Cospaia

Cospaia was a tiny independent republic located in present-day Italy, bordering the Papal States and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Its existence spanned from 1440 to 1826. Its unusual independence stemmed from a cartographical error. When Pope Eugene IV ceded territory to the Republic of Florence in 1440, neither side clearly marked the border along the Rio (or Riale) river. This resulted in a strip of unclaimed land that the inhabitants of Cospaia, centered around the cultivation of tobacco (a practice virtually unheard of in Europe at the time), declared independent.

Cospaia was not formally recognized by either the Papal States or Florence (later the Grand Duchy of Tuscany), but its de facto independence persisted due to the mutual benefit neither side saw in forcibly annexing the territory. The republic was characterized by a lack of formal government or written constitution. Decisions were made by a council of family heads, and its motto was reportedly "Perpetua et Firma Libertas" (Perpetual and Firm Liberty). The absence of customs duties and the flourishing tobacco trade contributed to its relative prosperity.

In 1826, under pressure from Pope Leo XII and Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany, Cospaia voluntarily dissolved itself. Each family was granted a silver coin, and the territory was divided between the Papal States and Tuscany. While its lifespan was relatively short, Cospaia remains a unique historical anomaly due to its accidental creation and long-lasting, though unrecognised, independence.