Niceto Alcalá Zamora

Niceto Alcalá Zamora (1877-1949), first president of the second Spanish Republic. His last name, properly, is Alcalá Zamora, but the world press established the custom of referring to him, less correctly, as Zamora. Alcalá Zamora was born in the town of Priego de Córdoba in the Andalucía region. His father, a landowner, gave his son an education in the universities of Granada and Madrid, from which he emerged to become a brilliant lawyer and eloquent speaker. Zamora entered politics as a member of the Cortes (Spanish parliament), serving from 1906 to 1923 and advancing rapidly in the ranks of the Liberal Party. He served as minister of public works in 1917. His appointment as secretary of war in 1922 was an honor rarely granted to a civilian.

Alcalá Zamora's political views changed during the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera. In December 1930 Alcalá Zamora shifted his support from the monarchy to advocacy of a republic. He was briefly imprisoned for his republican views but was victorious in the Madrid municipal elections of April 1931. Alcalá Zamora's political experience and moderate views gave him leadership of the revolutionary committee that demanded the abdication of King Alfonso XIII. Alcalá Zamora became president of the provisional government in April 1931 and was elected president of the Spanish Republic in December 1932. Steering a middle course between extremists, he failed to gain the support of either side. He was compelled to withdraw from the presidency by the leftist majority in April 1936. Alcalá Zamora retired to France and from there went to Cuba. In his absence, the victorious rightists sentenced him to five years in exile and a fine of 50 million pesetas.

Alcalá Zamora’s published works include Los defectos de la constitución de 1931 (Defects of the 1931 Constitution, 1936) and Paz mundial y organización internacional (World Peace and International Organization, 1946). He died in Buenos Aires, Argentina.