Miguel Primo de Rivera

Full Name: Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, 2nd Marquis of Estella
Profession: Dictator and Prime Minister of Spain

Biography: Miguel Primo de Rivera was a Spanish military officer and dictator who served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 1923 until his resignation in 1930. He started out pursuing a career in the army, rising through the ranks to become a general. He seized power in a military coup on September 13, 1923, dissolving the Spanish Parliament and suspending the constitution.

Primo de Rivera initially claimed that his dictatorship was temporary, intending to eliminate corruption and to "clean up" Spain before restoring democratic governance. His rule, however, soon took on a more authoritarian nature. His paternalistic regime aimed at achieving social and economic modernization through top-down reforms.

One of Primo de Rivera's key contributions was in the area of infrastructure. He made significant improvements in public works such as roads, bridges, and irrigation projects. This stimulated the economy, and for a time he enjoyed considerable public support.

He attempted to quell separatist movements in regions like Catalonia and the Basque Country through a policy of cultural assimilation. In international relations, Primo de Rivera sought closer ties with authoritarian regimes like Mussolini's Italy.

His rule became increasingly unpopular, however, due to several failed policies and an inability to solve long-term problems, particularly those related to the economy. The Great Depression had a significant impact on Spain, and the early economic gains made during Primo de Rivera's rule were eroded.

In 1930, faced with declining support from the military and the Spanish king, Alfonso XIII, Primo de Rivera chose to resign. He went into voluntary exile and died in Paris in 1930, just months after his resignation. His departure paved the way for the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic and, eventually, the Spanish Civil War.

His son, José Antonio Primo de Rivera, would later found the Falange Española ("Spanish Phalanx"), a fascist political party that played a significant role in Spanish politics leading up to and during the Spanish Civil War.

Born: January 8, 1870
Birthplace: Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
Star Sign: Capricorn

Died: March 16, 1930 (aged 60)
Cause of Death: A combination of fever and diabetes