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{{stub}}'''Francisco Franco Bahamonde''' was a soldier and politician who served as the head of state of Spain from April 1, 1939 to November 20, 1975. He was also the head of the Spanish government from January 30, 1938 to June 8, 1973.

{{stub}}Generalissimo '''Francisco Franco Bahamonde''' was a soldier and politician who served as the head of state of Spain from April 1, 1939 to November 20, 1975. He was also the head of the Spanish government from January 30, 1938 to June 8, 1973. He had previously been an officer in the Spanish army, and had been the youngest person in Europe to be appointed to the rank of General since Napoleon.

Franco gained power through an attempted military coup d'etat in 1936 that developed quickly into the [[Spanish Civil War]]. Franco's forces fought the elected republican government for three years before finally defeating the Republicans outside Madrid on April 1, 1939. With the fall of Madrid, Franco assumed control of Spain. His policies have been described as [[fascist]]. His regime is generally recognised as having rested on the support of a number of different elements in Spanish society - the army, the [[Roman Catholic Church]], rural landowners, and the Falange political party.

Franco gained power through an attempted military coup d'etat in 1936 that developed quickly into the [[Spanish Civil War]]. Franco's forces fought the elected republican government for three years before finally defeating the Republicans outside Madrid on April 1, 1939. With the fall of Madrid, Franco assumed control of Spain. His policies have been described as [[fascist]]. His regime is generally recognised as having rested on the support of a number of different elements in Spanish society - the army, the [[Roman Catholic Church]], rural landowners, and the Falange political party.