Pedro Llosas Badía

Pedro Llosas y Badía
Born	1870 Olot, Catalonia, Spain
Died	1955
Occupation	Politician
Years active	Late 19th century–1930s
Known for	Longest-serving Carlist deputy from Catalonia; civil governor of the Baleares and La Coruña

Pedro Llosas y Badía () (1870–1955) was a Spanish politician with conservative leanings, primarily active in Catalonia. He began his political career aligned with the Carlists and later endorsed the Primo de Rivera dictatorship. Throughout the Restauración, he held the distinction of being the longest-serving Carlist deputy from Catalonia. His most notable appointments include serving as civil governor of the Baleares (1921–1922, 1926–1930) and of La Coruña (1925–1926).

Family and youth

The Llosas lineage has longstanding ties to Catalonia’s textile sector, specifically as cotton manufacturers, rising to the middle-lower bourgeoisie during the 19th century. Pedro’s paternal grandfather, Juan Llosas Pujol, originated from Olot in Girona province. His son, Pedro’s father Juan Llosas Tenas (deceased 1872), spent over two decades overseeing a textile enterprise in Albacete before returning to Olot where he married Rosa Badía Trull. The couple owned properties in the neighboring towns of Santa Pau and Mieres. Pedro was their sole offspring.

After losing his father early on, little documentation exists about Pedro’s upbringing in Olot, a region known for its Carlist support during the Third Carlist War. In 1882, he enrolled at Seminario-Colegio de Santa María del Collell near Girona, an educational institution blending religious instruction with commercial studies. He completed his bachillerato in 1887 and graduated from the University of Barcelona’s Facultad de Filosofía y Letras in 1890, presenting a dissertation focused on Roman agrarian reforms. While serving as a deputy in Madrid, he further earned a degree in history in 1915 with a thesis analyzing the Catalan Renaissance under King Martí l'Humà. Archaeology remained a significant personal interest throughout his life.

Upon returning to Olot in 1893, Llosas married Anna Serat-Calvó y Plana (who passed away in 1942); their initial residence was on calle de San Jerónimo before relocating to calle Fontanella. In 1895, he co-established Banco Llosas, Escubós y Puigmitjà alongside family members, which catered to local nobility and enterprises and remained family-owned until the mid-1920s.

Pedro and Anna had six children born between 1894 and 1904; among them were family losses including María and Rosa—who married into Olot’s Traditionalist artistic family of Marian Vayreda—as well as Nonito and Juan who died young. Two sons survived into adulthood: Martirián Llosas y Serrat-Calvó, who was involved with Barcelona’s juvenile court system and briefly presided over the Gerona diputación during early Francoism, later assuming leadership roles within national juvenile court organizations; and Miguel Llosas y Serrat-Calvó, who pursued a legal career and became a respected author with publications on history and cultural topics.

Carlist

During the final decades of the 19th century, Olot stood out as a bastion for Catalan Carlism. The Escuela de Olot alongside the literary contributions of Marian Vayreda y Vila established the town as a hub for regional Traditionalism and conservative Catalan nationalism. Pedro Llosas became deeply involved in both currents; by 1891, he held the position of secretary and subsequently vice-president of the local Centre Catalanista, while also serving as president of the Circulo Tradicionalista. His engagement extended to various Catholic initiatives within the community, and he contributed to publications such as L’Olotí and El Deber, reflecting his dedication to cultural and historical themes. Although well-regarded locally, his influence had yet to extend significantly into the wider Catalan Carlist movement.

In 1897, Llosas secured a seat on the Olot ayuntamiento, assuming roles including third teniente de alcalde, president of the Comisión de Gobernación, and membership in several other committees. By 1899, he had advanced to first teniente de alcalde and president of the Comisión de Fomento, briefly occupying the office of alcalde in 1900. His political trajectory continued upward when, in 1903, he was elected diputado to Girona’s provincial council as a "regionalista," holding this post until 1907. Within this capacity, he embodied a Traditionalist form of regionalism, openly identifying as Catalanist and opposing centralist policies. He also backed the Traditionalist periodical La Tradició Catalana and authored pamphlets on political philosophy.

In the early 20th century, Llosas sought election to the Cortes. Although Olot had been a Carlist stronghold, it fell under La Lliga’s control from 1899 to 1907. The year 1907 saw Carlists unite with La Lliga and Republicans under Solidaritat Catalana—a coalition formed in opposition to the Ley de Jurisdicciones. Despite some opposition within his ranks, Llosas won with 54.79% of the vote. Following the alliance’s collapse, Carlists and La Lliga avoided direct competition; Olot remained firmly Carlist territory. Llosas successfully retained his parliamentary seat in subsequent elections (1910, 1914 as an independent candidate, and unopposed in 1916), leading a small Carlist faction in the legislature.

