A Modern History of Andorra: Autonomy in the Pyrenean Borderlands

This book examines the fascinating survival of Andorra, one of Europe’s micro-states nestled between France and Spain. Despite its medieval institutional framework, Andorra endured into the late 20th century without an army, police, currency, or customs barriers. The book uncovers how Andorra skilfully exploited its strategic position between two powerful neighbours, using its unique dual sovereignty to navigate the pressures of the modern nation-state era and secure its survival.

Exploring a range of historical events, the book delves into the misconceptions found in European travel writing about Andorra, the eccentric 1934 episode when Boris Skossyreff crowned himself King, and the country’s pivotal role as an escape route during World War II. It also highlights Andorra’s transformation into a prosperous modern society, built on tourism and commerce. The narrative provides a detailed account of how Andorra evolved from a medieval holdover to a thriving micro-state in the contemporary world.

A valuable resource for students of modern French and Spanish history, this book will also appeal to specialists in border studies and anyone interested in the endurance of Europe’s micro-states.

Martyn Lyons is Emeritus Professor of History and European Studies at the University of New South Wales, Australia, He is the author of The Writing Culture of Ordinary People in Europe (2013) and Books: A Living History (2011), among other works on revolutionary and Napoleonic France and on the history of reading and writing practices. He previously published The Pyrenees in the Modern Era (2018).