Complutense University Of Madrid

Discover the notable alumni of Complutense University Of Madrid. The list includes people like Juan de Borbón, Cardinal Mazarin, Josemaría Escrivá, Adolfo Suárez & Pedro Arrupe. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as writers, miscellaneous, intellectuals & academics, leaders and critics & connoisseurs etc.
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 1 
Queen Letizia of Spain
(Queen Consort of Spain)
Queen Letizia of Spain
11
Birthdate: September 15, 1972
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Oviedo, Spain

Queen Letizia of Spain was initially a journalist for EFE and ABC and then worked as an anchor for Televisión Española and CNN+. She had covered events such as the 9/11 attacks. She is married to King Felipe VI of Spain and was previously married to a high-school teacher.

 2 
Mario Vargas Llosa
(Latin America's Most Significant Novelist and Essayist and Winner of 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature)
Mario Vargas Llosa
14
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 28, 1936
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Arequipa, Peru
In March 2020, Chinese e-book platforms virtually banned Nobel Prize-winning Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa after he suggested that China was largely responsible for the origin of the COVID-19 virus. One of Latin American’s most respected authors, he has penned bestsellers such as The Feast of the Goat.
 3 
Sara Carbonero
(Spanish-Portuguese Sports Journalist)
Sara Carbonero
1
Birthdate: February 3, 1984
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Corral de Almaguer, Spain

Sara Carbonero is a Spanish-Portuguese TV personality and sports journalist. She is best known for her association with the popular free-to-air TV channel Telecinco, where she worked as a presenter. Carbonero made headlines in 2010 when she covered the 2010 FIFA World Cup, including the match between Switzerland and Spain that featured her then-boyfriend Iker Casillas whom she later married. 

 4 
Juan de Borbón
(Spanish royal)
Juan de Borbón
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: June 20, 1913
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Segovia, Spain
Died: April 1, 1993
 5 
José Ortega y Gasset
(Spanish Philosopher and Essayist)
José Ortega y Gasset
0
Birthdate: May 9, 1883
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Died: October 18, 1955

Philosopher and humanist José Ortega y Gasset was a major figure of the 20th-century Spanish literary renaissance. Apart from introducing concepts such as ratiovitalism, he also believed in the philosophy "I am I and my circumstance." Invertebrate Spain and The Revolt of the Masses remain his best works.

 6 
Josemaría Escrivá
(Spanish Priest Who Founded the Organization 'Opus Dei')
Josemaría Escrivá
3
Birthdate: January 9, 1902
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Barbastro, Spain
Died: June 26, 1975

Josemaría Escrivá was a Spanish priest best remembered for founding an organization called Opus Dei. He is also remembered for authoring a book titled The Way. The book has been translated into many languages and has sold millions of copies around the world.

 7 
Camilo José Cela
(Winner of 1989 Nobel Prize in Literature)
Camilo José Cela
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 11, 1916
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Iria Flavia, Spain
Died: January 17, 2002

Camilo José Cela was a Spanish novelist, essayist, story writer, and poet. One of the most respected Spanish writers of his generation, Camilo José Cela received a number of prestigious awards, including the 1987 Prince of Asturias Award for Literature. In 1989, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. In 1994, he was honored with the Premio Planeta de Novela.

 8 
Pedro Paterno
(2nd Prime Minister of the Philippines)
Pedro Paterno
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 27, 1857
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Manila, Philippines
Died: April 26, 1911

Philippine politician Pedro Paterno was educated in Spain, where he graduated in philosophy and theology. He later became the prime minister of his country. A poet and novelist, too, he eventually became infamous as a traitor after supporting the U.S. and favoring American dominion during the Philippine–American War.

 9 
Carlos Mesa
(63rd President of Bolivia (2003 – 2005))
Carlos Mesa
5
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 12, 1953
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: La Paz, Bolivia
 10 
Javier Marías
(Spanish Writer and Translator)
Javier Marías
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 20, 1951
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Died: September 11, 2022

Born to banned educator Julián Marías, Javier Marías had begun writing at age 14 and penned his first novel, The Dominions of the Wolf, at 17. His depiction of John Gawsworth, the king of the Caribbean island Redonda, led him to inherit the kingship. He also writes columns for El Pais.

