Falange Española << FAY lanj, or fah LAHNG hay, ehs pahn YOH lah >>, also called Spanish Phalanx, was the only legal political party in Spain under the dictator Francisco Franco. The Falange Española was founded in 1933 as a fascist group that attempted to overthrow the republic through violence. José Antonio Primo de Rivera, a son of the former dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera, founded the party. Falangists supported Franco during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). In 1937, Franco took control of the party. After 1945, the party was known as the National Movement. In 1977, after Franco’s death, the democratic government of Spain abolished it.
