Francisco Franco Bahamonde (4 December 1892 in Ferrol – 20 November 1975 in Madrid), commonly known as Francisco Franco (Spanish pronunciation: ), or simply Franco, was a military general and dictator of Spain from October 1936, and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in 1975. Franco used the title Caudillo de España, por la gracia de Dios from 1936 onwards, meaning, Leader of Spain, by the grace of God. During his almost forty year reign, Franco's governance went through various different phases, although the most common ideological features present throughout included a strong sense of Spanish nationalism and protection of the country's territorial integrity, Catholicism, anti-communism and traditional values.

From a military family, Franco originally set out for a career in the Spanish Navy. However, the navy had reduced in size since Spain had lost much of its empire, so he became a soldier instead. During the early period of his career he fought in Morocco during the Rif War, rising to the position of general. Afterwards he was stationed on the Spanish mainland and saw service suppressing an anarchist-led strike in 1934; defending the stability of Alcalá-Zamora's conservative republican government. Everything changed in 1936 with the election of the Popular Front, a far left coalition of socialists, communists, anarchists and liberal republicans. A period of severe instability ensued, with escalating violence and distrust between supporters of each side. Anti-clerical violence against the Church by leftist militants raised tensions. After the assassination of José Calvo Sotelo, by a commando unit of the Assault Guards—the military felt a communist dictatorship was nearing. Franco and the military participated in a coup d'état against the Popular Front government.

The coup failed and devolved into the Spanish Civil War during which Franco emerged as the leader of the Nationalists against the Popular Front government. After winning the civil war with support from Benito Mussolini's Italy and Adolf Hitler's Germany—while the Soviet Union provided help to the Popular Party—he dissolved the Spanish Parliament. He then established a right-wing authoritarian regime that lasted until 1978, when a new constitution was drafted. During the Second World War, Franco officially maintained a policy of non-belligerency and later of neutrality. However, he agreed to allow the many Spanish volunteers, known as the Blue Division to join the German Army in the fight against Communism on the Eastern Front.