December 21
Saint’s Day for Pedro Canisio, Glicerio, Festo and Tomás
1361 - The Battle of Linuesa is fought in the context of the Spanish Reconquista between the forces of the Emirate of Granada and the combined army of the Kingdom of Castile and of Jaén resulting in a Castilian victory.
1502 - the image of the Virgin of the Sea appears in the beach of Torregarcía, province of Almería collected by the lookout Andrés de Jaén, probably coming from a shipwreck or assaulted by Berber pirates.
1511 - The Spanish Dominican Fray Pedro de Cordoba, made the first complaint against the mistreatment of Indians in the New World.
1502 - the image of the Virgin of the Sea appears in the beach of Torregarcía, province of Almería collected by the lookout Andrés de Jaén, probably coming from a shipwreck or assaulted by Berber pirates.
1511 - The Spanish Dominican Fray Pedro de Cordoba, made the first complaint against the mistreatment of Indians in the New World.
1598 - Battle of Curalaba; The revolting Mapuche, led by cacique Pelentaru, inflict a major defeat on Spanish troops in southern Chile
1605 - Departed from Callao the expedition of Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, who in this trip would find most of the New Hebrides islands.
1809 - 100km north of Barcelona, the city of Gerona surrenders after six months attacking by the French, despite extra troops sent by Juan Clarós
1890 - Buffalo Bill arrives in Barcelona with his circus showing his abilities during his European tour
1908 - The Vegetarian League is founded in Barcelona
1911 - The Golden Fleece was granted to writer José de Echegaray
1959 - The President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, visits General Francisco Franco in Madrid
1980 - Galicia’s second Statute of Autonomy, the first of the newly-democratic Spain, is approved in referendum by the people of Galicia. The outbreak of Civil War prevented the first Statute approved in 1936 from coming into force.
1999 - The Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid, Spain.
2009 - Lionel Messi wins the FIFA World Player Trophy, beating Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi Hernández in the polls.
2011 - In the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Mariano Rajoy swore as the new Prime Minister
Births
1841 - José Nakens, journalist and activist Republican and anticlerical, born in Sevilla (d. November 12, 1926 in Madrid)
Births
1841 - José Nakens, journalist and activist Republican and anticlerical, born in Sevilla (d. November 12, 1926 in Madrid)
![](https://spainonthisday.com/bl-content/uploads/pages/4b957495f0b7ed51a240a2b42c38c4b0/luis-domenech-y-montaner.jpg)
Lluís Domènech i Montaner - https://dbe.rah.es/
1850 - Lluís Domènech i Montaner, architect who was highly influential on Modernisme català, the Catalan Art Nouveau/Jugendstil movement. He was also a Catalan politician. Born in Barcelona, he initially studied physics and natural sciences, but soon switched to architecture (d. December 27, 1923 Barcelona)
1857 - Francisco Aguilera, soldier.
1862 - Ramón Gómez Ferrer, doctor (d. 1924)
1870 - Enrique Vargas González, matador.
1876 - Josep Maria Sert, painter. (d. 1945)
1880 - Adrian Viudes y Guirao, politician and businessman (d. 1973)
1883 - Hilario González Delgado, matador.
1900 - Juan Antonio Zunzunegui, novelist. (d. 1982)
1915 - Alberto Dou But of Xaxàs, mathematician. (d. 2009)
1947 - Francisco Sanchez Gomez, stage name Paco de Lucia, composer and flamenco guitarist was born in Algeciras, Cádiz.(d. 2014)
1952 - Manolo Tena, singer in Madrid.
1954 - José Diego Álvarez, footballer.
1960 - José María Sanz Beltrán (Loquillo), rock musician.
1984 - Paco Sutil, footballer.
