United under Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492, Spain became a dominant force in Europe. A long period of economic and political decline followed, however. By the mid-19th century, Spain lagged behind many other European countries in stability and prosperity.
* 1874 Constitutional monarchy restored under Alfonso XII.
* 1879 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) FOUNDED.
* 1881 Trade unions legalized.
* 1885 Death of Alfonso XII.
* 1898 Defeat in war with USA results in loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
* 1909 Barcelona's "tragic week" of anti-clerical riots.
* 1914û1918 Spain neutral in World War I.
* 1921 Spanish army routed by Berbers in Spanish Morocco.
* 1923 Coup by General Primo de Rivera accepted by King Alfonso XIII. Military dictatorship.
* 1930 General Primo de Rivera dismissed by monarchy.
* 1931 Second Republic proclaimed. Alfonso XIII flees Spain.
* 1933 Center-right coalition wins general election.
* 1934 Asturias uprising quashed by army. Failure of attempt to form Catalan state.
* 1936 Popular Front wins elections. Right-wing military uprising against the Republic. Gen. Franco subsequently appointed leader.
* 1939 Franco wins civil war which claims 300,000 lives.
* 1940 Franco meets Hitler, but does not enter Second World War.
* 1946 UN condemns Franco regime.
* 1948 Spain excluded from Marshall Plan.
* 1950 UN lifts veto.
* 1953 Concordat with Vatican. Spain grants USA military bases.
* 1955 Spain joins UN.
* 1959 Adoption of Stabilization Plan, prelude to rapid economic growth in the 1960s.
* 1962 Franco government applies for eventual membership in EEC.
* 1969 Franco names Juan Carlos, grandson of Alfonso XIII, as his successor.
* 1970 Spain signs preferential trade agreement with EEC.
* 1973 Prime Minister Carrero Blanco assassinated by Basque separatists. Succeeded by Arias Navarro.
* 1975 Death of Franco. Proclamation of King Juan Carlos I.
* 1976 King replaces Arias Navarro with Adolfo Sußrez.
* 1977 First democratic elections since 1936 won by Sußrez's Democratic Center Union.
* 1978 New constitution declares Spain a parliamentary monarchy.
* 1981 Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo replaces Sußrez. King foils military coup. Calvo Sotelo takes Spain into nato.
* 1982 Felipe Gonzßlez wins landslide victory for PSOE.
* 1986 January: Spain joins EC. March: Gonzßlez wins referendum on keeping Spain in NATO.
* 1992 Olympic Games held in Barcelona, Expo '92 in Seville.
