Francisco Franco was a Spanish general who took control of Spain after the Spanish Civil War, which took place from 1936 to 1939. He established a military dictatorship, which he presided over until his death in 1975. An authoritarian ruler, Franco was highly ambitious from a young age. Coming from a military family, he rose to become the youngest general in Spain during the 1920s and one of the youngest generals in Europe. His rapidly advancing military career was temporarily stalled after the fall of the monarchy in 1931, when the leaders of the newly established Spanish Republic undertook major military reforms. Eventually, his military career was restored, and he was appointed Chief of the Spanish Army’s General Staff. Franco then conspired with others to overthrow the republic, starting a coup that ignited the Spanish Civil War.

Franco quickly emerged as the war’s leading military figure, receiving substantial support from several fascist groups, particularly Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. He ultimately won the bloody war, which resulted in the deaths of half a million people. After his victory, Franco established an autocratic dictatorship, ruling as Spain’s undisputed leader until his death. Before he died in 1975, Franco restored the monarchy, designating King Juan Carlos I as his successor.