Juan Carlos became the first king of Spain in 44 years on the death of this man in 1975
[DOC] [TLE] King Juan Carlos I of Spain - Wikipedia [PAR] Juan Carlos I reigned as King of Spain from 1975 to 2014, when he abdicated in 
favour of his ... Juan Carlos became King on 22 November 1975, two days after 
Franco's death, the first reigning .... who would go on to win the following year's 
election and become the first democratically elected leader of the new regime.