juan_carlos_i_of_spain | birthplace | rome <sep> juan  carlos i (spanish: [xwaŋˈkaɾlos]; juan carlos alfonso víctor maría de borbón y borbón-dos sicilias, born 5 january 1938) is a member of the spanish royal family who reigned as king of spain from 22 november 1975 until his abdication on 19 june 2014 in spain, since his abdication, juan carlos has usually been referred to as the rey emérito ('king emeritus')juan carlos is the grandson of alfonso xiii, the last king of spain before the abolition of the monarchy in 1931 and the subsequent declaration of the second spanish republic juan carlos was born in rome during his family's exile francisco franco took over the government of spain after his victory in the spanish civil war in 1939, yet in 1947 spain's status as a monarchy was affirmed and a law was passed allowing franco to choose his successor juan carlos's father, infante juan, count of barcelona, was the third son of king alfonso xiii and assumed his claims to the throne after alfonso died in february 1941 
rome was the birthplace of juan carlos i of spain.juan carlos was born in rome during his family's exile