 11 
Princess María Teresa of Bourbon-Parma
(Political Activist and a Member of the 'House of Bourbon-Parma')
Princess María Teresa of Bourbon-Parma
1
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: July 28, 1933
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: March 26, 2020

Her activism and outspokenness had earned Princess María Teresa of Bourbon-Parma the nickname Red Princess. Part of the Spanish royal family, she was educated at the Sorbonne. She later supported the Carlist movement and was a champion of women’s rights, too. She eventually died of COVID-19 at age 86.

 12 
Alejandro Amenabar
(Spanish-Chilean Film Director, Screenwriter and Composer)
Alejandro Amenabar
2
Birthdate: March 31, 1972
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Santiago, Chile

Alejandro Amenabar is a Spanish-Chilean music composer, screenwriter, and film director. An influential and respected personality in the Spanish film industry, Amenabar has won nine Goya Awards and two European Film Awards among many other prestigious awards. 

 13 
Santiago Segura
(Spanish Filmmaker and Actor Best Known for His 'Torrente' Film Series)
Santiago Segura
0
Birthdate: July 17, 1965
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Carabanchel, Madrid, Spain

Spanish filmmaker and actor Santiago Segura Silva is best known for writing, directing and starring in the popular film series Torrente. He rose to fame with Torrente, el brazo tonto de la ley, the first film of the series, which emerged as the highest-grossing Spanish film of all time, later surpassed by its sequel Torrente 2: Misión en Marbella.   

 14 
Isabel Diaz Ayuso
(Politician)
Isabel Diaz Ayuso
4
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 17, 1978
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
 15 
Manuel Azaña
(Spanish Political Leader)
Manuel Azaña
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 10, 1880
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Alcala de Henares, Spain
Died: November 3, 1940
 16 
Eugenio María de Hostos
(Educator)
Eugenio María de Hostos
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 11, 1839
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: near Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Died: August 11, 1903
 17 
Miguel Boyer
(Minister of Economy, Treasury and Commerce (1 December 1982 – 6 July 1985))
Miguel Boyer
0
Birthdate: February 5, 1939
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: St. Jean de Luz, France
Died: September 29, 2014
 18 
Umaro Sissoco Embaló
(6th President of Guinea-Bissau)
Umaro Sissoco Embaló
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 23, 1972
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
 19 
Javier Ambrossi
(Film actor)
Javier Ambrossi
0
Birthdate: June 24, 1984
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain

Javier Ambrossi is a Spanish actor, writer, and director. Ambrossi is renowned for creating the musical La llamada, which he also directed. He then went on to adapt the musical into a film titled Holy Camp, which he directed along with his partner Javier Calvo. In 2017, he was named in the most important LGBT people list by El Mundo.

 20 
Adolfo Suárez
(Spanish Politician and Lawyer)
Adolfo Suárez
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 25, 1932
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cebreros, Ávila, Spain
Died: March 23, 2014
 21 
Antonio Machado
(One of the Leading Figures of the Spanish Literary Movement Known as the Generation of '98)
Antonio Machado
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: July 26, 1875
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Seville, Spain
Died: February 22, 1939

A leading member of the Spanish literary movement known as the Generation of '98, Antonio Machado was a legendary poet and playwright. He was educated at the Sorbonne and had also taught French. A proponent of eternal poetry, he penned masterpieces such as Soledades and Campos de Castilla.

 22 
Ana Obregón
(Actress, Television presenters)
Ana Obregón
2
Birthdate: March 18, 1955
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain

Ana Obregón is a Spanish actress, socialite, and television presenter. She is best known for her performances in popular TV series like A las once en casa and Ana y los 7 where she played Paula and Ana García Palermo respectively. Over the years, Obregón's personal life, which includes a relationship with footballer Davor Šuker, has overshadowed her professional achievements.

