He is particularly known because of his role in the Andalusian anti-Republican Traditionalist conspiracy of the mid-1930s, his engagement in the July 1936 coup in Seville, and then for his position as a requeté commander in the Tercio Virgen de los Reyes battalion during the Spanish Civil War.

[7] In the early 20th century he engaged financially in Banco Díez y Vergara, managed an undefined "minerales" business[8] and remained CEO of Ferrocarril de Sevilla, Alcalá, Carmona.

[22] Barrau Grande died in mysterious circumstances, a day after having sold majority shares in C.S.A.C., the railway company that he owned and managed.

In 1930, when aged 17, the adolescent Enrique was introduced by his uncle José Salado Yznaga to Manuel Fal Conde, the Integrist leader in Andalusia;[35] the two were later to develop sort of a father-son bond.

[38] Barrau was then detained[39] and though shortly released,[40] a string of incarcerations followed in December 1932,[41] January 1933[42] and April 1933,[43] the last case related to an anti-governmental demonstration.

[50] Following a year of hectic efforts[51] the organization was strong enough to stage an impressive display of strength at the Quintillo estate, when some 600 uniformed members performed drills and military exercises;[52] Barrau was among key speakers during the event.

[59] In the spring of 1936 Barrau was actively engaged in Carlist efforts to mount an anti-Republican coup; according to the plan, prior to takeover of key Madrid premises distractive risings were to be staged in few spots, among them in Andalusia and Extremadura near the Portuguese frontier.

[60] Under supervision of professional officers, Redondo and Ignacio Romero Osborne, Barrau was busy gathering requeté volunteers in the Andalusian countryside.

In early July 1936 the Barrau brothers[62] were heavily involved in local talks between the Carlists and the military, aimed at seizing power in Seville.

[63] Around mid-day of July 18 Enrique Barrau commanded a requeté detachment which tried to take control of the gobierno civil building, but the assailants failed and withdrew.

[73] Already when the unit was renamed to Tercio Virgen de los Reyes, Barrau was engaged in operations on the Cordobese front in the Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo sector; in October requetés seized the Anarchist stronghold of Bujalance and set their headquarters there.

[74] In November 1936 Barrau was recalled from the line to join Fal in Getafe and Leganés;[75] then in Toledo he took part in planning of Real Academia Militar de Requetés,[76] perhaps to become one of its commanders.

[90] In the summer of 1939 Barrau decided to commence a professional military service and in July he was admitted to ranks with "empleo inmediato", immediate employment.

[101] In private he remained in touch with prestigious personalities of Andalusian Carlism, like his former commander Luis Redondo[102] and the Carlist Jefe Delegado, Manuel Fal Conde,[103] who both had him in extremely high regard.

[106] In 1959 Barrau was among co-organizers of the 25th anniversary of the Quintillo parade,[107] which due to its independent Carlist flavor caused unease within local administration.

[110] In spite of it, his very formal funeral[111] was attended by numerous high military;[112] the widow received Orden de la Legitimidad Proscrita.