Spanish catholic church in Franco regime: a marriage of convenience

Abstract

This article discusses the relationship between the Catholic Church and the regime of General Franco in Spain. When the Spanish Civil War ended with Franco's victory, the Catholic Church assumed its new role as the ideological leader for the dictator's regime, which was all the more fitting since Spain's mainly Catholic population had given their loyalty to Franco. To begin with this was a very convenient relationship, but eventually it began to unravel. This article analyses the reasons why at first church and state supported each other, and then the reasons why the two sides fell apart.