Francisco Franco ruled Spain from 1939 until his death. He censored his opponents, created political concentration camps and instituted the death penalty for some who spoke out against him.
Franco’s health declined as he entered his late 70s, and he had largely stepped back from day-to-day politics by the time of his final illness. The dictator had been battling Parkinson’s, a degenerative disease that causes problems in movement. On Oct. 30, 1975, he lapsed into a coma. He survived on life support until Nov. 20, and then died at the age of 82.
