Sancho Dávila y Fernández de Celis
Encyclopedia
Sancho Dávila y Fernández de Celis (1905 – 1972) was a Spanish
Falangist
politician. He was an important figure in the early history of the movement but later fell out of favour.
and as such was given the responsibility of expanding the operations of the Falange in Seville
and Cádiz
in 1933. He soon rose to the rank of jefe territorial for Andalusia
. He was a close ally of José Sáinz Nothnagel
and was arrested with him in May 1936 at José Antonio's house.
, Dávila joined with his ally Agustín Aznar
in a power struggle for the leadership of the Falange. The two men led the legitimistas group within the movement which opposed the leadership of Primo de Rivera's nominated successor Manuel Hedilla
. Dávila's presence was especially important to this group due to his familial connection and he was central in maintaining the cult of El Ausente (the absent), as Primo de Rivera was to be known. In the struggle that followed the legitimista militia seized power for themselves and on April 16 1937 set up a triumvirate
made up of Dávila, Aznar and José Moreno at the head of the Falange. However, with the help of nazi German
agent Carl von Haartman
, Hedilla's forces recaptured the Falange HQ from Dávila and before long Francisco Franco
stepped in, ostensibly to support Hedilla but in actual fact to create the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional-Sindicalista and thus effectively eliminate the Falange and its leaders as threats to his position. Dávila was imprisoned following the incident although his close friend Gonzalo Queipo de Llano
intervened to secure his release.
were added to this office. He was replaced as delegate to the Frente de Juventudes in 1941 by José Antonio Elola-Olaso as the influence of Dávila's ally Ramón Serrano Súñer
began to wane.
Between 1952 and 1954 he served as the President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Falangist
Falange
The Spanish Phalanx of the Assemblies of the National Syndicalist Offensive , known simply as the Falange, is the name assigned to several political movements and parties dating from the 1930s, most particularly the original fascist movement in Spain. The word means phalanx formation in Spanish....
politician. He was an important figure in the early history of the movement but later fell out of favour.
Falangism
Dávila was a cousin of José Antonio Primo de RiveraJosé Antonio Primo de Rivera
José Antonio Primo de Rivera y Sáenz de Heredia, 1st Duke of Primo de Rivera, 3rd Marquis of Estella , was a Spanish lawyer, nobleman, politician, and founder of the Falange Española...
and as such was given the responsibility of expanding the operations of the Falange in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
and Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
in 1933. He soon rose to the rank of jefe territorial for Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
. He was a close ally of José Sáinz Nothnagel
José Sáinz Nothnagel
José Sáinz Nothnagel was a Spanish politician with the Falange and a leading figure in the early days of the Spanish Civil War....
and was arrested with him in May 1936 at José Antonio's house.
Power struggle
Following the execution of José Antonio Primo de RiveraJosé Antonio Primo de Rivera
José Antonio Primo de Rivera y Sáenz de Heredia, 1st Duke of Primo de Rivera, 3rd Marquis of Estella , was a Spanish lawyer, nobleman, politician, and founder of the Falange Española...
, Dávila joined with his ally Agustín Aznar
Agustín Aznar
Agustín Aznar Gerner was a Spanish medical doctor, political activist with the Falange and a leading figure during the Spanish Civil War. Aznar was part of a radical element within the followers of Francisco Franco and at represented a challenge to his leadership...
in a power struggle for the leadership of the Falange. The two men led the legitimistas group within the movement which opposed the leadership of Primo de Rivera's nominated successor Manuel Hedilla
Manuel Hedilla
Manuel Hedilla Larrey was a Spanish political figure who was a leading member of the Falange and an early rival for power towards Francisco Franco. By profession he was a mechanic....
. Dávila's presence was especially important to this group due to his familial connection and he was central in maintaining the cult of El Ausente (the absent), as Primo de Rivera was to be known. In the struggle that followed the legitimista militia seized power for themselves and on April 16 1937 set up a triumvirate
Triumvirate
A triumvirate is a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, each a triumvir . The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case...
made up of Dávila, Aznar and José Moreno at the head of the Falange. However, with the help of nazi German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
agent Carl von Haartman
Carl von Haartman
Carl von Haartman was a Finnish Lieutenant Colonel, writer, film actor, and film director. He played the Zeppelin commander in Hell's Angels directed by Howard Hughes and starring Jean Harlow.His daughter and her family currently lives in Spain.-External links:...
, Hedilla's forces recaptured the Falange HQ from Dávila and before long Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
stepped in, ostensibly to support Hedilla but in actual fact to create the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional-Sindicalista and thus effectively eliminate the Falange and its leaders as threats to his position. Dávila was imprisoned following the incident although his close friend Gonzalo Queipo de Llano
Gonzalo Queipo de Llano
Gonzalo Queipo de Llano y Sierra, 1st Marquis of Queipo de Llano, a title bestowed upon him, to crown his professional career at the service of the "New" Spain forged by Dictator of Spain, 1939 - 1975, General Francisco Franco on 1 April 1950, once he had decided Spain would be again a Kingdom...
intervened to secure his release.
Later years
In a snub from Franco, he was not named as a National Delegate until 1938 at a time when a number of pro-NazisNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
were added to this office. He was replaced as delegate to the Frente de Juventudes in 1941 by José Antonio Elola-Olaso as the influence of Dávila's ally Ramón Serrano Súñer
Ramón Serrano Súñer
Ramón Serrano Súñer , was a Spanish politician during the first stages of General Francisco Franco's dictatorship, the Spanish State, between 1938 and 1942, when he held the posts of President of the Political Junta Política of Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las JONS , and Interior and...
began to wane.
Between 1952 and 1954 he served as the President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.