List of heads of state of Spain

Spain

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Spain

Other countries · Atlas
Politics portal

This is a list of Spanish Heads of State; that is, kings and Presidents that ruled on the country of Spain in the modern sense of the word. The forerunners of the Spanish throne, as well as of the Portuguese throne, were the following:

These lineages were eventually united by the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. Although their kingdoms continued to be separate, with their personal union they ruled them together as one dominion. Ferdinand also conquered the southern part of Navarre and annexed it to what was to become Spain. Isabella left her kingdom to her daughter Joanna of Castile. Ferdinand served as her regent during her insanity; though rebuffed by the Castilian nobility and replaced by Joanna's husband Philip the Handsome, he resumed his regency after Philip's death. In 1516, after Ferdinand II's death, his daughter Joanna inherited the kingdom of Aragon, but was kept prisoner at Tordesillas as insane. As Joanna's son, the future Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, did not want to be merely a regent, he was proclaimed king of Castile and Aragon jointly with his mother in Brussels. Subsequently, Castilian and Aragonese Cortes alleged oath to him as co-king with his mother. Upon her death, he became sole King of Castile and Aragon, and the thrones were thereafter united permanently.

During the First Spanish Republic (1873–74), Spain had heads of state known as the President of the Executive Power.

It is only during the Second Spanish Republic (1931–39), however, that the official title of President of Spain (or President of the Republic) existed.

Today, Spain is a constitutional monarchy, and there is thus no person holding the title of President of Spain. However, the Prime Minister holds the official title of President of the Government.

Contents

Kingdom of Spain (1516–1873)

House of Habsburg

Under Charles I, the two thrones of Castile and Aragon were finally united under one monarch.

# Picture Coat of arms Name Spanish Name Monarch From Monarch Until Titles Used Relationship with predecessor(s)
1 Charles I
with Joanna (1516–1555)		 Carlos I March 14, 1516 January 16, 1556 Holy Roman Emperor,
King of the Romans, Italy and Spain,
Archduke of Austria,
(Titular) Duke of Burgundy,		 son and co-monarch of Joanna; grandson of Isabella I and Ferdinand II
2 Philip II Felipe II January 16, 1556 September 13, 1598 King of Spain, Portugal, and Naples
King consort of England and Ireland;
Ruler of the Spanish Netherlands;
Duke of Milan		 son of Charles I
3 Philip III Felipe III September 13, 1598 March 31, 1621 King of Spain and Portugal son of Philip II
4 Philip IV Felipe IV March 31, 1621 September 17, 1665 King of Spain and Portugal (until 1640) son of Philip III
5 Charles II Carlos II September 17, 1665 November 1, 1700 King of Spain
Ruler of the Spanish Netherlands		 son of Philip IV

House of Bourbon

In the year 1700 Charles II died. Charles' will named the 16-year old Philip, the grandson of Charles' sister Maria Theresa of Spain, as his successor.[1] Upon any possible refusal the Crown of Spain would be offered next to Philip's younger brother Charles, duc de Berry, or, next, to Archduke Charles of Austria.[1]

Both claimants, Philip and Charles, had a legal right to the Spanish throne due to the fact that Philip's grandfather, King Louis XIV of France and Charles's father, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, were sons of Charles' aunts, Anne of Austria and Maria Anna of Austria. Philip had the better claim because his grandmother and great-grandmother were older than Leopold's. However, the Austrian branch claimed that Philip's grandmother had renounced the Spanish throne for herself and her descendants as part of her marriage contract. This was countered by the French branch's claim that it was on the basis of a dowry that had never been paid.[2]

After a long council meeting where the Dauphin spoke up in favour of his son's rights, it was agreed that Philip would ascend the throne but would forever renounce his claim to the throne of France for himself and his descendants.[3] Thus, the war broke out and Archduke Charles was proclaimed king of Spain, as Charles III opposite to Philip V.[4]

# Picture Coat of arms Name Spanish Name Monarch From Monarch Until Titles Used Relationship with predecessor(s)
6 Philip V Felipe V November 16, 1700 January 14, 1724 King of Spain Great Grandson of Philip IV, via his eldest (surviving) daughter, Maria Theresa of Spain
7 Louis I Luis I January 14, 1724 August 31, 1724 King of Spain Son of Philip V
8 Philip V Felipe V September 6, 1724 July 9, 1746 King of Spain Father of Louis I
9 Ferdinand VI Fernando VI July 9, 1746 August 10, 1759 King of Spain Son of Philip V
10 Charles III Carlos III August 10, 1759 December 14, 1788 King of Spain Son of Philip V
11 Charles IV Carlos IV December 14, 1788 March 19, 1808 King of Spain Son of Charles III
12 Ferdinand VII Fernando VII March 19, 1808 May 6, 1808 King of Spain Son of Charles IV

House of Bonaparte

The only monarch from this dynasty was Joseph I, imposed by his brother Napoleon I of France after the kings Charles IV and Ferdinand VII abdicated. The title used by Joseph was King of the Spains and the Indias, by divine grace and the Constitution of the State . He was also later given all of the titles of the previous kings.

# Picture Coat of arms Name Spanish Name Monarch From Monarch Until Titles used Relationship with predecessor(s)
13 Joseph I José I June 6, 1808 December 11, 1813 King of Spain
King of Naples and Sicily and the Indies
Comte de Survilliers		 No Relationship

House of Bourbon (first restoration)

Charles IV's eldest son was restored to the throne. Again the title used was king of Castile, Leon, Aragon,… by divine grace.

