Podcast Summary: Acontece que no es poco | Entierro del rey (del porno) Alfonso XIII
Host: Nieves Concostrina
Guest/Co-host: Carlas Francino
Date: March 1, 2023
Duration: ~14 minutes
Overview
In this episode of Acontece que no es poco, historian Nieves Concostrina (with conversation partner Carlas) delivers her unique, irreverent take on the death and burial of Alfonso XIII, former King of Spain. Titled “Entierro del rey (del porno) Alfonso XIII,” the episode dives into the king's peculiar funeral rites in exile, the farcical memorabilia associated with his death, the political cynicism of Franco's regime, and the tangled financial legacy left in his will. With humor and biting commentary, Concostrina exposes the hypocrisy and drama surrounding the final days of one of Spain’s most controversial monarchs.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Continuing the Story: Chronological Consistency
- The episode picks up where the previous left off: Alfonso XIII’s final days and the immediate aftermath of his death in exile in Rome.
- [00:32] Carlas: “Lo que contamos ayer tenía tela… pues hoy seguimos con el funeral.”
- Focus is on the funeral (held on March 3, 1941), the official funeral card (recordatorio), Franco’s official narrative, and the king’s will.
2. The Curious (and Absurd) Funeral Card
- Concostrina describes the official funeral card (recordatorio) distributed after Alfonso XIII's death—now a collector's item.
- [01:45] Nieves: “Es un documento tan curioso como absurdo... lo vamos a describir para quien no pueda acceder.”
- Left side: Traditional prayers, indulgences for reciting specific phrases, including quantifiable “pardons” from purgatory.
- [02:40] Carlas: “¿Eso está tasado, es así?”
- [02:41] Nieves: “Sí, eso lo ponía… Supongo que a un rey le darían más que a un humano normal.”
- Examples: 500 days of indulgence for “En tus manos, Señor, encomiendo mi espíritu”; 300 days for “Jesús mío, misericordia”; 7 years for “Jesús, María y José.”
- Nieves notes the pointlessness given the king’s reputation: “Por mucho que quisieran amortizarle… aún le quedarían tres o cuatro siglos para salir del purgatorio.” [03:10]
3. Cynicism and Theatrical Faith
- Funeral card right side: Cites Alfonso’s supposed “oblación” (offering) to Spain and the Virgin of Pilar the day before his death.
- [04:53] Nieves: “Yo creo que no se pueden inventar más tonterías en tan pocas líneas, porque este hombre estaba agonizando.”
- Ironically, the narrative is that the Virgin decided to “take” Alfonso for the good of Spain.
- His supposed last acts: “Padre, que se cumpla tu voluntad... España, Dios mío,” and kissing the crucifix.
4. Funeral Attendance: A Lonely Farewell
- The funeral was presided over by Victor Emmanuel III, King of Italy and another collaborator with fascism.
- [05:47] Nieves: “El entierro de Alfonso XIII estuvo presidido por el rey de Italia, Victor Manuel III, que era de la misma calaña que Alfonso XIII...”
- Alfonso’s wife, Victoria Eugenia, attended despite a strained relationship; only about 20 Spanish mourners were allowed by Franco’s regime.
- [06:47] Nieves: “Claro, pero estamos en el 41, dictadura… sólo se autorizó a unos 20.”
5. Franco’s Hypocritical National Mourning
- Franco declared official mourning, ordering masses and half-mast flags.
- However, all news was strictly controlled: only Agency EFE releases could be published.
- [07:24] Nieves: “Con una advertencia a toda la prensa... sólo podían publicar... los comunicados que salieran de la Agencia F. Ni una sola palabra por cuenta de nadie.”
- Serrano Suñer (Franco's brother-in-law) forbade any institution from publicly honoring Alfonso XIII.
- Madrid denied the Spanish embassy in Rome to be used as a burning chapel.
6. Franco’s Betrayal and Royal Resentments
- Alfonso XIII felt betrayed by Franco after supporting his coup and providing funds.
- [08:18] Nieves: “Elegí a Franco cuando no era nadie y él me ha traicionado a cada paso.”
- Concostrina questions whether later Borbon kings (Juan Carlos, Felipe) cared about Franco’s treatment of their ancestor, arguing personal ambition superseded family sentiments.
