|
The Co-Princes of Andorra are the two rulers of the Principality of Andorra, a small landlocked nation lying in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. Founded in 1278 through a treaty between the Bishop of Urgell and the French Count of Foix, this unique monarchical arrangement has persisted through medieval times to the present day. Currently, the Bishop of Urgell (Joan Enric Vives Sicília) and the President of France (François Hollande) serve as Andorra's Co-Princes, following the transfer of the Count of Foix's claims to the Crown of France and, thence, to the President of the French Republic. The Andorran principality has the unique distinction of being ruled by two sovereigns, one of whom (the French president) is the only monarch in the world to be elected by common citizens—though not by the citizens of Andorra, but rather those of France. The French president is also the only person to be a monarch and the head of state of a republic at the same time. Each Co-Prince appoints a personal representative, the French Co-Prince being represented by Thierry Lataste and the Episcopal Co-Prince being represented by Josep Maria Mauri. ==Origin and development of the co-principality== Tradition holds that Charlemagne granted a charter to the Andorran people in return for their fighting against the Moors. The feudal overlord of this territory was at first the Count of Urgell. In 988, however, the count, Borrell II, gave Andorra to the Diocese of Urgell in exchange for land in Cerdanya. The Bishop of Urgell, based in Seu d'Urgell, has ruled Andorra ever since.〔(Things about the history of Andorra ) French Co-prince 〕 Before 1095, Andorra did not have any type of military protection, and since the Bishop of Urgell knew that the Count of Urgell wanted to reclaim the Andorran valleys,〔 he asked for help from the Lord of Caboet. In 1095, the Lord and the Bishop signed a declaration of their co-sovereignty over Andorra. Arnalda, daughter of Arnau of Caboet, married the Viscount of Castellbò, and both became Viscounts of Castellbò and Cerdanya. Their daughter, Ermessenda, married Roger Bernat II, the French Count of Foix. They became, respectively, count and countess of Foix, viscount and viscountess of Castellbò and Cerdanya, and also co-sovereigns of Andorra (together with the Bishop of Urgell). In the 11th century, a dispute arose between the bishop of Urgell and the count of Foix. The conflict was mediated by Aragon in 1278, and led to the signing of the first paréage, which provided that Andorra's sovereignty be shared between the count〔 and the bishop. This gave the principality its territory and political form, and marked the formal commencement of Andorra's unique monarchical arrangement. Over the years, the French title to Andorra passed from the counts of Foix to the kings of Navarre. After King Henry III of Navarre became King Henry IV of France, he issued an edict in 1607 establishing the King of France and the Bishop of Urgell as co-princes of Andorra. In 1812–13, the First French Empire annexed Catalonia and divided it into four départements, with Andorra forming part of the district of Puigcerdà (département of Sègre). Following the defeat of Napoleon I, this annexation was reversed and Andorra reverted to its former independence and political state. The French head of state—whether king, emperor, or president—has continued to serve as a co-prince of Andorra ever since. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Co-Princes of Andorra」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|