José Antonio Primo de Rivera death (although his sentence was commuted). Franco appointed his own brother-in-law Serrano Suñer to replace him. The reign of Francisco Franco nurtured a convenient cult of personality around the dead figure of Primo de Rivera whom Falangists dubbed "El Ausente" (The Missing One). The founder of Falange was anointed a martyr of the "crusade against Marxism." Notwithstanding the apparent veneration by the Francoist State, it remains true that the Missing One's demise had removed a dangerous opponent: Primo de Rivera had been Marquess, a doctor of civil law, a political thinker; Franco owned no comparable pedigree, no comparable education and
Fernando Primo de Rivera Order of Queen María Luisa, daughter of Juan Arias-Quiroga y Mejías, 7th Marquess of Arias-Quiroga and his wife María Manuela de Escalera y Fernández de Peñaranda, daughter of Roberto de Escalera y Fernandez de Peñarada, 46th Lord of Peñaranda, by whom he had no issue. He was also the uncle of Miguel Primo de Rivera, the Spanish dictator. Fernando Primo de Rivera Fernando Primo de Rivera y Sobremonte, 1st Marquess of Estella, 12th Count of Peña Vélez, 17th Count of Torres Rovellas, 23rd Count of Sobremonte (24 July 1831 – 23 May 1921) was a Spanish politician, and soldier. Fernando