Francisco Serrano, 1st Duke of la Torre

Francisco Serrano
General Serrano, in 1874.
Regent of Spain
In office 18 June 1869 – 27 September 1870
Preceded by	Isabella II of Spain
Succeeded by	Amadeo I of Spain
President of the Executive Power of the Republic
In office 4 January 1874 – 30 December 1874
Preceded by	Emilio Castelar
Succeeded by	Niceto Alcalá-Zamora (Alfonso XII as King of Spain)
Personal details
Born	(1810-12-17)17 December 1810 Isla de León, Spain
Died	25 November 1885(1885-11-25) (aged 74) Madrid, Spain

Don Francisco Serrano Domínguez Cuenca y Pérez de Vargas, 1st Duke of la Torre Grandee of Spain, Count of San Antonio (es: Francisco Serrano y Domínguez, primer duque de la Torre, conde de San Antonio; 17 December 1810 – 25 November 1885) was a Spanish marshal and statesman. He was Prime Minister of Spain in 1868–69 and regent in 1869–70.

Serrano was born on Isla de León, in the province of Cádiz. His father Francisco Serrano y Cuenca, Bueno Soto y Lara, born in Lopera, parish of Purísima Concepción, was a general officer and a Liberal. His mother was Isabel Domínguez y Guevara-Vasconcellos, Pérez de Vargas y Alburquerque, born in Marbella ca. 1780.

Serrano began his studies at Vergara in the Basque provinces.

Following his father into the military, he became a cadet in 1822, cornet in 1833 in the lancers of Sagunto, and passed into the carabiniers in 1829. When the Carlist agitation began in 1833, he transferred into the cuirassiers. He formed part of the escort that accompanied Don Carlos, the first pretender and brother of Ferdinand VII, to the frontier of Portugal.

As aide-de-camp of Espoz y Mina, then under the orders of generals Córdoba and Espartero, in the armies of Queen Isabella, Serrano took such an active part in the Carlist War from 1834 to 1839, that he rose from the rank of captain to that of brigadier-general. He was awarded the Cross of San Fernando and many medals. He was also granted the 155th Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword.