Dictatorial monarchies or monarchical dictatorships. The Spain of Alfonso XIII and Primo de Rivera in interwar Europe

This article analyses the relationship between the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera and the throne of Alfonso XIII of Spain. It explores how the monarch supported and legitimized the military dictatorship, becoming one of its key pillars. It also explores the regime’s monarchism. Primo de Rivera made the Crown one of the ideological pillars of his authoritarian regime. In other words, the article seeks to examine the monarchical element of Primo de Rivera’s dictatorship and determine the extent to which he developed monarchism as the regime’s ideology – an aspect that is completely unknown to historiography. Through public ceremonies and political initiatives, the monarchy was highly visible in the public and ideological spheres of the dictatorship, with strong links to Spanish nationalism. Understanding the monarchy of Alfonso XIII is essential to comprehending Primo de Rivera’s regime. Furthermore, the study is contextualized within interwar Europe, drawing comparisons with other countries in the region where modern dictatorships and monarchies coexisted.