# Picture Coat of arms Name Spanish Name Monarch From Monarch Until Titles Used Relationship with predecessor(s)
14 Ferdinand VII Fernando VII December 11, 1813 September 29, 1833 King of Spain Son of Charles IV
15 Isabella II Isabel II September 29, 1833 September 30, 1868 Queen of Spain Daughter of Ferdinand VII

House of Savoy

After the Spanish Revolution of 1868 deposed Isabella II, there was established a provisional government and a regency headed by Francisco Serrano y Domínguez, who acted as Head of State, from October 8, 1868 until December 4, 1870 while it was requested a new monarch. Amadeo I was elected as king and the new title used was King of Spain, by divine grace and will of nation.

# Picture Coat of arms Name Spanish Name Monarch From Monarch Until Titles used Relationship with predecessor(s)
15 Amadeo I Amadeo I December 4, 1870 February 11, 1873 King of Spain Descendant of Philip II, through his grandson Thomas Francis and of Charles III through his son Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his daughter Maria Luisa

First Spanish Republic (1873–1874)

The First Spanish Republic started with the abdication as King of Spain on February 10, 1873 of Amadeo I, following the Hidalgo Affair, when he had been required by the radical government to sign a decree against the artillery officers. The next day, February 11, the republic was declared by a parliamentary majority made up of radicals, republicans and democrats. It lasted twenty-three months

Presidents of the Executive Power

# Picture Coat of arms Name President From President Until Political Party
1 Estanislao Figueras February 12, 1873 June 11, 1873 Federal republican
2 Francisco Pi y Margall June 11, 1873 July 18, 1873 Federal republican
3 Nicolás Salmerón y Alonso July 18, 1873 September 7, 1873 Moderate republican
4 Emilio Castelar y Ripoll September 7, 1873 January 3, 1874 Unitary republican
5 Francisco Serrano y Domínguez
Duke of la Torre		 January 3, 1874 December 30, 1874 Conservative republican dictatorship

Kingdom of Spain (1874–1931)

House of Bourbon (second restoration)

Isabella II's eldest son was restored to the throne. Constitutional king of Spain. Between the death of Alfonso XII and the birth of Alfonso XIII, there was an interregnum of seven months where Queen Maria Christina served as Head of State with the title of Regent.

# Picture Coat of arms Name Spanish Name Monarch From Monarch Until Titles Used Relationship with predecessor(s)
16 Alfonso XII Alfonso XII December 30, 1874 November 25, 1885 Constitutional King of Spain Son of Isabella II
17 Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII May 17, 1886 April 14, 1931 Constitutional King of Spain Son of Alfonso XII

Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939)

The Second Spanish Republic was the system of government in Spain between April 14, 1931 when King Alfonso XIII left the country following a period of social unrest after the collapse of General Primo de Rivera's dictatorship a year earlier, and April 1, 1939 when the last of the Republican (republicanos) forces surrendered to Nationalist (nacionales) forces led by Francisco Franco, at the end of the Spanish Civil War.

Presidents of the Republic

# Picture Coat of arms Name President From President Until Political Party
1 Niceto Alcalá-Zamora December 11, 1931 April 7, 1936 Conservative Republican
2 Manuel Azaña May 11, 1936 March 3, 1939 Republican Left
Popular Front coalition

Francoist Spain (1936–1975)

On October 1, 1936 General Francisco Franco was proclaimed Head of State (Caudillo) in parts of Spain controlled by Nationalist (nacionales) forces after Spanish Civil War broke out. After the end of war on April 1, 1939 General Franco took control of entire Spain. In 1947, Franco proclaimed the restoration of the monarchy, but did not allow the pretender, Juan de Borbón, Count of Barcelona, to take the throne. In 1969, Franco declared that Juan Carlos, the Count of Barcelona's son, would be his successor. After Franco's death in 1975, Juan Carlos succeeded him as the King of Spain.

Head of State (Caudillo)

# Picture Coat of arms Name Head of State From Head of State Until Political Party
1 Francisco Franco October 1, 1936 November 20, 1975 Traditionalist Spanish Falange and of the Unions of the National-Syndicalist Offensive (FET-JONS)
Military

Kingdom of Spain Restored (since 1975)

House of Bourbon (third restoration)

Alfonso XIII's claim descended (due to his two eldest sons' renunciations) to his third son, Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, who was passed over in favour of his eldest son, whose title is King of Spain. The Count of Barcelona renounced his claims in favour of his son in 1977, two years after Franco's death and Juan Carlos's accession.

# Picture Coat of arms Name Spanish Name Monarch From Monarch Until Titles Used Relationship with predecessor(s)
18
John Charles I
Juan Carlos I
 November 22, 1975 Incumbent King of Spain Grandson of Alfonso XIII, through his third son, Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona

References

  1. ^ a b Kamen, Henry. "Philip V of Spain:: The King who Reigned Twice", p.6. Published by Yale University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-300-08718-7
  2. ^ Durant, Will. "The Age of Louis XIV", p.699. Simon and Schuster, New York 1963.
  3. ^ Kamen, Henry. "Philip V of Spain:: The King who Reigned Twice", p.158. Published by Yale University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-300-08718-7
  4. ^ He was proclaimed in Viena, LoveToKnow Free Online Encyclopedia, and also in Madrid in the years 1706 y 1710.

See also