5 ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 3 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Catal an ▁politician ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 2 2 nd ▁President ▁of ▁Catal onia ▁and ▁formerly ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Army . ▁ ▁Life ▁Frances c ▁Ma ci à ▁i ▁L luss à ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Vil an ova ▁i ▁la ▁Gel tr ú , ▁Catal onia . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁father , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 6 , ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁Military ▁Academy ▁of ▁Gu adal aj ara ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Corps ▁of ▁Engine ers ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Army , ▁special izing ▁himself ▁in ▁brid ges , ▁rail ways ▁and ▁te legraph s . ▁He ▁requested ▁to ▁be ▁transferred ▁to ▁Cuba ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁send ▁several ▁times ▁to ▁Barcelona , ▁Madrid ▁or ▁Se ville , ▁asc ending ▁from ▁te legraph er ▁to ▁captain . ▁As ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁Spanish ▁army , ▁he ▁position ed ▁himself ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁its ▁modern ization . ▁He ▁achieved ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁lieutenant - col onel . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁L le ida , ▁where ▁he ▁met ▁his ▁wife , ▁Eug è nia ▁L amar ca , ▁daughter ▁of ▁Ag ap it ▁L amar ca , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁had ▁three ▁children , ▁Joan , ▁Eug è nia ▁and ▁Maria . ▁▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁some ▁Spanish ▁army ▁officers , ▁in ▁ret ali ation ▁for ▁a ▁jo ke ▁of ▁the ▁sat ir