Francisco Llano de la Encomienda (17 September 1879[1] – 31 December 1963[2]) was a Spanish soldier who served in Morocco and was promoted to General in 1931.

[6][7] After General Francisco Franco launched his rebellion, Llano de la Encomienda told his officers on 18 July 1936 that he supported the Republican Union party, but given a choice between extremes would back the communists against the fascists.

[4] He continued to give orders and make telephone calls in an effort to stop the revolt, which caused some confusion among the rebels.

[12] The Nationalist General Manuel Goded Llopis arrived in the city from Majorca and imprisoned Llano de la Encomienda.

Led by the anarchists of the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT) and Federación Anarquista Ibérica (FAI) the workers organized themselves, joined by loyal troops and guards, and counterattacked the next day.

The armed forces in Santander (Cantabria) were led by José García Vayas, formerly a battalion commander in Santoña.

[19] Llano de la Encomienda was even subjected to a customs inspection when crossing the "border" from Asturias to Santander at Unquera.

[21] On 13 January 1937 Aguirre informed Llano de la Encomienda that the Basque Council of Ministers had agreed that the Basque Government and its Minister of War retained jurisdiction over all war-related matters, and the use of human and material resources, apart from the command of military operations.

[19] In effect, Aguirre had removed the Basque forces from Llano de la Encomienda's command.

[22] On several occasions Llano de la Encomienda complained bitterly to Spanish prime minister Francisco Largo Caballero about Aguirre's refusal to cooperate.

[23] Aguirre later said the Llano de la Encomienda's military advisers had been plotting to undermine the Basque Staff.

[21] The Basque battalions finally obeyed Llano de la Encomienda's order to accept numbers and form into brigades.

At the end of April Aguirre asked for General Sebastián Pozas Perea, saying Llano de la Encomienda was incapable of commanding the 60,000 men of the Basque forces.