WELCOME to the latest edition of This Week in Spanish History, written by Michael Coy.
1 SEPTEMBER, 1804 – Marian Pineda born
It seems hard for us to believe today, but Mariana Pineda y Muñoz was put to death at the age of 26 for holding ‘revolutionary’ opinions.
The evidence against her? In a search of her house in Granada, a flag was found, with the words ‘Freedom, Equality and Law’ embroidered on it.
At her 1831 trial, the judge told Mariana that, if she named her accomplices, her life would be spared.
She refused. Mariana was garrotted to death on 26 May – a local holiday in Granada.
1 SEPTEMBER, 2003 – Ramon Serrano Suñer dies
The most able of the coterie of Fascists and hangers-on who gathered around Franco, Serrano Suñer played a major role in the dictatorship, especially in the early years.
Being Franco’s brother-in-law helped, but he was always going to run afoul of the Generalisimo, who didn’t trust clever people.
If he is remembered at all today, it is as the founder of ONCE, the national lottery.
3 SEPTEMBER, 1667 – Alonso Cano dies
Alonso Cano was a very accomplished painter, sculptor and architect. He designed the façade of Granada Cathedral.
Cano was famous for his stubbornness. Rather than agree to a client’s demand for a discount, he smashed the commissioned statue to pieces.
He was suspected of murdering his wife (he was innocent), so he permitted himself to be tortured, and was congratulated by the king when he didn’t confess!
3 SEPTEMBER, 1971 – Evita’s body arrives in Madrid
Eva Peron, better-known to British readers as Evita of the musical, led an unusual life and what happened after her death was even stranger.
In 1943 she entered into a relationship with Juan Peron, who would soon seize power in Argentina by means of a military coup.
He was 49 when they met: she was 24.
After six years as Argentina’s First Lady, Eva died of cervical cancer.
Her embalmed body was intended to go on display in a huge monument, but husband Juan was overthrown before it could be completed.
Her remains were hidden in Milan, Italy until 1971, when the body was flown to Madrid where Juan, now elderly and ailing, kept it in his living-room!
Eva is now buried in Buenos Aires.
4 SEPTEMBER, 1781 – The city of Los Angeles is founded
It’s the City of Angels. It’s where Hollywood is based. It enjoys the ideal all-year-round pleasant climate, but also nestles under the Rocky Mountains.
As its name suggests, Los Angeles was founded by Spanish settlers.
In 1781 it was a pueblo, but today it has a population more than double the size of Andalucía’s six largest cities combined!
5 SEPTEMBER, 1526 – Spain’s ‘Witchsaver General’ dies
Alonso de Salazar Frias, of Burgos, was the rarest of Catholic monks of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
He studied law at Salamanca and quickly rose to a high position in the Inquisition.
Nothing unusual there, you might think. But Alonso was an enlightened man and hated the way the Inquisition tried to burn women as witches.
He argued strongly in defence of women accused of witchcraft, exposed the flimsy evidence, and saved a lot of lives.
READ MORE: IN PICS: Small Spanish town welcomed 22,000 people to annual ‘La Tomatina’ tomato fight
6 SEPTEMBER, 1948 – Karlos Arguiñano born
If you’ve ever turned on a Spanish TV set, you’ve seen Karlos Arguiñano. He’s everywhere.
Jolly and affable, he is the perfect TV chef with his endless stream of anecdotes.
Karlos is Basque through and through – he has put a lot of his own money into pelota, the Basque equivalent of squash – but he defies the popular stereotype.
Basques are supposed (by other Spaniards) to be surly and unfriendly.
Karlos is the exact opposite!
7 SEPTEMBER, 2023 – Spanish figures on ‘foreigners’
Do they mean us? Yes, they do!
‘Guiris’ are foreigners, specifically British ones, who wear ankle-socks with their sandals, and get sunburnt on day one.
But wait a minute – we’re the ones keeping Spain alive!
The National Statistics Institute (INE) has published its figures for population growth, 2022-23 (the most recent year for which numbers are available).
Spain’s population is static. We (the guiris) added 97.5 per cent of the population increase in the relevant twelve months.
Next time you’re in a bar, and they start with the ankle-socks jokes, tell them: “At least we can reproduce!”
Click here to read more Spain News from The Olive Press.
