What is Emilio Mola?
{{family name hatnote|Mola|Vidal|lang=Spanish}} [[File:Emilio_Mola.jpg|thumb]] '''Emilio Mola Vidal''' (9 July 1887 &#x2013; 3 June 1937) was a [[Spaniards|Spanish]] [[Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War)|nationalist]] soldier who led the [[Spanish coup of July 1936|July 1936 coup]] against the [[Second Spanish Republic]], which started the [[Spanish Civil War]]. == Biography == === Early life === Mola was born in [[Placetas]], [[Captaincy General of Cuba|Cuba]], then a part of [[Spanish Empire|Spain’s colonial empire]]. His father was a Spanish army officer during the [[Cuban War of Independence]], and after the [[Spanish–American War]], his family resettled in Spain. In 1904, Mola joined the [[Toledo Infantry Academy]] and started his military career. By 1927, he was a [[brigadier general]] in the army. Mola was made Director-General of Security in 1930 and was the last man to serve this position under [[Alfonso XIII|King Alfonso XIII]].<ref>Payne, S. ''The Spanish Civil War''. Cambridge University Press, 2012. p 66.</ref> === Coup === Mola joined a group of military officers who planned to overthrow the [[Second Spanish Republic]] in the [[July 1936 coup]]. The coup was not successful in overthrowing the Republican government and led to the start of the [[Spanish Civil War]]. === Death === On 3 June 1937, Mola died in a plane crash.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Oxford, Consul & Envoy File.|last=Hamlin|first=John F.|year=2001|isbn=9780851302898|location=United Kingdom|pages=11}}</ref> The airplane he was traveling in crashed into the side of a hill in [[Alcocero de Mola|Alcocero]] while he was returning to the city of [[Vitoria-Gasteiz|Vitoria]] due to the poor weather. ==References== {{reflist}} {{bio-stub}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Mola, Emilio}} [[Category:1887 births]] [[Category:1937 deaths]] [[Category:Spanish military people]]