Key Figures and Organizations of the Second Spanish Republic
Key Figures of the Second Spanish Republic
Politicians and Presidents
Niceto Alcalá-Zamora
Born in Priego de Córdoba (Spain) in July 1877, and died in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 1949. He was a Spanish socialist politician and the first president of the Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936).
Manuel Azaña
Born in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) in January 1880, and died in Montauban (France) in November 1940. He was the first and later the ninth President of the Government of the Second Republic, and the
Read MoreWorld War I: Causes, Impacts, and Aftermath
World War I: A Global Conflict
Causes of the War
Economic Factors
- A capitalist system seeking growth led to rivalries between nations.
- Germany’s rapid industrial development during the Second Industrial Revolution fueled competition for new markets.
- Germany’s limited colonial possessions compared to other European powers created resentment and a desire for expansion.
Secondary Causes
- Regional rivalries, such as the conflict between Russia and Austria-Hungary in the Balkans.
- An arms race among European powers,
The Reign of Alfonso XIII: Political Instability and the Rise of Dictatorship in Spain
The Reign of Alfonso XIII (1902-1931)
The Parliamentary Stage (1909-1923)
The reign of Alfonso XIII can be divided into two distinct stages: the parliamentary period (1909-1923) and the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930). A year after the dictatorship, the king abdicated and went into exile, leading to the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic.
The parliamentary stage was marked by persistent instability stemming from unresolved issues of the Restoration era. Alfonso XIII assumed the
Read MoreTotalitarianism and Fascism in Europe Between the Wars
The Second Moroccan Crisis
Italy’s Expansion and France’s Concession
Italy, exploiting the weakness of the Ottoman Empire, claimed its right to participate in the empire’s division and launched an offensive to conquer Turkish Libya. Unable to send ground troops, the Ottomans were defeated by Italy, a second-rate power at the time.
To finally gain Germany’s recognition of the protectorate of Morocco, France had to cede part of its Congolese territory to Germany.
Totalitarianism: The USSR and Fascism
The
Read MoreThe Rise of Totalitarianism: Fascism and Stalinism in the 20th Century
The Last Alliance of the 19th Century: The Formation of Blocs
The Rise of German Nationalism
The German people were entrenched in the belief that the “Genius Germanicus,” manifested through culture, language, and religion, should extend its area of influence, especially at the expense of Roman Catholicism. Bismarck leveraged these aspirations to create a bloc of alliances around Germany. A sense of German superiority began to emerge.
The Bismarckian System
Tensions between European powers led to treaties
Read MoreThe Rise of Liberalism and the Enlightenment
Absolute Monarchy and Divine Right
In the Ancien Régime, the monarchy held a divine right, believing their power came directly from God. The monarch concentrated all three powers (legislative, judicial, and executive) and possessed absolute, arbitrary power. No laws protected the subjects of this absolutism, although the monarch often had advising institutions and executed their mandates, such as the Council of State, whose members were appointed by the king. This council was divided into different
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