Micronations/List of already existing micronations/Principality of Seborga

The Principality of Seborga is a micronation that claims a 14 square km area located in the northwestern Italian Province of Imperia in Liguria, near the French border, and about 35 km mi from Monaco."Self-Proclaimed Micronations", WorldStatesmen.org The principality is in coexistence with, and claims the territory of, the town of Seborga. History In arguing for the founding of Seborga in 1963, a Seborgan named Giorgio Carbone claimed, based on documents from the Vatican archives, that during the Middle Ages the town had become part of the feudal holdings of the Counts of Ventimiglia. He insisted that in the year 954, Seborga became the property of the Benedictine Monks of Santo Onorato of Lerins and in 1079 the Abbot of this monastery was made a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, with temporal authority over the Principality of Seborga."His Tremendousness Giorgio Carbone" (Obituary) The Telegraph, November 27, 2009 Allegedly on 20 January 1729, this independent principality was sold to the Savoy dynasty and became a protectorate of theirs. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna overlooked Seborga in its redistribution of European territories after the Napoleonic Wars, and there is no mention of Seborga in the Act of Unification for the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. The Unification of Italy in 1861 and the founding of the Italian Republic in 1946 would therefore be illegitimate and unilateral acts because they violate the legitimate sovereignty of the people of Seborga. The exile of the Savoy, in 1946, involved also the end of ius patronatus.http://www.principatodiseborga.com/pds/storia Storia Principato di Seborga The argument for Seborga's present-day status as an independent state is based on the claim that the 1729 sale was never registered by its new owners, resulting in the principality falling into what has been described as a legal twilight zone. Origins thumb|The "frontier" post on the road approaching Seborga In the early 1960s, Giorgio Carbone began promoting the idea that Seborga should restore its historic independence as a principality."Prince of Seborga fights on for 362 subjects", Italy Magazine, 15 June 2006https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/anneli-rufus/seborga-the-micronation-i_b_5760864.html Seborga: The Micronation Inside Italy Where Time Stands Still 11 September 2014 Anneli Rufus HuffPost 5 May 2018 By 1963 the people of Seborga were sufficiently convinced of these arguments to elect Carbone as their Head of State. He then assumed the style and title His Serene Highness Giorgio I, Prince of Seborga, which he held until his death in 2009. Carbone's status as Prince was confirmed on 23 April 1995, when Seborgans voted 304 in favour, 4 against, for the Principality's constitution and in favour of independence from Italy.Caitlin Moran,"Noel Gallagher is my choice for monarch", The Times, January 30, 2006 Politics Monarch thumb|Marcello Menegatto, Prince of Seborga (2010–2019); pictured in 2010 Prince Giorgio I reigned until his death on 25 November 2009. His successor Marcello Menegatto was elected on 25 April 2010 and crowned on 22 May 2010, styled His Serene Highness (Sua Altezza Serenissima or SAS) Marcello I.Seborga Times, Article "Seborga will crown his new elected Prince: Menegatto I"S.A.S. il Principe di Seborga https://www.principatodiseborga.com/pds/s-a-s-il-principe-di-seborga Principato di Seborga 28 September 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190928091926/https://www.principatodiseborga.com/pds/s-a-s-il-principe-di-seborga 28 September 2019 it-IT live The monarch's position is not hereditary and elections are held in Seborga every seven years. The 2017 election was held on 23 April.Squires Nick Radio DJ from West Sussex vies to become next leader of tiny self-declared principality in Italy https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/18/british-dj-west-sussex-vies-become-next-leader-tiny-self-declared/ 20 March 2017 The Telegraph 18 March 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170318223939/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/18/british-dj-west-sussex-vies-become-next-leader-tiny-self-declared/ 18 March 2017 live On 23 April 2017, Prince Marcello was re-elected and took office for another seven years after gaining 129 votes (75.44%) and beating his rival Mark Dezzani, a British-born radio DJ from Crawley, West Sussex, in England, who had lived in Seborga for nearly 40 years and only managed to gain 42 votes (24.56%). On 12 April 2019 Marcello I announced his intention to abdicateLetter of resignation on principatodiseborga.com. He remained in office ad interim until the election of his successor, on 10 November 2019. On 10 November 2019 Nina Menegatto, former Crown Counsellor for Foreign Affairs since 2010, was elected Princess of Seborga, the first woman to hold this position, by the inhabitants of Seborga. She defeated Laura Di Bisceglie, daughter of Prince Giorgio I, for 122 votes (63.87%) to 69 votes (37.13%)Vogt Andrea 'Her Tremendousness' elected leader of self-declared micro-nation on hilltop in Italy https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/10/tremendousness-elected-leader-self-declared-micro-nation-hilltop/ 11 November 2019 The Daily Telegraph 10 November 2019. Title Given name Reign began Reign ended Prince Giorgio I Giorgio Carbone 1963-05-14 2009-11-25 Prince Marcello I Marcello Menegatto 