Manuel Azaña was a Spanish politician and writer, born on January 10, 1880, in Alcalá de Henares. He served as the Prime Minister of Spain and later as the President of the Spanish Republic during the tumultuous period of the Spanish Civil War. Azaña was a key figure in the Second Spanish Republic, advocating for reforms in education and land distribution. Azaña's leadership was marked by his efforts to modernize Spain and promote secularism. He faced significant opposition from conservative factions and military leaders, which ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Azaña went into exile after the war and died in France on November 3, 1940.