Juan Pedro de Aladro, the First Chief of the Spanish Legation in Bucharest

Juan Pedro de Aladro was the first diplomatic representative of Spain in the Kingdom of Romania. He was appointed in 1881, following the establishment of the Spanish Legation in Bucharest, as chargé d'affaires, and in 1883 as resident minister. He was a bright and adaptable diplomat who easily blended into both the diplomatic atmosphere in which he worked and the upper echelons of Romanian society. He gained an excellent understanding of the realities of Romania and the broader Southeastern European region. Aladro was a steadfast advocate of the new Romanian state and of improving relations between Romania and Spain. The correspondence he transmitted to the Ministry of State in Madrid was written in a general manner, depicting the political situation in the country to which he was accredited in a shallow manner. By presenting the key coordinates of Romania's internal and foreign policy, as well as the challenges faced by the newly formed state in Southeastern Europe, the Spanish envoy succeeded in providing adequate diplomatic coverage for Romania in his country, thereby contributing to a clearer understanding of the situation of the Kingdom of Romania by the other states. This research is based on archival documents, memoir testimonies, and information from the Romanian state's official publication, the „Official Gazette of Romania