Spain and France have come to an agreement to rule this little island together by changing its sovereignty every six months.
Pheasant Island is a little island near the French-Spanish border. It was here in this island that representatives from France and Spain met to sign the Treaty of the Pyrenees, which would officially end the Thirty Years War in 1659 and draw the official border between Spain and France.
The natural border they chose was the Bidasoa river and in its middle was the official French-Spanish border. The only problem was that there was a 1.6-acre in that river and it’s called Pheasant Island. Instead of splitting the little plot of land into two, the Treaty of Pyrenees arranged that Pheasant Island would be a condominium.
A condominium, as defined in the treaty, is a territory over which multiple nations exercise equal dominion and sovereignty without dividing it into different territories. That means both Spain and France have jurisdiction over Pheasant Island and they are able to exercise this dominion by changing the island’s sovereignty every six months.
Back before the treaty was signed, Pheasant Island didn’t have a clear status. It was instead a neutral venue wherein French and Spanish monarchs would meet. Therefore, Pheasant Island has seen its fair share of important historical events, particularly when it came to monarchs meeting their future wives.
In 1615, French King Louis XIII met his Spanish bride, Anna of Austria in Pheasant Island, at the same time her brother Philip IV first met his future wife, King Louis XIII’s sister, Elisabeth of France.
Later on in 1659, Louis XIII’s son, Louis XIV would meet his future wife, Theresa of Spain, on Pheasant Island as well. Other bridal exchanges include Marie Louise d’Orleans being handed over to Charles II of Spain in 1679, and Mariana Victoria of Spain being handed over to Louis XV in 1721, though the marriage never went ahead.
Today, no one is allowed to visit Pheasant Island, though tourists and curious folks alike may visit the nearby towns of Irun on the Spanish side and Hendaye on the French side.
Table of Contents: Introduction: The Significance of the March 14th Holiday The Mathematical Marvel: Unraveling…
Who made them disappear? What was the reason? Where did they go? Why? Gather round,…
Swarm of bees stings the eyes of penguins in Cape town 60 penguins died from…
A massive ocean sunfish measuring 2,000 kilograms was caught on North African Coast It is named Mola alexandrini or…
A businessman in Georgia utilized the Covid-19 relief to buy a limited edition Charizard Pokemon card He committed…
Man captures an alligator in his neighbor's yard in FloridaHe uses a trash can to…
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience.
Leave a Comment