On September 27, 1936, the Army of Africa under General José Enrique Varela relieved the besieged Alcázar of Toledo after a 68-day siege, bringing the city under Nationalist control. The relief of the Alcázar was a major propaganda victory for Franco, who ordered the garrison's defenders to be celebrated as heroes. The siege's end also allowed Franco to claim a symbolic triumph that boosted Nationalist morale and cemented his authority over the rebel faction.

The relief of the Alcázar was celebrated in epic Nationalist poetry, with writers like José María Pemán composing verses that framed the event as a modern crusade. The siege became a recurring motif in right-wing poetry, symbolizing the triumph of faith and will over material force. The event also inspired a series of poems and plays that would become staples of Francoist cultural propaganda.