 1. There was a coup d'état in Venezuela. 2 The Spanish ambassador received instructions from the Spanish government. 3. The objective of these instructions, or rather, to avoid misunderstandings, the effect of carrying out these instructions and other acts was to support the coup [...]. My words must be understood in the sense that by supporting it, I wanted to say and want to say that the government did not condemn the coup, that it endorsed it and gave it international legitimacy." 42.

In 2003, Juan Carlos, Chief of the Armed Forces, decided to involve Spain in the war against Iraq, an illegal action from the perspective of international law. In so doing he ignored the will of the Spanish people who, by a vast majority, considered it an attack on a sovereign country whose goal was to control that nation's energy resources. 43. In November 2007, during the XVII Ibero-American Summit in Chile, Juan Carlos attacked President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela in a discourteous manner, saying "Why don't you just shut up?" President Chávez had indeed pointed out the fact that Madrid had supported the 2002 coup against his government: "It is difficult to believe that the Spanish ambassador would have supported the coup, or gone to the [Presidential] Palace, without the permission of his majesty." In his response to the king's attack, Chávez asked for respect, recalling that, "like the king," he too was head of state, "with the difference being that I was elected three times and he has never been elected." 44.

In April of 2012, Juan Carlos I suffered a hip fracture during a safari in Botswana. Many voices were raised in criticism of a trip that cost the Spanish taxpayer tens of thousands of euros at the very moment that the country was experiencing one of the worst economic crises in its history. Many people, especially the most vulnerable, had been abandoned to their fate by a government that made austerity policies a priority and had dismantled the entire social protection system. To improve his image, the king apologized to the nation -- something unique in the history of his reign -- on April 18, 2012: "I am deeply sorry. I made a mistake and it will not happen again." But his mea culpa did not satisfy a population hard hit by the economic crisis. 45. Many voices were raised to denounce the censorship imposed upon the media through the Pact of Silence between the Crown and the Federation of the Spanish Press. This was an act designed to protect the image of the king. Under the Pact, several people were sentenced to jail time (Mariano Delgado Francés in 1988, Abdclauthab Buchai Ceuta in 1989, etc.) for having insulted the king.

46. On June 2, 2014, Juan Carlos decided to abdicate in favor of his son Felipe de Borbón y Grecia, who would become Felipe VI. The King explained why: "These difficult years have allowed us to do a self-critical assessment of our mistakes and our limitations as a society [...]. In building [the] future, a new generation rightly claims a leading role [...]. Today, a younger generation, with renewed energy, deserves to go to the front of the line. This generation has decided to undertake with determination the transformations and reforms that the current situation requires and face with intensity and a renewed dedication the challenges of tomorrow [... ]. My son Felipe, heir to the throne, embodies stability, which is the lodestar of the monarchical institution [...]. The Prince of Asturias has maturity, preparation and the responsibility necessary to assume, with all the guarantees, the role of head of state and thereby open a new chapter in which hope will be combined with experience and the momentum of a new generation [...].

For these reasons, guided by the conviction of providing the best service to the Spanish people [...] I have decided to end my reign and abdicate the Spanish Crown." On June 11, 2014, Spanish deputies passed a law allowing the abdication of Juan Carlos, and in so doing opened the way to succession. 47. Article 57 of the Constitution, which treats the topic of the succession of Juan Carlos, states that "the male shall precede the female..." thus legitimizing the appointment of Felipe. However, that article is considered unconstitutional by lawyers because it contravenes Article 14 which states that "Spaniards are equal before the law and may not in any way be discriminated against on account of birth, race, sex, religion, opinion or any other personal or social condition or circumstance." 48. The same day, popular demonstrations involving tens of thousands of people demanding a referendum on the structure of the Spanish state and the establishment of a republic burst out across the country. According to several surveys, more than 60% of all Spaniards supported a referendum. 49.

Juan Carlos leaves his country in a severe economic crisis with an unemployment rate of 26%, a European record; more than six million unemployed; an unprecedented number of suicides -- nine per day -- since the economic crisis of 2008 began; and more than three million people living in conditions of "severe poverty," that is to say, 6.4% of the population live on less than 307 euros per month. 50. Despite the transition to democracy and the establishment of a parliamentary monarchy, despite efforts to conceal his intimate links with Franco, King Juan Carlos I de Borbón y Borbón never succeeded in shedding his image of illegitimacy due to one indelible stain on his rule: he had been appointed to the throne by the dictator Franco who, supported by Hitler and Mussolini, was responsible for the violent and bloody repression of the second Spanish Republic that had been created by popular vote on February 16, 1936. Translated from the French by Larry R.

Oberg ____________ Doctor of Iberian and Latin American studies at the University Paris IV-Sorbonne, Salim Lamrani is a lecturer at the University of La Réunion, and a journalist specializing in relations between Cuba and the United States. His new book is The Economic War Against Cuba, New York, Monthly Review Press, 2013; prologue by Wayne S. Smith, foreword by Paul Estrade, translated by Larry R. Oberg. Contact: lamranisalim@yahoo.fr; Salim.Lamrani @ univ-reunion.fr

Question: Who became the King of Spain on 22 November 1975, two days after the death of Francisco Franco?
Answer: King Juan Carlos I