His work in parliament primarily centered on advocating for Catholic Church interests—earning him the Pro Ecclesia et Pontífice distinction in 1914—and promoting moderate Catalanism, notably opposing the Ley del Candado. Recognized as part of the emerging Catalan "carlisme nou," he joined the Carlist national executive (Junta Superior Central) in 1912 and was appointed to the Comisión de Acción Social in 1913.

Bewildered

By the late 1910s, Catalan Carlism experienced significant internal fragmentation across multiple dimensions: supporters of key ideologue Vázquez de Mella clashed with followers loyal to the claimant; proponents of rising Catalan nationalism confronted cautious detractors; and advocates for broad conservative coalitions differed from those favoring uncompromising rigidity. Although a Carlist publication in 1912 lauded Llosas’ steadfast commitment to Catholic-Monarchist principles, he was not exempt from this increasing turmoil.

The principal division within Girona concerned attitudes toward Catalan identity. Unlike other provincial Carlists like Dalmacio Iglesias, Llosas exhibited greater openness toward Catalanism than what official party doctrine permitted. In 1917, he took part independently in the Parliamentary Assembly, a gathering mainly composed of Catalan senators and deputies that declared Spain’s Restoration system obsolete and advocated for a regionalist state framework. Although officially abstaining from participation, Carlists saw Llosas’ involvement as a departure; some accounts suggest he broke ranks with his party, though others point out that Carlists later supported proposals from this Assembly.

The 1918 electoral campaign further intensified divisions. Despite Llosas’ pro-Catalanist stance at the Assembly, La Lliga ended its electoral truce with Carlists by nominating a rival candidate in Olot. The Carlist movement itself fractured into three factions led by Junyent, Iglesias, and Llosas—the latter opposing La Lliga as an ultra-right anti-regionalist contender. Amidst factional disputes, Llosas remained widely recognized as "carlí," "jaumí," or "tradicionalista." He narrowly lost to his La Lliga opponent amid allegations of irregularities and vote manipulation.

When internal conflict erupted within Carlism between de Mella and Don Jaime in 1919, Llosas initially inclined toward the rebel Mellista faction due to shared support for conservative alliances but ultimately declared neutrality. Following this schism, he did not align firmly with either Mellistas or loyal Jaimistas; instead, he gravitated toward the right wing of the fracturing Conservative Party, known as the Mauristas. In both the 1919 and 1921 campaigns, he unsuccessfully sought election to the Senate as a government-backed candidate—receiving only about 16% support in 1921—though some sources continued referring to him as "jaimista."

Llosas’ association with Maurismo culminated when Prime Minister Maura appointed him civil governor of the Balearic Islands in October 1921. His administration remains sparsely documented but is characterized by authoritarian methods within a patronage system driven by retaliatory politics. He resigned from this post in April 1922 and returned to Olot.

Primoderiverista

Llosas endorsed the 1923 military takeover led by General Primo de Rivera and by 1924 was organizing provincial branches of the newly formed Unión Patriótica, heading its Olot section. That same year, he secured appointments to two Catalan self-governing institutions under the dictatorship: the Diputación Provincial of Girona, where he was chosen as president, and the Permanent Council of the Mancomunitat de Catalunya. Briefly, he held the position of Conseller de Ferrocarrils i Obres Hidràuliques and was a member of the Consell de Pedagogia before transitioning to the Consell de Cultura. In this capacity, he defended the Institut d'Estudis Catalans against the surge of Spanish nationalist pressures, resisted its integration with the University, and contributed to expanding services such as philological studies. Additionally, he championed incorporating Catalan language instruction in schools and supported the development of local libraries.

Influenced by Llosas in 1924, the Girona diputación opposed centralizing reforms proposed by Catalan military officer Emilio Barrera, advocating instead for a regionalist framework inspired by the Vascongadas. This plan envisioned a province-focused structure featuring a new Diputación Regional to replace the Mancomunitat, with members delegated from provincial chambers elected through universal and municipal suffrage. Nevertheless, the 1925 primoderiverista Estatuto Provincial endangered these regional institutions' survival. Llosas attempted to preserve regional coordination to safeguard public works projects but was unable to persuade his peers, resulting in the Mancomunitat's abolition. He stepped down as president of Girona’s self-government but remained involved in its dissolution process until 1925.