Deaths:
1549 - Margarita de Angulema, Queen consorte of Navarra. (b. 1492)
1591 - Pedro Moya de Contreras, priest. (b. 1527)
1791 - Gregorio Mayáns y Sisco, scholar. (b. 1699)
1822 - José Francisco Ortiz Sanz, writer and priest. (b, September 5, 1739)
1883 - Joaquín José Cervino, writer and magistrate (b. 1817)
1894 - Ramón Martí Alsina, painter (b. 1826)
1919 - Julio Burell, journalist and politician (b. 1859)
1922 - Alberta Giménez, priest on Mallorca. (b. 1837)
1957 - Elías Tormo, archaeologist (b. 1869)
1969 - José Ibáñez Martín, aristocrat and politician (b. 1896)
1983 - Xavier Zubiri, philosopher, member of the Madrid School, composed of philosophers José Ortega y Gasset, José Gaos, and Julián Marías, among others (b. Dec 4, 1898 San Sebastián)
1985 - Francisco Prieto Moreno, architect (b. 1907)
1991 - Jose Miguel Barandiaran, anthropologist and archaeologist. (b. 1889)
1992 - José María González Sinde, filmmaker. (b. Oct 12, 1941 Burgos)
1992 - Alfonso Garcia-Gallo, jurist and historian. (b. Jan 5, 1911 Soria)
1997 - Teo Escamilla, director of photography (b, 1940)
2002 - José Hierro, poet. (b. Apr 3, 1922 Madrid)
1857 - Francisco Aguilera, soldier.
1862 - Ramón Gómez Ferrer, doctor (d. 1924)
1870 - Enrique Vargas González, matador.
1876 - Josep Maria Sert, painter. (d. 1945)
1880 - Adrian Viudes y Guirao, politician and businessman (d. 1973)
1883 - Hilario González Delgado, matador.
1900 - Juan Antonio Zunzunegui, novelist. (d. 1982)
1915 - Alberto Dou But of Xaxàs, mathematician. (d. 2009)
1947 - Francisco Sanchez Gomez, stage name Paco de Lucia, composer and flamenco guitarist was born in Algeciras, Cádiz.(d. 2014)
1952 - Manolo Tena, singer in Madrid.
1954 - José Diego Álvarez, footballer.
1960 - José María Sanz Beltrán (Loquillo), rock musician.
1984 - Paco Sutil, footballer.
Deaths:
1549 - Margarita de Angulema, Queen consorte of Navarra. (b. 1492)
1591 - Pedro Moya de Contreras, priest. (b. 1527)
1791 - Gregorio Mayáns y Sisco, scholar. (b. 1699)
1822 - José Francisco Ortiz Sanz, writer and priest. (b, September 5, 1739)
1883 - Joaquín José Cervino, writer and magistrate (b. 1817)
1894 - Ramón Martí Alsina, painter (b. 1826)
1919 - Julio Burell, journalist and politician (b. 1859)
1922 - Alberta Giménez, priest on Mallorca. (b. 1837)
1957 - Elías Tormo, archaeologist (b. 1869)
1969 - José Ibáñez Martín, aristocrat and politician (b. 1896)
1983 - Xavier Zubiri, philosopher, member of the Madrid School, composed of philosophers José Ortega y Gasset, José Gaos, and Julián Marías, among others (b. Dec 4, 1898 San Sebastián)
1985 - Francisco Prieto Moreno, architect (b. 1907)
1991 - Jose Miguel Barandiaran, anthropologist and archaeologist. (b. 1889)
1992 - José María González Sinde, filmmaker. (b. Oct 12, 1941 Burgos)
1992 - Alfonso Garcia-Gallo, jurist and historian. (b. Jan 5, 1911 Soria)
1997 - Teo Escamilla, director of photography (b, 1940)
2002 - José Hierro, poet. (b. Apr 3, 1922 Madrid)
![](https://spainonthisday.com/bl-content/uploads/pages/4b957495f0b7ed51a240a2b42c38c4b0/Egon_von_Fürstenberg_with_Prince_Alfonso_1955.jpg)
Photo 1955 - https://en.wikipedia.org/
2003 - Prince Alfonso Maximiliano Victorio Eugenio Alejandro Maria Pablo de la Santísima Trinidad y Todos los Santos zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg was a businessman known for his promotion of Marbella and the Costa del Sol. He also founded the Marbella Club Hotel (b. May 28, 1924 Madrid)