2010-04-25Squires Nick Tiny Italian principality announces new monarch called 'His Tremendousness' https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/7639617/Tiny-Italian-principality-announces-new-monarch-called-His-Tremendousness.html 18 June 2010 The Daily Telegraph 27 April 2010The King of Nylon: 'kingdom' of Seborga ruled by hosiery heir http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/823736-the-king-of-nylon-kingdom-of-seborga-ruled-by-hosiery-heir 18 June 2010 The Metro 28 April 2010 London 2019-11-10 Princess Nina Nina Menegatto 2019-11-10 Incumbent Claimants In June 2006 a woman calling herself "Princess Yasmine von Hohenstaufen Anjou Plantagenet", who claimed to be the rightful heir to the throne of Seborga, wrote to Italy's president offering to return the principality to the state.Malcolm Moore,"Battle rages for His Tremendousness's throne", Daily Telegraph, 13 June 2006 Her claim was contested by the then-prince, Giorgio I (Giorgio Carbone), who asserted that there were no credible sources supporting her,"Prince of Seborga fights on for 362 subjects", Italy Magazine, 15 June 2006 and said "Pah! No one’s ever even seen her as far as I know. I call her the 'internet princess'."November 2019 Since 22 February 2016 Nicolas Mutte, a French writer, claims to replace Marcello I.Ruler of self-declared principality on the Italian Riviera faces 'coup d'etat' from rival, By Nick Squires, 21 June 2016, on telegraph On 14 June 2019 Nicolas Mutte and his brother Martial were investigated for criminal association aimed at fraud, production of counterfeit money, and production of false administrative documents.Prince autoproclamé à Seborga, en Italie, un Normand mis en examen, France, 18 June 2019 Crown Council thumb|150px|The former Government Palace, used until 2009 According to the constitution of Seborga, the reigning monarch has to rule under advisement by his Crown Council. Five members of the Council are elected by the citizens of Seborga while other members can be named by the Prince himself. The Crown Council is the executive in the principality.http://www.principatodiseborga.com/pds/consiglio-della-corona Consiglio della Corona Nominative Office HSH Nina (Nina Menegatto) Princess of Seborga Mauro Carassale Secretary of State Sabina Tomassoni Crown Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Giovanni Fiore Crown Counsellor for Sports and Youth Luca Pagani Crown Counsellor for Finance, Legislative Activity and CommunicationsMaria Carmela SerraCrown Counsellor for Tourism and HistoryFranco MurduanoCrown Counsellor for DefenseFrancesco VerrandoCrown Counsellor for Justice and CulturePatrizia de PaolaCrown Counsellor for Commercial ActivitiesFabio CorradiCrown Counsellor for Environment, Agriculture and Floriculture Sport The Principality of Seborga has an Olympic committee (not recognised by the International Olympic Committee), and a football association (not recognised by FIFA or UEFA). The Seborga national football team is a member of the N.F.-Board, and plays fixtures against other member teams, which represent various small nations, micronations, sub-national regions, and unrecognised de facto states.List Federations Affiliated to N.F.-Board, www.nfboard.org Population As of 1st January 2018, Seborga had a population of 297 people, with 146 males and 151 females.http://demo.istat.it/pop2018/index3.html Statistiche demografiche ISTAT demo.istat.it Imperia 2019-03-21 Currency thumb|230x230px|A 15 centesimi Seborga luigino coin The Seborga luigino is the local currency of the micronation of Seborga. Its subunit is the centesimo which is valued at 1/100. It is circulated alongside the Euro. The luigino has no value outside of the Principality of Seborga. The value of the Seborga luigino is pegged to the USD at 1 luigino: US$6.00."I luigini", Principality of Seborga website (in Italian), accessed 9 January 2017 That would make it the world's highest-valued currency unit if it were considered an official currency. Luigini coins were issued between 1995 and 1997 with the effigy of Prince Giorgio in denominations of 5 centesimi, 15 centesimi, 1/2 luigino (50 centesimi), 1 luigino, and 7 ½ luigini. Coins with the effigy of the new prince, Marcello, were issued in 2012 and 2013 in denominations of 1, 2 and 2½ luigini. No banknotes have been issued."I luigini", Principality of Seborga website (in Italian), accessed 9 January 2017 Military The Principality of Seborga maintains a volunteer defence force and border guard, originally known as the Knights of St Bernard, but now simply as the Corpo delle Guardie (English: Guard Corps). Members of the Corps volunteer their services, and wear a uniform principally in the blue and white colours of the Seborga flag. Guards attend the Princess and members of her family on ceremonial occasions, and patrol the streets of Seborga throughout the year. During the tourist season they mount guard at the unofficial border crossing on the main road into Seborga.The Guards of Seborga are reported and pictured in The Daily Mail. On its official website the Corps states its current Commander to be Luigi Zanni, and also claims that it has a mounted regiment. http://www.principatodiseborga.com/pds/le-guardie Le Guardie Principato di Seborga live 7 April 2018 Notes 30em Bibliography harv Eugène Caïs de Pierlas I Conti di Ventimiglia, il priorato di San Michele ed il principato di Seborga Turin G. B. Paravia 1884 External links Official Website Official English Language Blog 43.8259 N 7.6944 E region:IT_type:city title