In 301, San Marino was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino from Rab Island in northern Dalmatia to escape the persecution of Christians by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. At the time, legally part of the Roman Empire, San Marino was created not in line with its legal entity. Initially, San Marino was administered by patriarchs.
In 1243, San Marino established the system of joint administration of two consuls, becoming the world's first republic. In 1263, San Marino enacted republican statutes, a written constitution.
In 1503, San Marino was occupied by Cesare Borgia for 7 months. In 1739, San Marino was again occupied by the Cardinal Alberoni. In February 1740, San Marino regained its independence.
In 1797, France under Napoleon recognized San Marino as a statehood. In 1815, at the Congress of Vienna, other European countries also recognized San Marino's statehood. Despite being a sovereign state, San Marino remains dependent on Italy in every way.
In 1860, during the War of Italian Unification, Garibaldi hid from the enemy in San Marino. Here he received help, money and supplies from the citizens of San Marino and its leaders to continue his campaign to unify Italy. From 1862, San Marino signed a treaty of friendship with Italy. At the end of the 19th century, Italy was unified and San Marino was completely surrounded by Italy. In return, Garibaldi guaranteed that San Marino could remain an independent and sovereign state at all times.
During the interwar period, San Marino remained neutral. In 1923, a fascist party came to power. On 26 June 1944, believing that German troops had entered San Marino, the British Air Force carried out an "indiscriminate bombing" of the country, killing at least 35 people. The San Marino government subsequently reiterated its neutrality in the war and stated that there were no troops from either side in San Marino. In early September, the Wehrmacht raided San Marino, which surrendered because of the disparity in strength between the enemy and us. On the 19th, the British entered San Marino and immediately engaged the Germans, who were defeated and withdrew from Sainte. With the retreat of German troops, San Marino began a 2-month period of British occupation. In November, the San Marino government signed a peace agreement with the United Kingdom, and British troops withdrew from San Marino. After the war, San Marino demanded war reparations from the British government, which the British refused.
Flag of San Marino
Coat of arms of San Marino
Map of the administrative divisions of San Marino