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Editor says, what if Otto von Habsburg had accepted Franco's 1961 offer? Please note that the opinions expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the author(s). This story was published in the December 2012 edition of Changing the Times Magazine.
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In 1975, Otto von Habsburg was declared Head of State in accordance with the wishes of the late Francisco Franco.
Otto von Habsburg, King of SpainBecause in 1961, the Spanish dictator had offered to make him king of Spain after his own death. A branch of the Habsburg had ruled the country from 1506-1700 and so a valid (if some tenuous) claim existed based on historical precedent. However, Franco's concern was maintaining his own legacy by preventing the ascension of Juan Carlos.
But of course the Carlist and Alfonsian branches of the Royal Family both contested the succession which received only half hearted supported from the people of Spain. Within a very short space of time, it became clear that the country was heading for a disastrous second Civil War if von Habsburg could not safely navigate the nation towards a democratic safe haven.
Entry posted by Todayinah Editor
© Alternate Historian, 2004-.Story Tags
Permalinks: Post, Day. Browse Thread: Generals Source: Wikipedia Labels: Francisco Franco, Otto von Habsburg, Spain, King, Head of State. Editor says, in reality Juan Carlos was declared King of Spain because he declined, but later praised the fascist leader for helping refugees, calling him a "dictator of the south American type .. not totalitarian like Hitler or Stalin".
~ Not sure that the Fascists would agree to this. Most likely, if he hated Juan Carlos, he would chose the Carlist (Borbon y Parma) branch.
~ Otto von Hapsburg, from what I've read about him, would make a jim-dandy King. But did he speak Spanish?
~ Juan Carlos once described his role as that of a public relations man for Spain, and he seems to have proven some skills along those lines, too. I think he might have put those abilities to use in running for office in the post-Franco political arena. He might have won, but who knows for sure?
~ As I recall, Juan Carlos pretended to be a fascist, and succeeded to the point where his own father denounced him for being one. But it really was a pretense, aimed at Franco, and Juan Carlos dropped it the moment Franco was gone and he himself was crowned.
~ A war of succession in modern Europe? How would NATO and the Soviet Bloc react?
© Today in Alternate History, 2013-. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
