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political game came to an end with his
death in November 1975.
When Juan Carlos was proclaimed king,
many thought that he would be a mere fig-
urehead for Franco's associates or enjoy
only a short reign. Instead the monarch
announced his strong commitment to a
democratic, modern, and inclusive society.
By 1978 a democratic constitution had been
adopted, and the new regime had gained a
broad range of supporters leaving the
extremes of Right and Left unable to assert
their claims to dominance. The king's
prompt and decisive response to an
attempted military coup in 1981 thwarted
any danger of a reactionary reversal and
confirmed his popularity with the vast
majority of Spaniards.
By the time Juan Carlos celebrated the
25th anniversary of his accession, in 2000,
he had achieved a level of popularity that
defied all early predictions. Modest in his
lifestyle, dignified in his conduct, and
respectful of the institutions generated by
the “new Spain” over which he presided,
he seemed the ideal chief of state for an era
in which the country was resuming a place
of influence in the affairs of Europe and a
wider world. His children by his marriage to
Princess Sofia of Greece gave promise of a
continuance of the Spanish B
OURBON
dynasty into the 21st century.
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