Juan Carlos I
Juan Carlos I is the reigning King of Spain in 2002. His image is on the Spanish euro coins.
His grandfather Alphonso XIII, was King of Spain until deposed in 1931 by the 2nd Spanish republic. The republic was infamously ended by the Spanish Civil War and followed by the fascist regime of Francisco Franco, who ruled until his death on November 20th 1975.
Franco ignored the successory rights of Juan de Borbon, the father of Juan Carlos, and tried to educate Juan Carlos as his successor for the maintenance of the regime. At the death of Franco, the monarchy was restored and the control was given to Juan Carlos, whom the dictator had groomed to be his fascist successor.
However, Juan Carlos quickly instituted democratic reforms and a new constitution was promulgated, to the great displeasure of conservative elements, especially in the military, who had expected him to maintain the fascist state. Certain army officers fomented a coup in 1981, but it was quelled when the king appeared on television and ordered the rank and file to stand down. They obeyed and the officers found themselves without support.
Today, the king reigns as a constitutional monarch, exercising no practical power over the country's politics. He is regarded as an essential symbol of the country's unity.
His wife is Queen Sofia, a member of the former Greek royal family. They have three children: the infantas Elena and Cristina, and the heir apparent, Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de la Santisima Trinidad de los Todos los Santos, Prince of Asturias.
See also History of Spain, Spanish monarchs.