Incredible adventure: how an emigrant from the Russian Empire became the king of Andorra

Andorra is a tiny European state located in the Pyrenees between Spain and France. Formally a separate country, Andorra has two equivalent co-rulers, the roles of which are the current President of France and Bishop of Urhelsky. But in the history of this country there was an interesting period when Andorra had its king, who was an emigrant from the Russian Empire.

The history of the Principality of Andorra can be traced back to the VIII century, and the dual position of this region was consolidated in the XIII century after the conclusion of an agreement between the French Count de Foix and the Bishop of Urhelsky. Since then, the so-called dual sovereignty status has been applied to Andorra, when the heads of state are simultaneously the head of the French Republic and the head of the Urchel diocese.

But the unusual political system of Andorra, established over the centuries, was disrupted in 1934, when she briefly gained her own king and almost became an independent state.

Boris Skosyrev, the only king of Andorra in history, was an extraordinary person, prone to adventurous acts. In his biography there are many white spots, but it is known for certain that he was born in the Vilnius province of the Russian Empire in a family of Belarusians. When during the First World War he served at the front, he was assigned to the British division, which fought on the side of the Russian Empire. Later he ended up in the UK, where, in all likelihood, he collaborated with the British government, and until 1933 he lived in different countries of Europe.

Finding himself in Andorra, at that time not the most progressive corner of Europe with an undeveloped economy and medieval vestiges, he managed to interest the General Council of the country with his reform project of development. Skosyrev proposed to turn Andorra into a prosperous region with a developed financial sector and gambling zone, following the example of Monaco. The progressive ideas inspired the Andorran General Council so much that its members not only accepted the ideas of Boris Skosyrev, but also agreed to recognize him as king. On July 8, 1934, he was proclaimed king of Andorra under the name of Boris I.

But the newfound monarch was destined to rule only 12 days. The fact is that the delight of the General Council was not shared by one of the co-rulers of the former Andorra - the bishop of Urhel, who was extremely dissatisfied with the prospect of turning Andorra into a center for gambling. The bishop organized the arrest, and Boris Skosyrev, the first and last king of Andorra, ended up in a Spanish prison, where he was accused of illegally crossing the border. A few months later he was expelled to Portugal, and then ended up in France and never again participated in the political life of Andorra.

During the 12 days of his reign, the king of Andorra managed to pass several progressive decrees and even write a constitution. Despite such a short reign, King Boris I went down in the history of Andorra. Paradoxical as it may seem, the modern economy of this dwarf state is based on financial benefits, freedom of private enterprise and the tourism business, which is largely consistent with the project of Boris Skosyrev.

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