 The ship was ordered as the "Reina Victoria Eugenia" (named after Queen consort Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg), laid down in 1915, launched 21 April 1920 and completed on 15 January 1923.She was flagship of the Spanish squadron during the Rif war.After the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931 she became part of the Spanish Republican Navy and was renamed "Republica".