Delfim Modesto Brandão
Encyclopedia
Delfim Modesto Brandão also spelt with Spanish orthography as Delfín Modesto Brandón, was the second to last "Juiz" (head of state
) of the Couto Misto, taking office in January 1863, according to his memoirs, and followed by one last "Juiz" whose mandate ceased with the partition and formal annexation
of the territory by Spain
and Portugal
on June 23, 1868.
He was born in Tourém, a parish of the Portuguese municipality of Montalegre, but moved to the bordering Couto Misto. At the age of 28 he assumed the position of "Civil and Governative Judge" (formal title of the heads of state of the Couto Misto), being elected to put an end to continuous abuses and breaches of the microstate
's sovereignty by Portuguese and Spanish authorities. He resigned from office when the partition and annexation of the territory was imminent.
In 1904 he completed a memoir with his account of the last decades of the Couto Misto up to its extinction. These memoirs were published in Spanish in 1907 as Interesante Historieta del Coto Mixto.
He served as an officer ("Oficial quinto") in the Spanish postal administration of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
between 1881 and 1885.
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
) of the Couto Misto, taking office in January 1863, according to his memoirs, and followed by one last "Juiz" whose mandate ceased with the partition and formal annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
of the territory by Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
on June 23, 1868.
He was born in Tourém, a parish of the Portuguese municipality of Montalegre, but moved to the bordering Couto Misto. At the age of 28 he assumed the position of "Civil and Governative Judge" (formal title of the heads of state of the Couto Misto), being elected to put an end to continuous abuses and breaches of the microstate
Microstate
A microstate or ministate is a sovereign state having a very small population or very small land area, but usually both. Some examples include Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Nauru, Singapore, and Vatican City....
's sovereignty by Portuguese and Spanish authorities. He resigned from office when the partition and annexation of the territory was imminent.
In 1904 he completed a memoir with his account of the last decades of the Couto Misto up to its extinction. These memoirs were published in Spanish in 1907 as Interesante Historieta del Coto Mixto.
He served as an officer ("Oficial quinto") in the Spanish postal administration of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
between 1881 and 1885.