My page on SEBORGA

THE SMALL PRINCIPALITY IN NORTH OF ITALY The Principality of Seborga
	An old-new country that claims not to be Italy Seborga is a small village "surrounded by the Liguria Region" in northern Italy, you can reach from the town of Bordighera, not far from Genova. Has a land of 14 square kilometer, has about 2000 inhabitants and 362 "seborgan nationals". Why a Principality and "not Italy"? The answer, according several Historians and Experts of International Right, is quite simple: because the Principality, founded in 1079, was never conquerred, invaded, sold, included officially in any sourrounding territory. In 1748 was not part of the sourrounding "Republic of Genova" (according to the Aquisgrana treaty) and in 1814, in the Wien Congress after the defeat of Napoleon, was not given to the Sardinia Kingdom as it happened to the Genova Republic. In 1861, when the King of Sardinia made the unity of Italy, Seborga was not included in the list of the new territories making the Kingdom of Italy and it seems that in 1934 Mussolini decleared in a document that "for sure Seborga Principality is not part of Italy".
	Seborgan Hisory In 400 a.d. it was called Castrum Sepulcri and in 600 a.d Sepulcri Burgum, than Sepolcarum, Serporca or the Four Strongholds Castle and at least, Seborga. For a long time sacred place of the Cathars (the Pures) that used to bury here their Great Priests, became a fief of the Ventimiglia Earls. This family, in 954 a.d. transferred the Castle to the Benedictine Monks. In 1079 the territory of Seborga received from the Holy Roman Empire the title and dignity of Principality. From 1118, to the 20th of January 1728 Seborga was the only one Carthusian Sovereign Territory of Europe. The Prince of Seborga was elected by the monks. In 1728 Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy bought from the monks the land, the deed was written in Paris, but the document was never registered and so, it is said, has no legal value. "De facto" if not "de jure" was administered by the Savoy Family and then included in the Sardinia Kingdom, and after in the Italy Kingdom and at least in the Italian Republic. But some historian discovered that fact and therefore it seems it is with good right that the Seborgans now claim not to be part of Italy...

Recent history. In 1963 the Seborgans unanimously elected their Prince, His Serene Highness Giorgio I. According to some English Historians this is the oldest Constitutional Monarchy of the World, started in 954: all the Princes are elected "pro tempore" and not for descendance. In 1995, April 23rd, the Seborgans confirmed Giorgio I Prince for life vith 304 votes against 4. They accepted the new Principality Constitution (the "General Statutes") and the "Regulations". In september 1995 the new Governement with his 15 Ministers was installed.
	Seborgan Army. The actual Prince is fighting to obtain reconnaissance of their independency. An interesting thing is that the Italian State has not answered to those claims, but the local Police was withdrawn from the territory and (also if in Italy this will be illegal) the Seborgans have now their own army of 13 people... Now Seborga is issuing his own courrency, the "Luigino" (with a value of 6 US dollars for 1 Luigino) so called because when first issued in 1666, his value was 1/4 of one French golden "Luigi". Also is issuing postage stamps, very colourful and interesting. If you woukld like to buy the stamps or the coins you can write to: Palazzo del Governo - Via della Zecca 7 - 18012 SEBORGA (I presume it will be better to write also, after Seborga, ITALY or your letter risks not to arrive...)

Seborgan money and Stamps -------------------------- Seborga (general view)

`Isn't that an interesting story? By the way, I personally prefer the Seborgans to the so called "secessionists" of the Lega Nord Party! Vittorio If you want you can link to the Seborga homepage.`

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Copyright © 1997-1998
Vittorio=Maria Brandoni

This page, last updated:
June 8 th 1998

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