For hundreds of years, a small territory on the border of Spain and Portugal functioned as an independent microstate without belonging to either country.
Known as Couto Misto, it was made up of three villages—Santiago de Rubiás, Rubiás, and Meaus—and operated with its own rules, including exemption from taxes and military service. Its surprising autonomy continued until the 19th century, when a treaty quietly erased it from the map.
A Borderland with No Master
The origins of Couto Misto are tied to medieval feudal structures. Its name, derived from Latin and Portuguese terms for boundary stones and mixed rule, reflected its unique position. The territory lay under overlapping control of the Duchy of Braganza and the earldom of Monte-Rei, but effectively escaped both.
Over time, the villages developed a system of self-governance that allowed them to act as an independent republic. Documents trace the Couto’s autonomy as far back as the 12th century, possibly earlier, with official references from the 14th century.
Privileges of a Stateless Land
Residents of Couto Misto enjoyed freedoms unknown elsewhere in Iberia. They didn’t pay taxes, could refuse military conscription, and had the right to offer asylum. No foreign army—Spanish or Portuguese—could enter the territory without permission.
The people governed themselves, held local assemblies, and even used their own postal markings. Oral histories and scattered medieval records mention customs stretching back to when Saint Rudesind, said to be born in the Salas Valley, was granted privileges by his mother, Ilduara Eriz, a powerful 9th-century noblewoman.
The End of Independence
The 1864 Treaty of Lisbon, signed between Spain and Portugal, marked the end of the microstate. Most of Couto Misto, including its villages, was annexed by Spain; a smaller uninhabited portion went to Portugal. The unique rights of its people were officially dissolved.
Though the territory had operated autonomously for centuries, its final absorption happened quietly, without large conflict or public outcry.
Revival of a Forgotten Entity
Despite its dissolution, Couto Misto’s identity resurfaced in the late 20th century. In the 1990s, local and academic interest renewed, leading to the creation of associations and public ceremonies reviving figures such as the Homens de Acordo and an annual honorary judge.
The three villages maintain communal land trusts covering much of the former territory. In 2007, the Spanish and Galician parliaments recognized its historical distinctiveness, followed by a 2008 discussion in the European Parliament. In 2016, proposals were made to grant dual nationality to the descendants of the Couto’s inhabitants.
For centuries, Couto Misto existed between Spain and Portugal as a self-governed land made up of three villages.
It had no official nation and granted its people rights few others enjoyed.
Its independence ended in the 1800s, but its story is far from forgotten…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/5jqR6ZjPRJ
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) July 26, 2025