Caudillo is a Spanish word usually describing a political-military leader at the head of an authoritarian power. It is usually translated into English as "leader" or "chief," or more pejoratively as "warlord", "dictator" or "strongman". Caudillo was the term used to refer the charismatic populist leaders among the people. The term has been used in both Spain and the Spanish-speaking regions of Latin America, usually to describe an authoritarian regime.
Spanish fascist commander Francisco Franco used the title Caudillo de España, por la gracia de Dios after taking control of the Nationalist forces of the Spanish Civil War, echoing the titles Führer of Germany and Duce of Italy. He continued to use the title in his capacity of head of state of Spain.
José Sanjurjo, the original leader of the Nationalists, had expressed his intent to use the title himself before his death in 1936.
Caudillo in In the Presence of Mine Enemies[]
The head of state of Spain continued to use the title of the Caudillo well into the 21st century. Spain's status as an ally of Germany meant that the Caudillo acted and ruled independently.[1]
In 2010, the incumbent Caudillo described recently deceased Führer Kurt Haldweim as a man of world-historical proportions.[2]
Caudillo in The War That Came Early[]
Marshal José Sanjurjo, the leader of the Spanish Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War, used the title of Caudillo, among others.[3]
See Also[]
- Duce, an Italian title meaning "boss" or "leader" used by Benito Mussolini. He was informally called this title during most of his term as the Prime Minister of Italy, and officially adopted it as the title of head of state of the short-lived Italian Social Republic. Hitler and other fascist leaders adopted Mussolini's model, styling themselves as "leaders" of their respective countries. In In the Presence of Mine Enemies, Duce is the formal title of Italy's head of government into the 21st century.
- Führer of the Greater German Reich, a title assumed by Adolf Hitler in his capacity as leader of Germany before World War II. The title fell into disuse upon Hitler's death in 1945. The title remained in use for a longer time in a number of Harry Turtledove alternate history works.
- Poglavnik of Croatia, a title meaning "head" or "chief", used by Ante Pavelić of Croatia during World War II. The title fell into disuse upon Pavelić's ouster in 1945. The title remains in use for a longer time in In the Presence of Mine Enemies and "Ready for the Fatherland".
References[]
- ↑ In the Presence of Mine Enemies, pg. 73, HC.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ See, e.g., West and East, pg. 189-90, HC.
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