Christianism was introduced in Spain in the first century and a regular
hierarchy was immediatly set up. This was severly disturbed during the
islamic period, but restored during and after the Reconquista.
In 1945 the following major jurisdictions existed :
- the Patriarchate of the West Indies
- the Archdioceses of Burgos, Granada, Santiago de Compostella, Sevilla,
Tarragona, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid and Zaragoza.
- the General Vicariate of the Armies
Before 1873 there had also existed a large number of exempt jurisdictions.
Among them one of the most important was the Abbey of Las Huelgas de Burgos.
The Diocese of Burgos was erected in 1075. It became an Archdiocese in 1574.
Archbishops
1867 - 1882 Anastasio Rodrigo Yusto 1... - 1882
1883 - 1886 Saturnino Fernandez de Castro 1... - 1886
1886 - 1893 Manuel Gomez Salazar 1... - 1893
1894 - 1909 Cardinal (1907) Gregorio Maria
Aguirre y Garcia 1835 - 1913
1909 - 1912 Benito Murua y Lopez 1... - 1912
1913 - 1918 José Cadena y Eleta 18.. - 1918
1919 - 1926 Cardinal (1921) Juan Benlloch y Vivo 1864 - 1926
1926 - 1928 Pedro Segura y Saenz 1880 - 1957
1928 - 1944 Manuel de Castro y Alonso
1944 - 1963 Luciano Pérez Pintero 1882 -
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The Diocese of Granada was erected in the 3th century.
It became an Archdiocese in 1493.
Archbishops
1866 - 1885 Bienvenudo Monzon y Martin 1... - 1885
1885 - 1904 José Moreno y Mazon 18.. - 1904
1905 - 1920 José Messeguer y Costa 18.. - 1920
1921 - 1933 Cardinal (1925) Vicente Casanova y Marzol 1854 - 1933
1934 - 1946 Agustin Parrado Garcia 18.. - 1946
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The Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de las Huelgas de Burgos for women of noble
birth was founded ca. 1187.
It was an exempt jurisdiction until 1873, when it became part of the diocese
of Burgos. (1)Abbesse
1870 - 1876 Maria Pilar Ugarte°
(1) During this period the abbesses enjoyed very extended temporal and
religious privileges :
- she exercised supreme temporal and judicial authority over an
extended territory encompasing numberous villages and lordships
and actually was the most important feudal ruler in the Kingdom
of Castile after the King.
- In spiritual matters she enjoyed an unique position as she was
granted rights normally only granted to the male members of the
Catholic hierarchy : she had the right to preach, say mass, hear
confessions, nominate parish priests, etc.
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The Diocese of Santiago de Compostela was erected in the 9th century.
It became an Archdiocese in 1120.
Archbishops
1851 - 1873 Cardinal (1861) Miguel Garcia y Cuesta 1803 -
1873 - 1875 vacant
1875 - 1886 Cardinal (1877) Miguel Paya y Rico 1811 - 1891
1886 - 1888 Victoriano Guisola Rodriguez 1... - 1888
1889 - 1922 Cardinal (1897) José Martin de Herrera y
de la Iglesia 1835 - 1922
1922 - 1924 vacant
1924 - 1925 Miguel Lago Gonzalez
1925 - 1927 Julian de Diego Garcia de Alcolea
1928 - 1933 Zacarias Martinez Nunez
1933 - 1935 vacant
1935 - 1948 Tomas Muniz Pablos
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The diocese of Sevilla was erected in the 3th century.
It became an Archdiocese in the 4th century. (2)Archbishops
1863 - 1876 Cardinal (1863) Luis de la Lastra y Cuesta 1803 - 1876
1877 - 1882 Cardinal (1882) Joaquin Lluch y Garriga 1816 - 1882
1883 - 1885 Cardinal (1884) Zeferino Gonzalez y
Diaz-Tunon 1831 - 1894
1885 Bienvenudo Monzon y Martin s.a.
1886 - 1889 Cardinal Zeferino Gonzalez y Diaz-Tunon (2x)
1889 - 1895 Cardinal (1893) Benito Sanz y Forés 1828 - 1895
1896 - 1906 Cardinal (1905) Marcelo Spinola y Maestre 1835 - 1906
1907 - 1920 Cardinal (1911) Enrique Almaraz y Santos 1847 - 1922
1920 - 1937 Cardinal (1925) Eustaquio Ilundain y
Estaban 1862 - 1937
1937 - 1957 Cardinal Pedro Segura y Saenz s.a.
(2) Among its suffragans are the two dioceses with jurisdiction
over the Canary Islands :
- Islas Canarias (established in 1406)
- San Cristobal de la Laguna o Tenerife (established
in 1819 ; united with Islas Canarias 1851 - 1877)
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The diocese of Tarragona was erected in the first century.
It became an Archdiocese in the 5th. (3)Archbishops
1870 - 1875 vacant
1875 - 1878 Constantino Bonet y Zanui 1... - 1878
1879 - 1888 Benito Vilamitjana y Vila
1889 - 1911 Tomas Costa y Fornaguera
1911 - 1913 vacant
1913 - 1918 Antolin Lopez Pelaez
1919 - 1942 Cardinal (1921) Francisco de Asis
Vidal y Barraquer 1868 - 1942
1943 - 1948 Manuel Arce y Ochotorena 1879 - 1948
(3)Among its suffragans was the diocese of Urgel, which had jurisdiction
over the Principality of Andorra.
