Modern Brutality Trumps Quaint Mediaevalism

Friday 27^th November 1936

The Spanish Nationalists shot the elder son of the (Republican) Prime Minister Francisco Largo Caballero, who had been captured whilst serving with the army. He was killed in direct reprisal for the execution for treason just over a week before of Primo de Rivera, Falange leader and one of the coup leaders and the son of Spain’s dictator up to 1930. His death had provided the Nationalists with an impressive martyr and removed a potential rival to Franco.

Historically minded journalist drew a parallel with the case of Guzman the Good, governor of Tarifa in 1294, whose son was a prisoner of the Moors besieging the fortress. When they threatened to kill him unless his father