Tomás Dolz de Espejo y Andréu y Muñoz Serrano y Duforq-Salinis, 5th Count of La Florida (1879-1974) was a Spanish politician and businessman.

[8] His son and Tomás’ father, Pedro Manuel Dolz de Espejo (1820-1879), as 3rd Count returned[9] to Spain re-assuming family landholdings in Teruel.

Dolz was first noted in political milieu[46] In 1911, he demonstrated support to Traditionalist deputies from both the Integrist and Jaimist minorities, who in the Cortes in vain tried to block Ley del Candado.

In 1915 he was rumored to be running in the Cortes elections of the following year from the Madrid Latina district;[51] the news eventually proved false, though in 1916 he was busy mounting an electoral alliance which would include even the Traditionalist arch-enemies, the Liberals.

[57] Though he seemed perfectly loyal to Don Jaime,[58] in the new internal conflict within Carlism Florida tended rather to side with its key theorist, Juan Vázquez de Mella.

This was demonstrated not only by Mellista's typical penchant for right-wing alliances,[59] but also by advocating neutralist stand in the Great War, a strategy intended to counter pro-Entente feelings and effectively supporting the Central Powers.

[93] It is not clear what his position was on the controversial question of alliances with other monarchist and right-wing groupings, or on internal leadership rivalry between Conde de Rodezno and Manuel Fal.

[98] Though he is not listed as member of the national Carlist wartime executive, Junta Nacional Carlista de Guerra,[99] residing in Salamanca he started to take part in meetings of the Comunión leaders.

For reasons which are not entirely clear his position grew; perhaps as a host Florida presided over a Carlist emergency meeting of December 1936, called to deal with Franco's demand that Fal Conde leaves Spain.

[103] In early April he took part in a meeting of a somewhat rebellious Navarrese Junta Central; it adopted a Franco-addressed proposal suggesting a directorio, composed of Carlists, Falangists and Caudillo's appointees.

[115] Frustrated by the lack of the Falangist give and take in the Junta, some Carlists complained to Franco; the result were October 1937 nominations to another party body, a 50-member Consejo Nacional.

[116] Florida found himself among 12 Carlist nominees[117] and was already firmly mounted among the highest-positioned civilians of the Francoist Spain, sitting in two bodies directing the only political organization allowed in the state.

[119] Moreover, the Carlists were enraged to find that what they were supposed to be an organization they could control or at least influence was increasingly turning into a new version of Falange, with syndicalist blue-shirts systematically gaining the upper hand.

[121] In newspapers he was quoted arguing in favor of the unification; according to him both Carlism and Falange were anti-democratic, anti-Liberal, anti-parliamentarian and Catholic, he claimed also that both supported monarchist solutions to be implemented in the future.

[125] In 1938 he acted as FET Jefe Provincial in Salamanca,[126] typically one of the 3 most important civilian positions in every province;[127] it is not clear what exact dates of his term were.

It could have been resignation following disappointment with the syndicalist format of the new party; it could have been marginalization suffered as a result of an internal conflict, as it happened with Joaquín Bau, another Carlist sidetracked by Ramón Serrano Suñer,[130] especially that Florida publicly kept declaring inevitable restoration of the monarchy.

[131] No longer in the top political flight, in the early 1940s Florida was still present in public life, e.g. taking part in Traditionalism-flavored feasts attended by some FET heavyweights.

He did not accept an olive branch from Carlism; in 1942 Fal declared that all those stained by Falangism might be re-admitted given they abandon their state party links; the offer explicitly excluded from the scheme some of the leaders, but Florida was not among them.

[135] In the late 1940s he ventured to publicly demonstrate support for Ricardo Oreja, his old-time fellow Mellista, when the latter succeeded in Madrid municipal elections.

[136] Though already at the retirement age, Florida remained active in a number of enterprises, mostly related to mineral resources and dependent businesses, like construction or pharmaceuticals; some of them, like RUMHE,[137] landed hefty contracts in prestigious locations, like the Madrid Gran Vía.

Satisfied that formal acceptance of Traditionalist principles rendered him fit for succession also from the Carlist perspective, they declared him the legitimate heir to the throne.

[142] Also as an octogenarian Florida kept attending social events, at times assuming unlikely roles; in 1962 he formed part of a jury at a female beauty contest.