Seborga is a small town located in Liguria, near the French border, and is a principality. For historical reasons, it might be considered a micronation. Its area is 14 square kilometers.
The Principality of Seborga (Principato di Seborga) was founded in 954 as a fiefdom of the Counts of Ventimiglia. In 1079, it became a principality of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1118, Prince Edward announced its independence.
Seborga remained an independent Principality until January 20, 1729, when it was sold to Vittorio Amadeo II, Prince of Piedmont and King of Sardinia. However, the sale was never registered by the Kingdom of Sardinia.
Later, in 1748, Seborga was not integrated into the Genovese Republic. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna overlooked the village in its efforts to redistribute European territories after the Napoleonic Wars. More importantly, there is no mention of Seborga in the Act of Unification of Kingdom of Italy in 1861, nor in the documents responsible for the formation of the Italian Republic 1946. Thus, it has been argued that there is a strong case for Seborgan independence, as technically, it has never been a part of Italy. The Republic of Italy, in which Seborga is a comune, does not recognise these claims.
Seborga issues a form of currency, the luigino, which circulates widely within the area including the Province of Liguria, although the euro is also legal tender.
External links