 23 
Alexandra Lúgaro
(Politician)
Alexandra Lúgaro
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: June 10, 1981
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
 24 
Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, 19th Duke of Alba
(Head of the House of Alba, one of the most prominent families of the Spanish nobility)
Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, 19th Duke of Alba
1
Birthdate: October 2, 1948
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
 25 
David Antón Guijarro
(Spanish Chess Grandmaster)
David Antón Guijarro
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 23, 1995
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Murcia, Spain
 26 
Paloma San Basilio
(Singer, Actress)
Paloma San Basilio
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: November 22, 1950
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chamberí, Madrid, Spain
 27 
Nadia Calviño
(Spanish Civil Servant and Economist)
Nadia Calviño
0
Birthdate: October 3, 1968
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: A Coruña, Spain
 28 
Pedro Arrupe
(Spanish Basque Priest Who Served as the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus)
Pedro Arrupe
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 14, 1907
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
Died: February 5, 1991

Pedro Arrupe, who was the superior general of the Society of Jesus, had dropped out of medical school to care for the poor. He was part of one of the first rescue teams at Hiroshima after the tragic atomic bomb destruction. He later resigned due to paralysis caused by a stroke.

 29 
Margarita Salas
(Spanish Scientist Who is Known for Her Work in the Fields of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry)
Margarita Salas
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: November 30, 1938
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Valdés, Spain
Died: November 7, 2019

Margarita Salas was a Spanish scientist, author, and medical researcher. She is best remembered for her work in the fields of molecular genetics and biochemistry. In 2016, Margarita Salas became the first woman to be honored with the Echegaray medal. She was also the first woman from scientific background to become a member of the Royal Spanish Academy.

 30 
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
(Former Prime Minister of Spain (1895 - 1897))
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
1
Birthdate: February 8, 1828
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Málaga, Spain
Died: August 8, 1897

While he initially studied law, Antonio Cánovas del Castillo showed a marked interest in history and politics, too. The six-time prime minister of Spain led the Conservative Party. As a historian, he had penned works such as History of the Decline of Spain. He was assassinated by an Italian anarchist.

 31 
Enrique Dussel
(Philosopher, Historian, and Theologian was served as the interim rector of the Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México from 2013 to 2014)
Enrique Dussel
0
Birthdate: December 24, 1934
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: La Paz, Argentina
 32 
Raimon Panikkar
(Spanish Roman Catholic Priest)
Raimon Panikkar
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 2, 1918
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
Died: August 26, 2010

Born to a Spanish Catholic mother and an Indian Hindu father in Barcelona, Raimon Panikkar grew up to be a Catholic priest and a philosophy professor. An expert in comparative religion, he compared the tenets of Catholicism and Hinduism in his doctoral thesis. He also penned several spiritual texts.

 33 
Vicente Aleixandre
(Spanish Poet and 1977 Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature)
Vicente Aleixandre
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 26, 1898
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Seville, Spain
Died: December 14, 1984

Vicente Aleixandre was a Spanish poet. He was part of the Generation of '27 and received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1977. His early poetry was marked by surrealism and many of his poems have melancholic undertones. He is considered one of the greatest poets of Spanish literature. He was bisexual but never admitted to it publicly. 

 34 
Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
(Spanish Politician and Civil Engineer)
Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 21, 1825
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Torrecilla en Cameros, Spain
Died: January 5, 1903
 35 
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos
(Spanish Neoclassical Statesman, Author, Philosopher and a Major Figure of the Age of Enlightenment in Spain)
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 5, 1744
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gijón, Spain
Died: November 27, 1811

An important figure of  the Spanish Enlightenment, statesman author Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos began his career as a criminal judge before returning to his native province, where he completed his best known work, arguing for agricultural reforms. As Minister of Justice he argued against Inquisition and as an important member of the Supreme Central Junta, actively opposed the French invasion.

 36 
Eugenia Silva
(Model)
Eugenia Silva
0
Listed In: Fashion
Birthdate: January 13, 1976
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 37 
John of Ávila
(Spanish Priest and Preacher)
John of Ávila
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 6, 1499
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Almodóvar del Campo, Spain
Died: May 10, 1569

John of Ávila, or the Apostle of Andalusia, was a prominent Spanish priest and preacher. Though he was supposed to be sent for missionary work to North America, he later stayed back in Spain, persuaded by the archbishop of Seville. He also wrote religious treatises such as Audi filia.

