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Alfonso, Prince of Asturias

1907–1938

Born
10 May 1907, Madrid
Country of birth
Spain
Died
6 Sep 1938, Miami
facts
9
sources
1
images and files
0

Facts and their sources

Tap a fact to see where it comes from.

A life in time

  1. Born · Madrid

    Birth, Madrid

  2. Died · Miami

    Death, Miami

What was it like?

The world around Madrid, 1907: who ruled, who else was alive, how people lived. This is general history, not a record about the family, and every item shows where it comes from.

Alfonso, was born the same year as Katharine Hepburn, John Wayne, and W. H. Auden.

Known for

Titles held

  • heir apparent
Born the same year

  • Katharine Hepburn

    American actress (1907–2003)

  • John Wayne

    American actor (1907–1979)

  • W. H. Auden

    British-American poet (1907–1973)

  • Giovanni Ferrari

    Italian footballer (1907–1982)

  • Frida Kahlo

    Mexican painter (1907–1954)

  • Astrid Lindgren

    Swedish writer of fiction and screenplays (1907–2002)

Fashion

Espadrilles as Everyday Footwear

Espadrilles were the most common footwear for workers and farmers, often paired with socks by men or stockings by women, while leather shoes were typically reserved for formal occasions or specific uniforms.

Limited Wardrobes and Constant Mending

Ordinary people wore clothes until they wore out, often mending them until they could be reused as rags; many owned only two outfits, one for work and one for Sunday or feast days.

Music
Around 1900–1905

Phonographs brought music to the home

Between 1898 and 1905, phonographs became accessible entertainment at inns, civic centers, and private homes for the working class.

Lullabies sung by rural Spanish women

Rural Spanish women sang lullabies while working to soothe their children, often improvising verses based on their current mood.

Getting around

Circular railway tickets for long journeys

At the start of the 20th century, travelers could purchase circular tickets from the Norte Company, allowing them to travel up to 3,000 kilometers over 45 days.

Around 1875–1899

Long hours for stagecoach travel

A journey by stagecoach between Manzanares and Granada took 30 hours, while a mule-drawn diligence trip from Granada to Jaen lasted nine hours.

Daily life

Modernizing Urban Homes and Cooking

In urban homes, the arrival of electricity and gas, along with running water and central heating, transformed daily life, though these modern comforts were primarily enjoyed by the affluent. For many, traditional charcoal stoves remained the standard for cooking until well into the 1920s.

Mandatory Schooling vs. Reality

Although primary education was legally mandatory for children up to age 12 in 1901 and age 14 by 1923, poverty often made schooling an unattainable luxury for many families. Education was frequently deprioritized in favor of immediate economic needs and child labor.

Food
Around 1910–1910

Common drinks and breakfast habits

Wine was a common beverage often preferred over water, which was frequently considered unsafe for drinking. Lower-class households in cities like Seville might breakfast simply on a cup of chocolate and a roll.

Staple diet of ordinary Spanish families

Ordinary families relied heavily on cereals, potatoes, and legumes, which made up about 60% of their caloric intake. Meat consumption was low due to high prices, and families often saved money by eating simple national dishes like puchero.

Prices and wages
Around 1916–1916

Daily wages for laborers in 1916

In 1916, while a laborer in Madrid or Barcelona could earn up to 6 pesetas per day, a laborer in Valladolid might earn only 2 pesetas.

Around 1916–1916

Food prices in Spain in 1916

In 1916, a kilogram of bread cost 0.46 pesetas, a kilogram of beef was 1.82 pesetas, and a dozen eggs cost 1.26 pesetas.

Work

Common jobs in urban Spain

Common occupations included day laborers, domestic servants, washerwomen, and various roles in the expanding textile and service sectors.

Shift to eight-hour workday

The working day was typically 10 hours in 1914 before shifting to a standard 8-hour day following the 1919 decree.

During their lifetime

  1. 1917

    U.S. Enters World War I in 1917

    In 1917, the United States formally entered World War I, leading to mass mobilization that involved 24 million men registering for the draft.

  2. 1918

    1918 flu epidemic ends urban death cycles

    The 1918 flu pandemic was the last major epidemic to severely impact urban life, after which cities began growing through natural increase.

  3. 1919

    1919 8-hour workday institutionalized after strike

    Following the 1919 La Canadiense strike, the government institutionalized the 8-hour workday, significantly altering labor conditions.

  4. 1919

    1919 Madrid Metro opens urban transit expansion

    The Madrid Metro opened in 1919, eventually transporting nearly 100 million passengers annually by 1929 and transforming urban mobility.

  5. 1929

    Stock Market Crashes in 1929

    The U.S. stock market crashed in 1929, leading to the Great Depression and leaving nearly one-third of American banks failed by 1933.

  6. 1933

    FDR Introduces New Deal in 1933

    Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933 and introduced the New Deal, which established programs like Social Security and a federal minimum wage.

Family

Parents

Spouses

Ancestors and children

Open the full tree

Four generations back to the right, the children to the left. The number beside a child counts the generations of descendants known after them.