
November 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Western Europe’s last dictator. Known as “El Caudillo” (the warlord), Francisco Franco ruled unchallenged for almost 40 years. An incredible longevity, a nightmare from which the now democratic Spain still bears the scars.
Franco was long underestimated, yet he ruled longer than any of his fellow fascist leaders. And - unlike Hitler or Mussolini - he was eventually accepted by democracies. How was this possible?
• Episode 1: In the Name of Christ and the Empire
• Episode 2: The Manipulator