An unexpected journey into the heart of the conflict
On August 1, 1936, at the height of the Spanish Civil War, Joan de Borbó, the heir of Alfonso XIII, crossed the Spanish border clandestinely, arriving from Bayonne. His arrival was not usual; indeed, his name was associated with the monarchical history of a country on the brink of chaos.
The original fraud and the search for support
With a fake passport in the name of Juan López, Joan chose to enter Spain illegally. His intention was clear: to seek alliances with the generals who led the military rebellion. His first stop was Aranda de Duero, where he met with General Dávila, a key ally of the coup plotters. That meeting was intended to be a first step in joining forces with the rebel army, but things did not go as he had hoped.
Disillusionment and abandonment
Shortly after his arrival, generals Mola and Franco, prominent figures in the revolt, decided to disassociate themselves from Joan de Borbó. Historical knowledge points to an intolerable resentment towards his family; Alfonso XIII had broken with General Primo de Rivera, causing the animosity of the military towards the Bourbons.
An absurd and emblematic ending
After several failed deals, John de Borbó chose to leave Spain. On a return trip that turned out to be as abrupt as his arrival, he crossed the Dantxarinea pass again, using the same fraudulent documentation that had brought him into the country. But the days he spent in Pamplona were not in vain; he allowed himself to be photographed in an outfit that was outlandish: a shirt with a tie, a Falange frog, a carline beret and a cigar on his fingers, an image that captured the absurdity of an unprecedented situation.
Reflections on a complicated legacy
Joan de Borbó’s passage through Spanish territory was not only a personal episode; it was a reflection of the deep tensions at the heart of a society that was abruptly divided. The events of that time remind us that history is often full of unexpected turns, where aspirations and politics can become intertwined in unpredictable ways.