Francisco Franco Bahamonde-Spanish general, distinguished himself in service in the Rif, as commander of the Spanish Legion. Was granted the rank of general after the battle of El-Annual, where his preparations ensured a retreat could be effected.
Briefly stripped of rank by his criticism of the way the campaign was being conducted (lack of preparation, not enough diplomacy, lack of effort in winning the hearts and minds of the populace).
Reinstated after the coup of Miguel Primo de Rivera and the creation of the Second Spanish Republic, a presidentialist dictatorship in which however, personal liberties were largely respected.
The traditionalist character of the regime however, had anarchist uprisings as a response in Asturias and Andalusia. This was the moment the Portuguese Republic, led by General Gomes da Costa had been waiting for. In 1929 Portugal invaded Galicia and Extremadura, with the intention of liberating Olivenza and the historically Lusophone territories in Galicia.
The war ended officially in 1934 with the occupation and outright annexion of mainland Portugal into Spain. Rebel forces still occupied Goa and Daman-Diu and claimed to be the seat of Portugal in exile until 1942 when they were annexed into British India.
As military governor of mainland Portugal from the new capital of Santiago de Compostela, Franco was responsible for the minorization of Portuguese in both Galicia and Portugal, first by imposing the Galician standard in all government communications and education and then by gradual introduction of lists of proscribed words and their replacements.
The dark beginnings of the "Fabla Nuva" was the inspiration for Orwell's "Newspeak".
While it became compulsory for all jobs in the public sector, most propaganda of the language came from positive reinforcement. The massive success of the "Iberia Society" which was launched to promote both Spanish and "Portuñol" -as it is still known- with its free language, history and science magazine, as well as the popular radio contests with big prizes, and the translation projects.
Was exiled to Macao after the counter-coup of 1950 which restored the Monarchy under King John III of the Spains. He famously bankrupted the biggest casino in Macao within 48 hours of arriving, and used the winnings to open a casino of his own, turning into the undisputed master of the gambling scene in weeks.
He was known there as Dou Sing "Saint of Gamblers" both for his unbelievable luck at the gambling tables as well as his charity with the poor.
Franco set up the foundation which bears his name, which has so far opened and run 537 orphanages, 55 free hospitals and 3 free universities (Sol del Este in Macao, Virgen del Ferrol in Spain and Mbini in Equatorial Guinea).
It is in Mbini where he died of malaria in 1957, after travelling there to open the Catholic Guinea University -now Francisco Franco University-. He had been pardoned by the government a second time a month before.
He is buried in a small cemetery in El Ferrol.
While reviled by Portuguese independence supporters, through the creation of the "Iberia Society" he managed to teach the Portuguese of the prescribed lists to a whole generation of Spanish who would thus become functionally multilingual: Portuñol in Television and the schools, Spanish at home and Portuguese as the language of rebellion and censored books and songs. By 1951, 90% of the Spanish speaking population was fluent in Portuñol and 70% in Portuguese. Figures in Portugal were lower: 74% Portuñol, 50% Spanish.
A similar approach was therefore kept by the Federal Kingdom of the Spains as policy and expanded. Thus after the second Manresa Council in 1955 the Aragonese League (with Aragonese being integrated into the Catalan-Valencian-Balear standard) was added to the Portuguese and Spanish Leagues, and in 1963 Basque and Arabic societies were first privately funded and then integrated into the Iberia Society in 1975.
The Iberia Society stated aim is the creation of an Iberian language that is understood and spoken as a second language by at least 95% of the population by 2015, as well as maintaining and enriching all the other languages of the Spains.
OOC:So there you have it: Federal Kingdom of the Spains, a constitutional monarchy under King Juan Carlos (since 1993) including Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome e Principe, Guinea-Bissau and Macao. Angola and Mozambique got their independence by plebiscite in 1972. An oil exporting country since 1977... and who hasn't won a Soccer World Cup yet.