 38 
Eduardo Chillida
(Spanish Basque Sculptor)
Eduardo Chillida
1
Birthdate: January 10, 1924
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
Died: August 19, 2002

Eduardo Chillida was a Spanish Basque sculptor. He is best known for his monumental abstract works. As a young man, he aspired to play professional football, but injuries put an end to his dreams. After dabbling in architecture for a while, he eventually became an artist and sculptor. His sculptures have been collected by major museums. 

 39 
Pío Baroja
(One of the Key Novelists of the Generation of '98')
Pío Baroja
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 28, 1872
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
Died: October 30, 1956

Spanish Basque writer Pío Baroja was a qualified doctor and practiced medicine in northern Spain for a few years before returning to Madrid to manage his family bakery. Part of the Generation of ’98, he penned iconic works such as the series Memoirs of a Man of Action.

 40 
Carmen Laforet
(Spanish Novelist and Short-Story Writer)
Carmen Laforet
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 6, 1921
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
Died: February 28, 2004

Premio Nadal-winning Spanish author Carmen Laforet is remembered for developing Spanish Existentialist literature. Best known for her first and most popular novel, Nada, she used the tremendismo narrative in her works. Suffering from Alzheimer's disease in later years, she eventually lost the ability to speak.

 41 
Elena Ochoa Foster
(Spanish Art Curator, Publisher, and Former Professor of Psychopathology)
Elena Ochoa Foster
1
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: September 24, 1958
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ourense, Spain
 42 
Martine Franck
(Photographer)
Martine Franck
1
Listed In: Photographers
Birthdate: April 2, 1938
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Antwerp, Belgium
Died: August 16, 2012
 43 
José Echegaray
(One of the Leading Spanish Dramatists of the Last Quarter of the 19th Century)
José Echegaray
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 19, 1832
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Died: September 14, 1916

Initially a math professor, José Echegaray later held several government posts. As the minister of finance, he developed the Banco de España. He later established himself as a prominent dramatist, with plays such as El gran Galeoto, and became the first Spanish to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.

 44 
Pedro Salinas
(Spanish Poet, Scholar, Dramatist, and Essayist)
Pedro Salinas
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 27, 1891
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Died: December 4, 1951

Part of the Generation of '27, renowned Spanish poet Pedro Salinas y Serrano had also been a professor at the Johns Hopkins University. Educated at the Sorbonne, he also taught Spanish at Seville and later joined Cambridge, too. He is also known for his research on Rubén Darío and Jorge Manrique.

 45 
Juan de Mariana
(Spanish Jesuit Priest, Historian, and Scholastic)
Juan de Mariana
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 25, 1536
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Talavera de la Reina, Spain
Died: February 17, 1624
 46 
Gregorio Marañón
(One of the 20th Century's Most Brilliant Spanish Intellectuals)
Gregorio Marañón
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 19, 1887
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Died: March 27, 1960

Gregorio Marañón was a Spanish scientist, physician, writer, historian, and philosopher. He is widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most brilliant Spanish intellectuals. In order to honor his work and contributions, the Gregorio Marañón Foundation was founded on 11 November 1988.

 47 
Francisco Ayala
(Novelist)
Francisco Ayala
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 16, 1906
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Granada, Spain
Died: November 3, 2009
 48 
Julián Marías
(Philosopher)
Julián Marías
1
Birthdate: June 17, 1914
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Valladolid, Spain
Died: December 15, 2005
 49 
Concepción Arenal
(Writer)
Concepción Arenal
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 31, 1820
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ferrol, Spain
Died: February 4, 1893
 50 
Ramón J. Sender
(Spanish Essayist, Novelist, and Journalist)
Ramón J. Sender
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 3, 1901
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chalamera, Spain
Died: January 16, 1982

Ramón J. Sender was a Spanish essayist, novelist, and journalist. He is best remembered for his contribution to a Republican literary magazine called El Mono Azul during the Spanish Civil War. Many of Ramón J. Sender's works, such as Siete domingos rojos and Mr Witt en el cantón, were translated into English by Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell.