José Sanjurjo

José was a leader in the army. He lived in a land called Spain. He wanted the king to rule again. This led to a big fight in the land.

José led a group to try and change things. The leaders of the land stopped him. He had to live in a new place for a while.

Later, José joined a plan to start a war. He wanted to be a top leader. He tried to fly in a small plane to get home.

The plane had too much stuff in it. It crashed and José died. It was a very sad end for him.

José Sanjurjo was a military leader in Spain. He was born in Pamplona in 1872. He served in many wars. He fought in Cuba and in Morocco. He rose to a high rank in the army.

In 1931, Spain changed its government. The country became a Republic. Sanjurjo did not like this change. He wanted a king to rule. In 1932, he led a rebellion. People call this the Sanjurjada. The government stopped the rebellion. Sanjurjo was sent to prison. Later, he was allowed to leave Spain. He lived in Portugal for a while.

In 1936, Sanjurjo joined a plan to start a war. This was the Spanish Civil War. Some people wanted him to be the main leader. On July 20, 1936, he tried to fly home. He chose a small plane. The plane had too much luggage. The pilot said the load was too heavy. Sanjurjo did not listen. The plane crashed and he died. Because he died, another leader named Franco took charge.

José Sanjurjo was a famous military leader in Spain. He was born in Pamplona in 1872. His father was a captain named Justo Sanjurjo Bonrostra. Sanjurjo spent many years working in the army. He served in Cuba in 1896. He also fought in Morocco during the Rif War. He even helped the army take back territory in Melilla. Because of his hard work, he became a lieutenant general. The King even gave him a special award in 1931.

In 1931, the government of Spain changed. The country became the Second Spanish Republic. Sanjurjo did not agree with this new way of ruling. He believed a monarch should lead the country instead. In August 1932, he led a rebellion called the Sanjurjada. This rebellion started in Seville. However, it did not work in the city of Madrid. The government stopped the uprising very quickly. Sanjurjo was caught and sent to prison. He was even sentenced to death at first. Later, the government changed his sentence to life in prison.

Life changed for Sanjurjo in 1934. A new government gave him amnesty, which means he was set free. He moved to Portugal to live in exile. While living in Estoril, he kept planning for the future. He joined other generals like Emilio Mola and Francisco Franco. They wanted to overthrow the Republic. They planned a coup d'état, which is a sudden takeover of power. This plan helped start the Spanish Civil War in July 1936. Many people thought Sanjurjo would be the main leader of the Nationalist side.

Sanjurjo's life ended very suddenly during the war. On July 20, 1936, he tried to fly from Portugal back to Spain. He chose to fly in a small plane called a De Havilland DH.80. The pilot was his friend, Juan Antonio Ansaldo. The plane was too heavy because of all the luggage. Ansaldo told him the load was too much. Sanjurjo insisted on bringing his clothes so he could look like a leader. The plane crashed, and Sanjurjo died. Some people thought someone might have caused the crash, but no one proved it.

Because Sanjurjo died, the leadership of the war changed. Francisco Franco became the main leader instead. This changed the whole course of Spanish history. Many years later, in 2017, his remains were moved to Melilla. This was part of a law called the Historical Memory Law. It caused many arguments among people in Spain. His story shows how one person's choices can change a whole country. Even today, people study his life and his final flight.

José Sanjurjo y Sacanell was a prominent Spanish military officer. He was a central figure in the events that led to the Spanish Civil War. Sanjurjo was a monarchist, meaning he supported the rule of a king. This stance put him in direct conflict with the Second Spanish Republic. The Republic was established in 1931 after King Alfonso XIII abdicated his throne. Sanjurjo's actions and his sudden death significantly influenced the direction of Spanish history.

Sanjurjo began his military career with service in several locations. He served in Cuba in 1896 during a period of conflict. Later, he served in Morocco during the Second Melillan campaign. He also participated in the Rif War. During these campaigns, he helped the Spanish army regain territory in Melilla. These experiences helped him rise through the ranks. He eventually reached the rank of lieutenant general. In 1925, he participated in the amphibious landing at Alhucemas. For his service, King Alfonso XIII awarded him the Gran Cruz de Carlos III in 1931.

Political changes in Spain created deep divisions for Sanjurjo. In 1923, Miguel Primo de Rivera took power through a military coup. He ruled as a dictator until he resigned in January 1930. After his resignation, General Dámaso Berenguer formed a replacement government. Sanjurjo felt he was more qualified for leadership than Berenguer. When the Second Spanish Republic was formed in 1931, Sanjurjo remained a commander in the Civil Guard. However, he clashed with Prime Minister Manuel Azaña over military reforms. These disagreements led to Sanjurjo being replaced by General Miguel Cabanellas.

Sanjurjo's opposition to the Republic led to his first attempt at rebellion. In August 1932, he led a coup d'état known as the Sanjurjada. This uprising was proclaimed in Seville on August 10, 1932. Sanjurjo claimed the rebellion was against the current ministry, not the Republic itself. The coup saw some success in Seville but failed in Madrid. The authorities suppressed the movement quickly. Sanjurjo was caught and initially sentenced to death. This sentence was later changed to life imprisonment. He was eventually granted amnesty in 1934 and went into exile in Estoril, Portugal.

From his exile, Sanjurjo continued to plan for political change. He negotiated with various groups, including Carlists, for a potential uprising. By mid-1936, he joined other generals in a larger plot. These included Emilio Mola, Francisco Franco, and Gonzalo Queipo de Llano. This group planned to overthrow the Republican government. Their actions led to the Nationalist uprising on July 17, 1936. This event marked the start of the Spanish Civil War. Many expected Sanjurjo to become the commander-in-chief of the Nationalist faction.

Sanjurjo's life ended unexpectedly just three days into the war. On July 20, 1936, he attempted to fly from Portugal to Spain. He chose to fly in a small De Havilland DH.80 aircraft instead of a larger, more suitable de Havilland Dragon Rapide. The plane was piloted by his friend, Juan Antonio Ansaldo. The aircraft was overloaded because Sanjurjo insisted on bringing heavy luggage. He wanted to ensure he had proper clothes to wear as a leader. Ansaldo warned him about the weight, but Sanjurjo insisted. The plane crashed, and Sanjurjo was killed. While some suspected sabotage, no evidence was ever proven.

His death changed the leadership of the Nationalist side. With Sanjurjo and Emilio Mola both dead in aircraft accidents, Francisco Franco became the sole effective leader. This shift had massive consequences for the war and the future of Spain. Much later, in 2017, the Historical Memory Law led to the movement of his remains. Authorities in Navarre ordered his remains to be moved to Melilla. This happened despite objections from his family. The relocation caused further controversy regarding military honors. His life remains a subject of study in both history and even modern fiction.