Republic of Independent Guiana
{{short description|Former country in South America}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Republic of Independent Guiana
| native_name = République de la Guyane Indépendante
Counani
| common_name = Republic of Counani
| empire =
| status =
| event_start = Founding of Counani
| year_start = 1886
| date_start = 23 July
| event1 =
| date_event1 =
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| event_end =
| year_end = 1891
| date_end =
| event_post =
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| p1 = French Third Republic
| p2 = Empire of Brazil
| flag_p1 = Flag of France (1794–1815,_1830–1958).svg
| flag_p2 = Flag of Brazil (1853-1889).svg
| s1 = First Brazilian Republic
| flag_s1 = Flag of Brazil (1889–1960).svg
| s2 = French Third Republic
| flag_s2 = Flag of France (1794–1815,_1830–1958).svg
| image_flag = Flag of the Republic of Independent Guyana (1886-1887).svg
| flag_caption = First (1886–1887) and second (1887–1891) flag of the Republic of Counani
| image_coat = Coat of arms of the Republic of Independent Guiana.svg
| flag_type =
| image_flag2 = Flag of the Republic of Independent Guyana (1887-1904).svg
| image_map = Guyanas.svg
| image_map_caption = Republic of Independent Guiana shown in dark green
| capital = Counani
| title_leader = President
| leader1 = Jules Gros
| year_leader1 = 1887
| legislature =
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| national_anthem =
| common_languages = French
| stat_year1 =
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| currency =
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| coordinates = {{coord|2.8485|-51.1250|display=inline,title}}
| today = Brazil (Amapa)
France (French Guiana)
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}}
The Republic of Independent Guiana ({{langx|fr|République de la Guyane indépendante}}), commonly referred to by the name of the capital Counani (rendered "Cunani" in Portuguese), was a short-lived unrecognized state in South America.
Republic (1886–1891)
The borders between France and the Empire of Brazil were not clear. Attempts at negotiations failed, and in 1862, it was decided that the area between the Amazon and the Oyapock rivers was a neutral territory. Paul Quartier, who had previously visited the territory in 1883, returned in 1885 and had a meeting with the village chiefs of Counani and Carsewenne (nowadays: Calçoene) who were hostile to the Brazilians.{{cite web|title=The Republic of Counani: The man who would be king |url=http://www.guianas-geographic.com/article-en/brazil-report/the-republic-of-counani-the-man-who-would-be-king/|website=Guianas Geographic|access-date=5 August 2020|author=Denis Lamaison}}{{cite journal|url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/outre_1631-0438_2011_num_98_372_4577 |title=Le Contesté franco-brésilien : enjeux et conséquences d'un conflit oublié entre la France et le Brésil|author=Stéphane Granger|year=2011|journal=Outre-Mers. Revue d'histoire |volume=98 |issue=372 |language=fr|pages=162–163|doi=10.3406/outre.2011.4577 }} Quartier signed a treaty on 23 July 1886, creating the country of Counani in the disputed area.{{cite web|url=http://www.biusante.parisdescartes.fr/histoire/medica/resultats/index.php?cote=131132x1901x04&p=123&do=page|title=Medic@ - Résultats — BIU Santé, Paris|website=Biusante.parisdescartes.fr|accessdate=1 May 2019}}
A government was set up in Counani{{cite web|url=http://www.manioc.org/patrimon/GAD12009|title=Livres anciens : Etat libre du Counani : Livre rouge n°3|date=1906|website=Bibliotheque Numerique Caraibe Amazone Plateau des Guyanes|access-date=5 August 2020|language=fr}} led by Jules Gros as President, Guigues as Minister of State and Quartier as Quartermaster. They set about recruiting settlers, and according to Le Gaulois, received over 3,000 requests. Both France and Brazil did not like what was happening and released a joint statement on 11 September 1887 stating that the Republic of Counani was not recognized. Gros was later deposed by his officials, and the death of Gros in 1891 resulted in the end of the short lived first Republic.
