Margarita Salaverría Galárraga facts for kids

Margarita Salaverría Galárraga (1911 – 7 December 2000) was a very important person in Spanish history. She was Spain's first woman diplomat. This means she was the first woman to officially represent her country in other nations.

Early Life and Education

Margarita Salaverría Galárraga was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1911. Her mother was Amalia Galárraga, who was a feminist. Her father was the writer José María Salaverría.

Margarita went to a special school called the Instituto-Escuela. After that, she studied Law in Madrid. She was friends with a writer named Emilio Garrigues Díaz-Cañabate during her studies.

Becoming a Diplomat

In 1933, when Margarita was 22 years old, she made history. She passed the difficult exams to join Spain's diplomatic team. This made her the very first woman to become a diplomat in Spain.

In the same year, she started working at the Ministry of State. This is a government department that handles relations with other countries. Her name was officially listed as a "third-class secretary" on November 1, 1933.

Working During World War II

Margarita Salaverría Galárraga married Jaime Argüelles Armada. He was also a diplomat and a classmate of hers. They had six children together: Inés, Isabel, Jacobo, José, Margarita, and Pedro.

During World War II, Margarita and her husband lived in London. Her husband worked as a trade advisor at the Spanish Embassy. Margarita also worked there as an embassy secretary.

Later Career and Recognition

Margarita continued to advance in her career. In 1961, she was promoted to "third-class plenipotentiary minister." This was a big achievement for a woman at that time. She was one of the few women who had worked as a diplomat since the beginning of Francoist Spain.

She was promoted again in 1970, becoming a "second-class plenipotentiary minister."

In the 1970s, Margarita and her family moved to the United States. Her husband became the Spanish ambassador in Washington. Sadly, her husband passed away on December 6, 1995.

In 1981, Margarita received a special award called the Banda de Dama of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. This is a high honor given by the Spanish government.

Margarita Salaverría Galárraga passed away in Madrid on December 7, 2000. She is remembered as a pioneer for women in diplomacy. She was also considered an inspiration for the famous fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga.

See also

In Spanish: Margarita Salaverría Galárraga para niños