Emilio Mola

In this article, the first or paternal family name is Mola and the second or maternal family name is Vidal.

Emilio Mola Vidal (9 July 1887 – 3 June 1937) was a Spanish nationalist soldier who led the July 1936 coup against the Second Spanish Republic, which started the Spanish Civil War.

Biography

Early life

Mola was born in Placetas, Cuba, then a part of Spain’s colonial empire. His father was a Spanish army officer during the Cuban War of Independence, and after the Spanish–American War, his family resettled in Spain.

In 1904, Mola joined the Toledo Infantry Academy and started his military career. By 1927, he was a brigadier general in the army. Mola was made Director-General of Security in 1930 and was the last man to serve this position under King Alfonso XIII.[1]

Coup

Mola joined a group of military officers who planned to overthrow the Second Spanish Republic in the July 1936 coup. The coup was not successful in overthrowing the Republican government and led to the start of the Spanish Civil War.

Death

On 3 June 1937, Mola died in a plane crash.[2] The airplane he was traveling in crashed into the side of a hill in Alcocero while he was returning to the city of Vitoria due to the poor weather.

References

  1. ↑ Payne, S. The Spanish Civil War. Cambridge University Press, 2012. p 66.
  2. ↑ Hamlin, John F. (2001). The Oxford, Consul & Envoy File. United Kingdom. p. 11. ISBN 9780851302898.{cite book}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)