History of Europe

Death of Maria Rosa de Madariaga

Maria Rosa de Madariaga Álvarez-Prida , exceptional historian born on February 9, 1937, in a Madrid in the midst of war, whose childhood and youth were spent while Spain still maintained her protectorate in Morocco, just the subject that would end up monopolizing her historical work. She trained at the French Lyceum in Madrid and graduated in Philosophy and Letters from the Complutense University in 1960, she dedicated her life to culture. She followed courses in Bruges, taught at the University of London, founded the Editorial Ciencia Nueva and, in 1966, applied for a scholarship from the French Government to continue her postdoctoral studies at the Sorbonne University, where she met the prestigious Hispanist Pierre Vilar. . While she was preparing her doctoral thesis she obtained a diploma in Arabic at the Institute of Oriental Languages ​​and Civilizations of the Paris III University in 1973, and later, at the same center, a higher diploma in Arabic Language and Civilization. Without ever stopping her training and research, she devoted herself to teaching Spanish Language and Civilization at the Paris IV University and worked for UNESCO and other international organizations as a translator. In 1988 she presented her doctoral thesis in History on Spanish-Moroccan relations and the Rif War, becoming the reference person on a hitherto unpublished subject but which today has many fans, although there are still few researchers of depth. She works like Spain and the Rif. Chronicle of a forgotten story (1999, based on her thesis), In the ravine of the Wolf. The wars of Morocco (2005) or Abd el-Krim el Khatabi. The fight for independence (2009), attest to this and have been crucial in understanding this complex period of our history and that of the neighboring country. Complementing these works and broadening the spectrum of her research, she has also left us books such as Los moros que brought Franco. The intervention of colonial troops in the war (2002) and Morocco, that great unknown. Brief history of the Spanish Protectorate (2013). In addition, she participated in numerous documentaries and wrote a large number of articles and chapters of collective works. Those of us who were lucky enough to work with her, edit her texts for Desperta Ferro Contemporánea or the chapter included in the collective work A centenary of Annual. The Moroccan War , we will not only remember her wonderful knowledge, but also her honesty and her kindness. María Rosa de Madariaga wrote about wars without beating the drums, explaining and understanding each other, denouncing brutality without hatred and avoiding clichés and comparisons. She was always easy to work with and instructive. Today, despite the pain of loss, we are left with the consolation that her work offers. Rest in peace.