History of San Marino

San Marino is a very special place with a long history. According to tradition, it began in 301 AD, making it one of the oldest countries in the world. It is the only surviving medieval commune in the Italian Peninsula, which means it has kept its unique way of governing itself through many years of big changes around it.

During the Renaissance and modern times, San Marino continued to exist as a small, independent state even as larger countries grew and changed around it. Today, it stands as an important example of how some small places can keep their independence for centuries.

Like other tiny countries such as Andorra, Liechtenstein, and Monaco, San Marino shows us what life was like for small microstates in Germany, Italy, and the Pyrenees during the medieval times. Its history helps us understand how some places stay independent even when bigger nations rise and fall around them.

Origins

According to legend, San Marino was founded in 301 AD by a Christian stonemason named Marinus. He came from a place called the island of Rab and later became known as Saint Marinus. Marinus settled on Monte Titano and built a small chapel and monastery. Over time, this place grew into the small state of San Marino.

The first records showing that people lived on Mount Titano come from the Middle Ages. In 1243, San Marino began having leaders called Captains Regent to guide the community. San Marino’s independence was later confirmed by the Holy See in 1631.

Early Middle Ages and Renaissance

The small town of San Marino faced many challenges over the years. Leaders from nearby places like Montefeltro, the Malatesta of Rimini, and Urbino tried to take over but failed. In 1320, the community of Chiesanuova decided to join San Marino.

In 1463, San Marino formed an alliance to fight against Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, the duke of Rimini. After he was defeated, Pope Pius II gave San Marino several castles and towns, including Fiorentino, Montegiardino, and Serravalle. Later that year, the town of Faetano also joined San Marino willingly. Since then, the size of San Marino has stayed the same.

In 1503, Cesare Borgia took control of San Marino, but only until his father passed away months later.

On June 4, 1543, an attempt was made to take over San Marino by Cesare Borgia's relative, Fabiano di Monte San Savino, who had a group of soldiers. However, they got lost in thick fog and failed in their plan. The people of San Marino believed the fog was caused by Saint Quirinus, whose feast day it was, and they still celebrate it every year.

To protect itself from future threats, San Marino signed a treaty with Pope Clement VIII in 1602, which became official in 1631.

Modern Period

Statutes of 1600

The rules that guide San Marino’s government began on September 1, 1600. Some people think these rules are a constitution, while others do not. The first important documents about San Marino’s government are called the Statutes of 1600.

Alberonian occupation

In 1739, a church leader named Cardinal Giulio Alberoni tried to take over San Marino by using soldiers. He wanted San Marino to follow the rules of the Papal States. But the people of San Marino refused and sent secret messages to the Pope for help. By February 1740, the Pope agreed that San Marino should be free again.

Napoleonic Wars

During the wars led by Napoleon, San Marino was caught between two bigger countries: the Kingdom of Italy and the Papal States. In 1797, Napoleon asked San Marino to arrest a bishop who had fled there, but San Marino helped the bishop escape. A leader of San Marino, Antonio Onofri, convinced Napoleon to respect San Marino’s independence. Napoleon even offered to protect San Marino and give its people special treats, but San Marino kindly said no to extra land. Napoleon still recognized San Marino as an independent state in 1797.

19th century

The Congress of Vienna confirmed San Marino’s independence in 1815.

In 1825 and 1853, efforts to make San Marino part of the Papal States did not succeed.

Support from people who wanted Italy to become a single nation, and San Marino’s welcoming of those who supported this idea, helped protect its independence. A well-known moment was when San Marino helped Giuseppe Garibaldi and his followers escape after the end of the 1849 Roman Republic.

In 1861, leaders of San Marino sent a letter to United States President Abraham Lincoln, suggesting a friendship between their nations. Lincoln agreed, saying San Marino showed that a government based on the ideas of a republic could last.

After Italy became one nation, a treaty in 1862 confirmed San Marino’s independence, which was adjusted again in 1872.

By the late 1800s, San Marino faced tough economic times. Many people left to find work in places like the United States, Argentina, and other countries. This trend continued until the 1970s, with a break during World War I and an increase during a difficult time in Italy. Even today, many people from San Marino live in other countries, especially the United States, France, and Argentina.

20th century

On March 25, 1906, San Marino held its first big vote. Families decided to change how their leaders were chosen, moving toward a more democratic system. This was a big step toward letting more people have a say in how the country was run.

During World War I, San Marino stayed neutral, even though nearby Italy fought. Some San Marino volunteers helped Italy, but the country itself did not join the war. In the years between the world wars, San Marino faced political changes influenced by events in nearby Italy.

During World War II, San Marino tried to stay neutral but was bombed by Allied forces who thought German troops were there. Many people from nearby areas found safety in San Marino during the war. After the war, San Marino formed a government led by communist and socialist parties, one of the first such governments elected in the world. Women gained the right to vote in 1960. San Marino joined the United Nations in 1992.

21st century to current days

In 2002, San Marino signed an agreement with the OECD to improve banking and taxation rules.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which caused the COVID-19 pandemic, reached San Marino in February 2020. By June 2020, San Marino had one of the highest death rates in the world because of the pandemic. In April 2021, the country made news for using the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine instead of vaccines approved by the EU. As of May 2023, San Marino had a high number of confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19.

At the 2020 Summer Olympics, San Marino made history as the smallest country to win a medal. Alessandra Perilli and Gian Marco Berti won silver in the mixed trap shooting event.

In March 2022, during the conflict in Ukraine, San Marino was listed by Russia as an "unfriendly" country for supporting international actions against Russia.

In April 2022, Paolo Rondelli, who had served as an ambassador to the United States, was elected as one of San Marino’s two heads of state, making him the world’s first openly gay head of state.