Jaime Milans del Bosch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jaime Milans del Bosch
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| Birth name | Jaime Milans del Bosch y Ussía |
| Born | 8 June 1915 Madrid, Kingdom of Spain |
| Died | 26 July 1997 (aged 82) Madrid, Kingdom of Spain |
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| Allegiance |  Spanish Republic Nationalist faction Francoist Spain Kingdom of Spain |
| Service/ |
Spanish Army |
| Years of service | 1934–1981 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Unit | Spanish Legion Blue Division |
| Commands held | III Military Region |
| Battles/wars | Spanish Civil War 1981 Spanish coup d'état attempt |
| Alma mater | Toledo Infantry Academy |
| Relations | Joaquín Milans del Bosch (grandfather) Francisco Milans del Bosch (great great grandfather) |
Jaime Milans del Bosch y Ussía (born June 8, 1915 – died July 26, 1997) was a high-ranking general in the Spanish Army. He was removed from his position and sent to prison in 1981. This happened because of his part in a failed attempt to take over the government on February 23, 1981.
Early Life and Military Career
Jaime Milans del Bosch was born into an important family. Many of his family members had been senior military officers before him. He even used to talk about how many of his ancestors had been involved in attempts to change the government by force.
In 1934, he started his military training at the Toledo Infantry Academy. As a young cadet, he fought in the Spanish Civil War. He was at the Alcázar of Toledo during a bombing and got injured. Soon after, he became an officer in the Spanish Foreign Legion. In 1941, Milans del Bosch joined the Blue Division. This group fought against the Soviet Union alongside German forces.
After World War II, he worked as a military representative for Spain. He served in Spanish embassies in several Latin American countries. These included Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Paraguay.
He was promoted to brigadier general in 1971. Then, he became a major general in 1974. In 1977, he was made a lieutenant general. At this rank, he became the commander of the III Military Region, which was based in Valencia.
The 1981 Coup Attempt
In 1981, a group tried to overthrow the Spanish government. Milans del Bosch was the only top army commander who fully supported this attempt. He took strong actions to help the coup.
On February 23, 1981, another officer named Antonio Tejero stormed the Spanish Parliament building. Shortly after this, Milans del Bosch ordered tanks into the streets of Valencia. He also declared a state of emergency in the city.
However, the coup attempt failed. King Juan Carlos I spoke on television. He told the military to stay loyal to the government. Because of the King's message, many military leaders decided not to support the coup. Milans del Bosch was left without enough support. He finally surrendered at 5 a.m. the next day, February 24.
Military Trial and Later Life
Milans del Bosch faced a military trial, called a court-martial, on March 8, 1981. On June 3, 1982, he was found guilty. He was sentenced to 26 years and 8 months in prison. He was also removed from the army.
He was released from prison just nine years later, in 1991. This was because he was pardoned due to his old age. He never showed any regret for his part in the coup attempt.
He went back to live in his hometown of Madrid. He passed away there in 1997 from a brain tumor. He is buried at the Alcázar of Toledo.
In 2018, there was a discussion about moving the remains of Francisco Franco. During this time, some political groups suggested moving Milans del Bosch's remains too. However, this idea was not supported by other political parties.
See also
In Spanish: Jaime Milans del Bosch para niños
