Reign of Juan Carlos I
The reign of Juan Carlos I began on November 22, 1975, with his accession to the throne following the death of dictator Francisco Franco, who had designated him as successor and Prince of Spain in 1969, and ended on June 19, 2014, with his abdication. == Overview == The transition to democracy took place in the early years of his reign, making Spain no longer the only non-communist dictatorship left in Europe.