Although his relationship with military authorities was not without tension, Llosas remained loyal to Primo de Rivera’s administration. In May 1925, he was named civil governor of La Coruña province, where he implemented a stringent political agenda, frequently overlooking local sentiments. He resigned in April 1926 citing health concerns. Later that year, he took office as civil governor of the Balearic Islands based in Palma de Mallorca. His administration emphasized cultural projects such as founding a provincial pedagogical museum, advancing public utility works, railway development, and engaging in diplomatic activities—including receiving an Italian decoration from Mussolini in 1929. Some critics noted his inflexible leadership style. After Primo’s resignation in 1930, Llosas offered his services to the Berenguer government but was not reinstated. Subsequently, he returned to Olot to concentrate on family affairs and business ventures.

Retiree: Republic and Francoism

Llosas retained considerable wealth and held executive positions within the Olot branch of Banco Hispano Americano, which had absorbed Banco Llosas Escubós during the mid-1920s. His prominence as a leading political figure in Girona made his home a frequent destination for those seeking influence or assistance. However, with the establishment of the Republic, his political relevance diminished due to his monarchist and Traditionalist views. A street named after him in Santa Pau in 1930 was renamed Via de la República in 1931.

During the early 1930s, Llosas participated actively in Catholic initiatives such as Pro Ecclesia et Patria weeks and contributed writings to confessional periodicals. In 1933, he headed a significant Catalan delegation to the Vatican and reestablished connections with Carlism, providing financial support to the Carlist newspaper El Siglo Futuro. Although initially associated with a right-wing agrarian electoral list in 1933 alongside Carlist personalities like María Rosa Urraca Pastor, he later disavowed any direct involvement. He continued publishing historical and religious articles within Traditionalist outlets. By early 1936, Llosas took part in monarchist assemblies led by Calvo Sotelo, though his ties to Carlism remained somewhat peripheral.

Llosas welcomed the July 1936 uprising, albeit without evidence indicating active participation. Following Republican militia occupation of Olot, reports indicate that his Mas Quintana estate was either looted or confiscated. Despite his advanced age, he survived revolutionary violence; however, details about his whereabouts during the Civil War remain unknown. After Nationalist forces regained control over Catalonia in February 1939, Llosas offered assistance to the new provincial leadership and was entrusted with mobilizing Girona’s commercial and industrial elites for postwar recovery efforts. Beyond this initial Francoist engagement, he gradually withdrew from official roles.

In subsequent decades, particularly throughout the 1940s and later years, Llosas devoted himself to religious activities such as Acción Católica and cultural pursuits including delivering historical lectures and authoring articles on religious themes primarily published in Girona’s edition of ¡Arriba España!. The newspaper described him as a "respectable y querido amigo". He became a great-grandfather in 1947 but suffered severe disability starting from 1949. His funeral drew attendance from prominent provincial officials alongside Carlist representatives. His obituary reaffirmed his lifelong commitment to Traditionalist principles.

See also

• Carlism
• Catalanism
• Marian Vayreda i Vila
• Solidaritat Catalana
• Assemblea de Parlamentaris
• Mancomunitat

Further reading

• Albert Balcells, Joan B. Culla, Conxita Mir, Les eleccions generals a Catalunya de 1901 a 1923, Barcelona 1982,
• Jordi Canal, ¿En busca del precedente perdido? Tríptico sobre las complejas relaciones entre carlismo y catalanismo a fines del siglo XIX, [in:] Historia y Politica 14 (2005), pp. 45-84
• Josep Clara, La Comunió Tradicionalista a Girona (1931-1936), included in El Carlisme entra Dues Guerres, 1876-1936, [in:] Revista de Girona 1991, pp. 83-88
• Lluís Costa Fernández, La dictadura de Primo de Rivera a Girona: premsa i societat (1923-1930) [PhD dissertation, Universitat de Girona], Girona 1994,
• Núria Moret i Llosas, El llegat documental de Pere Llosas i Badia, published in Annals del Patronat d'Estudis Històrics d'Olot i Comarca 1994, pp. 51–66
• Narcís Selles, Marian Vayreda: idealització i conflicte davant d'una realitat canviant, featured in Revista de Girona 220 (2003), pp. 30–35

External links

• Historical article by Llosas from 1894
• Historical article by Llosas dated 1951
• Obituary of Llosas published in ¡Arriba España!
• Official Cortes profile of Llosas