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The diocese of Toledo was erected in the first century.
It became an Archdiocese in the 4th century.
(The Archbishops were also Patriarchs of the West Indies from 1885 to 1891
and again since 1937. They were also General Vicars of the Armies from 1885
to 1891 and again provisionally since 1937)
Archbishops
1857 - 1872 Cirilo Alameda y Brea
1872 - 1875 vacant
1875 - 1884 Cardinal Juan Ignacio Moreno y Maisonave
1885 - 1886 Cardinal Zeferino Gonzalez y Diaz-Tunon s.a.
1886 - 1891 Cardinal Miguel Paya y Rico s.a.
1892 - 1897 Cardinal Antolin Monescillo y Viso 1811 - 1897
1898 - 1909 Cardinal Ciriaco Sancha y Hervas 1833 - 1909
1909 - 1913 Cardinal Gregorio Aguirre y Garcia s.a.
1914 - 1920 Cardinal (1914) Victoriano Guisasola y
Menéndez 1852 - 1920
1920 - 1922 Cardinal (1911) Enrique Almaraz y Santos s.a.
1923 - 1927 Cardinal Enrique Reig y Casanova 1859 - 1927
1927 - 1931 Cardinal (1927) Pedro Segura y Saenz s.a.
1931 - 1933 vacant
1933 - 1940 Cardinal (1935) Isidro Goma y Tomas 1869 - 1940
1941 - 1968 Enrique Pla y Deniel 1876 - 1968
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The diocese of Valencia was erected in 1238.
It became an Archdiocese in 1492. (4)Archbishops
1861 - 1876 Cardinal (1873) Mariano Barrio Fernandez 1809 - 1876
1877 - 1892 Cardinal (1884) Antolin Monescillo Viso s.a.
1892 - 1898 Cardinal (1894) Ciriaco Sancha y Hervas s.a.
1898 - 1903 Cardinal (1903) Sebastian Herrero y Espinosa
de los Monteros 1822 - 1903
1903 - 1906 vacant
1906 - 1914 Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez s.a.
1914 - 1916 Valeriano Menéndez Conde y Alvarez 1848 - 1916
1917 - 1919 José Maria Salvador y Barrera 1851 - 1919
1920 - 1923 Cardinal (1922) Enrique Reig y Casanova s.a.
1923 - 1945 Prudencio Melo y Alcalde 1860 - 1945
(4) Among its suffragans were the three dioceses covering the Balearic
Islands :
- Ibiza (established in 1782, united with Mallorca
1851 - 1927),
- Mallorca and Menorca (both established in the 5th century)
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The diocese of Valladolid was erected in 1595.
It became an Archdiocese in 1857.
Archbishops
1864 - 1875 Cardinal (1868) Juan Ignacio Moreno y
Maisonave s.a.
1875 - 1881 Fernando Blanco y Lorenzo 1... - 1881
1882 - 1889 Benito Sanz y Forés
1890 Mariano Miguel Gomez 1... - 1890
1890 - 1892 vacant
1892 - 1901 Cardinal (1895) Antonio Maria Cascajares
y Azara
1901 - 1919 Cardinal (1911) José Maria de Cos y Macho 1836 - 1919
1920 - 1937 Remigio Gandasegui y Gorrochategui 1... - 1937
1938 - 1953 Antonio Garcia y Garcia 1... - 1953
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After thz discovery of America a Patriarchate of the West Indies was erected
in 1520.
This honorific title was held by the General Vicar of the Armies until 1891,
then by the Archbishop of Toledo until 1920 and then again by the General
Vicar of the Armies.
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The diocese of Zaragoza was erected in the 5th century.
It became an Archdiocese in 1318.
Archbishops
1858 - 1881 Manuel Garcia Gil
1881 - 1895 Cardinal Francisco de Paula Benavides y
Navarrete 1810 - 1895
1895 - 1901 Vicente Alda y Sancho
1901 Cardinal Antonio Maria Cascajares y Azara s.a.
1902 - 1923 Juan Soldevila y Romero
1924 - 1955 Rigoberto Domenech y Valls
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The Geeneral Vicariate of the Armies was erected in 1644.
At first only existing in wartime, it became a permanent office in 1762. It
was abolished by the republican governments from 1873 to 1875 and again from
1932. It was restored in the Nationalist zone in 1937.
(the General Vicar was also Royal Chief Chaplain until 1873 and from 1875 to
1931. He also was Patriarch of the West Indies until 1891 and since 1920)
General Vicars of the Armies, Patriarchs of the West Indies and Royal Chief
Chaplains
1852 - 1873 Tomás Iglesias Barcones 1803 - 1874
1873 - 1875 none.
1875 - 188. Cardinal (1877) Francisco de Paula
Benavides y Navarrete s.a.
1885 - 1891 the Archbishops of Toledo s.a.
General Vicar of the Armies, Titular Bishop of Sion in Asia I and Royal
Chief Chaplain
1892 - 1920 Jaime Cardona y Tur 1838 - 1923
General Vicars of the Armies, Patriarchs of the West Indies and Royal Chief
Chaplains
1920 - 1923 Jaime Cardona y Tur s.a.
1923 - 1925 Julián de Diego y García Alcolea 1859 - 1927
1925 - 1930 Francisco Muñoz Izquierdo 1868 - 1930
1920 - 1932 Ramón Pérez Rodríguez 1868 - 1937
1932 - 1937 none
1937 - 1950 the Archbishops of Toledo* s.a.
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