Alfonso XIII

Alfonso XIII (1886–1941), known as 'El Africano' for his military campaigns in Morocco, was King of Spain from 1886 until his deposition in 1931. Born after his father's death, he became monarch as an infant, with his mother Maria Christina serving as regent until his majority. Alfonso's reign was marked by significant political turbulence, including the loss of Spain's American colonies following the Spanish-American War of 1898, which devastated Spanish national pride and economy. He presided over numerous government changes, military uprisings, and the growth of republican and socialist movements challenging the monarchy's authority. His attempts to modernize Spain were hampered by entrenched aristocratic interests and military factionalism. The Rif War in Spanish Morocco, initiated under his rule, resulted in a humiliating military disaster at Annual in 1921. Facing mounting political pressure and the rise of republicanism, Alfonso XIII was forced to abdicate in 1931 following electoral losses, ushering in Spain's Second Republic. He spent his remaining years in exile in Italy, where he died in 1941. His reign is remembered as a transitional period between Spain's imperial past and its republican future.