7. The Will: Money, Offspring, and Swiss Accounts
- Did Alfonso XIII leave a lot of money? The main beneficiary was his son Juan de Borbón (over 7 million pesetas plus numerous properties).
- [09:35] Nieves: “El que más pilló, Juan de Borbón, por supuesto... poco más de 7 millones de pesetas del año 41.”
- Properties included palaces, lands, and real estate in Spain and abroad.
- Each legitimate heir received a portion, but so did some illegitimate children (e.g., Leandro de Borbón, offspring with Carmen Moragas), who got a million pesetas each in Swiss accounts.
- [10:20] Nieves: “Todas las cuentas de los Borbones estuvieron y siguen estando en Suiza.”
The Queen’s Pension
- Victoria Eugenia’s dote and pension were to be paid unless her income met a specified annual amount.
- Postwar Spain (Franco’s regime) grudgingly restored her pension, which increased over time—still paid by the Spanish treasury.
- [11:50] Nieves: “Seguíamos manteniendo a los Borbones en su retiro dorado, a los pobrecitos pagándoles.”
8. Final Resting Place: Rejected and “Encajonado”
- After the Roman funeral, Alfonso XIII was initially interred in the Montserrat church with other “repudiated” Spanish royals.
- Despite Franco’s promise, his remains were not returned to Spain until 1980 by his grandson, Juan Carlos, who bypassed tradition to hastily fit the body into the cramped royal crypt in El Escorial.
- [13:22] Nieves: “Tanta, tanta prisa por meterlo en la cripta… que no consintió que pasara por el pudridero para reducirse y ordenó que lo encajaran… [lo] encajaron doblado a empujones en la caja para que entrara en el sarcófago...”
9. Memorable Moments & Quotes
- On the scale of royal indulgences:
“Las veces que habré dicho yo Jesús, María y José. Bueno, pues… aún le quedarían tres o cuatro siglos para salir del purgatorio.” – Nieves [03:10] - On royal hypocrisy:
“Rarísimo fue que acudiera al entierro… su mujer, la reina Victoria Eugenia… lo único que se dedicaban eran insultos.” – Nieves [05:53] - On Franco’s management:
“El duelo nacional que decretó el dictador Franco… era de un cinismo insoportable.” – Nieves [07:03] “Luego la antimonárquica soy yo, ¿sabes?” – Nieves [07:30] - On the self-serving nature of the Borbón heirs:
“…les importaba un pito el maltrato a su verdadero abuelo y bisabuelo con tal de pillar el trono.” – Nieves [08:48] - On the forced interment at El Escorial:
“…lo encajaron doblado a empujones en la caja para que entrara en el sarcófago…” – Nieves [13:27]
Notable Timestamps
- 00:35: Introduction of topic continuation from previous episode (death/funeral of Alfonso XIII)
- 01:45: Detailed description of the funeral card/“recordatorio”
- 02:41: Numeric indulgence for royal prayers
- 04:35: Reading the text of the “oblación” and critique
- 05:47: List of attendees (and notable absences) at the funeral
- 06:47: Only 20 Spaniards allowed to attend due to Franco’s permissions
- 07:24: National mourning decreed, but all media coverage strictly censored
- 08:18: Alfonso XIII’s sense of betrayal by Franco
- 09:35: Breakdown of inheritance and mention of Swiss accounts
- 10:20: Illegitimate children’s inheritance
- 11:41: Restoration and increase of Victoria Eugenia’s pension during Franco’s regime
- 13:22: Details of Alfonso XIII's reinterment at El Escorial
Tone and Style
- Strongly satirical, informal, and irreverent
- Heavy use of irony, especially about royal and dictatorial hypocrisy
- Accessible: complex political and historical facts are delivered clearly and humorously
In Summary
The episode deftly unmasks the farce surrounding Alfonso XIII’s death and burial—his lonely exile, a funeral mired in fascist hypocrisy, the financial windfalls for his sprawling, legitimate and illegitimate progeny, and the continued impact of royal privilege on Spanish public life. With sharp wit, Nieves Concostrina shines a light on the ways in which royal myth-making and political expediency distort historical memory.