Rajoy’s government was unable to contain the Catalonian drive for independence, and a new referendum was held on October 1, 2017. Spanish police confiscated ballot papers and engaged in violent clashes with voters, leaving hundreds injured. Although widespread irregularities marred the polling, the Catalan parliament interpreted the result as a mandate to declare independence from Spain, and it voted to do so on October 27. Within minutes of the declaration, Rajoy invoked Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, stripping the Catalan parliament of power and imposing direct rule from Madrid. Rajoy’s response to the crisis in Catalonia boosted his popularity among the Spanish electorate, but an ongoing scandal within the ruling PP threatened his prime ministership.
By May 2018 more than two dozen people had been convicted on bribery and money-laundering charges in connection with a secret PP slush fund that had operated from 1999 to 2005. Although Rajoy was not directly tied to the corruption charges, PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez, with the support of Catalan and Basque nationalist parties, challenged his government. On June 1, 2018, Sánchez ousted Rajoy after a motion of no confidence was narrowly approved by the Spanish parliament. Rajoy was the first Spanish leader since the restoration of democracy to be removed in this manner. Within days, Sánchez was sworn in as prime minister, despite the fact that the PSOE commanded fewer than one-fourth of the seats in the parliament. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Kings and queens regnant of Spain
A list of kings and queens regnant of Spain is provided in the table.
Kings and queens regnant of Spain Asturias (including Galicia from 739 and Leon from 855) Pelayo c. 718–c. 737 Favila c. 737–739 Alfonso I 739–757 Fruela I 757–768 Aurelio 768–774 Silo 774–783 Mauregato 783–788 Bermudo I 788–791 Alfonso II 791–842 Ramiro I 842–850 Ordoño I 850–866 Alfonso III (Kingdom divided between three sons) 866–910 Asturias Fruela II 910–925 Leon García I 910–914 Ordoño II 914–924 Galicia Ordoño II 910–924 Leon (including Asturias and Galicia) Fruela II 924–925 Alfonso IV c. 925–c. 931 Ramiro II c. 931–950 Ordoño III 950–955 Sancho I 955–958 Ordoño IV 958–960 Sancho I (2nd time) 960–966 Ramiro III 967–982 Bermudo II 982–999 Alfonso V 999–1028 Bermudo III 1028–37 Leon and Castile Ferdinand I (Fernando) (Kingdom divided between three sons) 1039–65 Leon Alfonso VI 1065–72 Castile Sancho II 1065–72 Galicia Garcia II 1065–71 Castile and Leon (including Galicia) Sancho II 1072 Alfonso VI (restored) 1072–1109 Urraca (ruled with husband, Alfonso I of Aragon) 1109–26 Alfonso VII (Kingdom divided between two sons) 1126–57 Leon Ferdinand II (Fernando) 1157–88 Alfonso IX 1188–1230 Castile Sancho III 1157–58 Alfonso VIII 1158–1214 Henry I (Enrique) 1214–17 Ferdinand III 1217–52 Castile (including Leon) Alfonso X 1252–84 Sancho IV 1284–96 Ferdinand IV (Fernando) 1296–1312 Alfonso XI 1312–50 Peter I (Pedro) 1350–66 Henry II (Enrique) 1366–67 Peter I (2nd time) 1367–69 Henry II (2nd time) 1369–79 John I (Juan) 1379–90 Henry III (Enrique) 1390–1406 John II (Juan) 1406–54 Henry IV (Enrique) 1454–74 Isabella I and Ferdinand V (Ferdinand II of Aragon) (Isabel and Fernando) 1474–1504 Joan and Philip I (Juana and Felipe) 1504–06 Ferdinand V (2nd time) 1506–16 Aragon Ramiro I 1035–63 Sancho I 1063–94 Peter I (Pedro) 1094–1104 Alfonso I 1104–34 Ramiro II 1134–37 Petronilla (ruled with husband, Ramón Berenguer IV of Barcelona) 1137–63 Alfonso II 1163–96 Peter II (Pedro) 1196–1213 James I (Jaime) 1213–76 Peter III (Pedro) 1276–85 Alfonso III 1285–91 James II (Jaime) 1291–1327 Alfonso IV 1327–36 Peter IV (Pedro) 1336–87 John I (Juan) 1387–95 Martin 1395–1412 Ferdinand I (Fernando) 1412–16 Alfonso V 1416–58 John II (Juan) 1458–79 Ferdinand II and Isabella I (1479–1504) (Fernando and Isabel) 1479–1516 Spain House of Habsburg Charles I (Carlos) 1516–56 Philip II (Felipe) 1556–98 Philip III (Felipe) 1598–1621 Philip IV (Felipe) 1621–65 Charles II (Carlos) 1665–1700 House of Bourbon (Borbón) Philip V (Felipe) 1700–24 Louis (Luis) 1724 Philip V (2nd time) 1724–46 Ferdinand VI (Fernando) 1746–59 Charles III (Carlos) 1759–88 Charles IV (Carlos) 1788–1808 Ferdinand VII (Fernando) 1808 House of Bonaparte Joseph (José) 1808–13 House of Bourbon (Borbón) Ferdinand VII (2nd time) 1814–33 Isabella II (Isabel) 1833–68 Interregnum 1868–70 House of Savoy Amadeus I (Amadeo) 1870–73 Republic 1873–74 House of Bourbon (Borbón) Alfonso XII 1874–85 Alfonso XIII 1886–1931 Republic 1931–39 Nationalist regime (Francisco Franco) 1939–75 House of Bourbon (Borbón) Juan Carlos 1975–2014 Felipe VI 2014–