Friday, March 29

Mixed Reserve, a ‘no man’s land’ between Galicia and Portugal for seven centuries


Couto Misto, in Portuguese, o Mixed Preserve, in Spanish, is the name with legendary connotations of a small enclave that distinguished itself as an independent territory for seven centuries between the north of Portugal and the southern part of Galicia. A mysterious corner of only 27 square kilometers that today belongs to the kingdom of myth and brings back memories of ancient lands.

In Galician, it was Couto Mixto, currently idealized in cross-border culture. Its inhabitants enjoyed several peculiarities, such as the option to choose Spanish or Portuguese nationality. This place surrounded by vegetation benefited from not having to pay allegiance to either of the two crowns and put in

play your own laws.

Today, looking back, the unique idiosyncrasy of this place comes to light, which could perhaps be described as a kind of Andorra lost in the mists of time. This is what the expert Javier Ramos says in statements to ABC from his digital watchtower ‘Places with History’, an excellent meeting point to learn about chronicles of forgotten stories that are worth recovering: «According to what the sources have left us, Mixed Preserve it was a kind of Andorra, a geographical space endowed with self government located on the border between Spain and Portugal, which had autonomy to govern itself as a democratic republic and a small independent state. Although it never consolidated as a nation, it undoubtedly became one of the first democratic states in the history of Europe. But nevertheless, was never recognized as such”.

And he continues: «Its origin is not entirely clear, although everything indicates that it comes (at least officially) from the Treaty of Zamora, in 1143, when Alfonso I of Portugal and Alfonso VII of León arrived in an agreement which gave rise to the birth of Kingdom of Portugal».

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“Nevertheless, a small outlaw territory remained, too small to care about, but with personality to be able to organize itself», explains Ramos, visibly fascinated by the historical vicissitudes collected below Orense.

The consequent question is why was the ‘lapse’ of Coto Mixto allowed for no less than seven centuries? “Perhaps it lasted all that time because neither Spain nor Portugal could obtain too much economic revenue of the place in the form of taxes, tributes or sources of raw materials”, argues the author of books such as ‘That was not in my book on the History of Rome’ before concluding: “Their power struggles [las hispanolusas] They hardly paid attention to a territory that was peaceful in itself and whose disputes were resolved by the local residents and did not require both crowns to intervene.

smuggler groups

Documents dated in 1147 give an account of the strange territory, where a kind of tax exemption was in force, due to the ‘hole’ caused by not joining either of the two crowns and living suspended in an unusual geographical-historical limbo. In other words, they forgot to collect the relevant fees, something that did not bother its inhabitants too much. The jurisdictional limits of the Kingdom of León had barely been set and they took advantage of that in the redoubt.

A group of honorary judges of Coto Mixto
A group of honorary judges of Coto Mixto – EFE

The way of governing did nothing but portray the self-management that prevailed. The heads of families chose a judge to conduct matters, but decisions were made in a public square. For banish the ghost of a hypothetical corruption (deviations, concealments, etc.), the powers of the selected representative could be revoked at the slightest evidence against him.

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Given the strategic location, it was not unheard of to see groups of smugglers along the trails of Coto Mixto, who knew very well that they were not allowed to be apprehended there. Tobacco, salt, medicines and cod were the materials most requested by the locals from the merchandise traffickers. It did not matter if they were criminals or traffickers, the fact is that passing through those domains guaranteed immunity and the guards were powerless.

Freedom of crops and the non-contribution of soldiers to the army became other privileges that dotted the surroundings. However, the panorama was far from idyllic and the wealthiest families began to complain about this glimpse of autonomy that certain Galicians claim with their own pride.

Finally, the outcome that some expected (and others not) occurred on September 29, 1864, the date on which the Treaty of Lisbon marked the new destiny of this curious Mixed Reserve: the villages of Rubiás, Meaus and Santiago they belonged to Galicia, while the tiny towns of Lamadarcos, Cambedo and Soutelinho passed into Portuguese hands, along with an uninhabited area. Very significantly, the so-called Path of Privilege ran through the first three settlements and linked them to Tourém. “Portugal renounces in favor of Spain all the rights it may have on the land of Coto Mixto and on the towns located therein, which by virtue of the division determined by the line described remain in Spanish territory”, reads the seventh article of the Lisbon Treaty, whose determinations did not enter into force until four years later.

The specificity of the enclave that had been born linked to the Castle of Piconha, of the House of Braganza, was left behind. There crouched the only one contractual obligation, since they paid a contribution to these last owners, who only exercised the right to collect that amount.

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The absence of a medieval lord caused hints of confusion to flourish in some sections of his future and until it didn’t even appear on the maps. Fidencio Bourman published in 1836 the ‘Topographical Chart of the Court of Montalegre’, and this nebulous Mixed Reserve appeared in its pages.


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