In 1894, gold was discovered in the Calçoene River, which resulted in a declaration of another autonomous state under Brazilian protection by general Francisco Cabral. In May 1895, Cabral arrested the village chief of Calçoene who had changed sides to the French. Camille Charvein, the Governor of French Guiana, sent troops to Mapá (nowadays: Amapá), and forced Cabral to retreat. 6 French, alongside 30 Brazilian soldiers and civilians, were killed during the battle, with an additional 60 French casualties. In 1897, France and Brazil asked Switzerland to settle the dispute, and most of the territory of the former state of Counani was given to Brazil in what is nowadays the state of Amapá.
Free State of Counani (1901–1904)
{{anchor|Free State of Counani}}
File:Flag of the Free State of Counani (1904-1912).svg
In 1901 a Frenchman named Adolphe Brezet proclaimed himself "Président de l'État libre de Counani". According to newspaper articles based on Brezet's statements, he was elected democratically in 1901.{{cite news|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030431/1918-08-04/ed-1/seq-40/|title=Modern Romance in the Land of El-Dorado|publisher=The Sun New York|date=4 August 1918|website=Library of Congress|access-date=5 August 2020}}
This "special" State had a constitution, a flag and issued some stamps. It was never recognized by Brazil or France, but the South African Boer Republics opened diplomatic relations with Brezet (who had fought for them previously) during the Boer Wars.{{cite news|title=South African Republic At War With Germany|publisher=The Tacoma Times|date=29 January 1916|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88085187/1916-01-29/ed-1/seq-1/|website=Library of Congress|access-date=5 August 2020}} In 1904, Japan and Russia asked for vessels which Brezet didn't have, and thus exposed himself to France and Brazil. Nevertheless he claimed to be a president until 1911 when he was exiled to London.{{cite web|url=http://www.henricoudreau.fr/biographies/counani.html|title=Histoire de la république de Counani (1886-1912)|website=Henri Coudreau|access-date=5 August 2020|language=fr}} In 1913, he claimed support of the British navy in a plan to recapture Counani.
Claimants of Head of State
- Jules Gros (1829–1891) – a French journalist who laid claim as head of state from 1887 to 1891; he was Secretary of the Société de géographie in 1883{{cite web|url=http://listverse.com/2015/06/06/10-private-adventurers-and-the-nations-they-forged/|title=10 Private Adventurers And The Nations They Forged|date=6 June 2015|website=Listverse.com|accessdate=1 May 2019}}
- {{ill|Francisco Xavier da Veiga Cabral|pt}} - a Brazilian general (1894-1895)
- Adolphe Brezet - a French military officer (1901–1904)
References
= Citations =
{{Reflist}}
= Sources =
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{{refbegin}}
- {{in lang|fr}} [http://web2.bium.univ-paris5.fr/livanc/?cote=131132x1901x04&p=001&do=page "Annales d'hygiène et de médecine coloniale, Tome quatrième"] (1901), about the sanitary situation in Counani, pp. 121 to 128 : [http://web2.bium.univ-paris5.fr/livanc/?cote=131132x1901x04&p=120&do=page p. 121], [http://web2.bium.univ-paris5.fr/livanc/?cote=131132x1901x04&p=121&do=page p. 122], [http://web2.bium.univ-paris5.fr/livanc/?cote=131132x1901x04&p=122&do=page p. 123], [http://web2.bium.univ-paris5.fr/livanc/?cote=131132x1901x04&p=123&do=page p. 124], [http://web2.bium.univ-paris5.fr/livanc/?cote=131132x1901x04&p=124&do=page p. 125], [http://web2.bium.univ-paris5.fr/livanc/?cote=131132x1901x04&p=125&do=page p. 126], [http://web2.bium.univ-paris5.fr/livanc/?cote=131132x1901x04&p=126&do=page p. 127], [http://web2.bium.univ-paris5.fr/livanc/?cote=131132x1901x04&p=127&do=page p. 128].
- {{in lang|en}} {{cite web|url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/br_cunan.html|title=Counani (Brazil)|website=Crwflags.com|accessdate=1 May 2019}}
{{refend}}
{{Subject bar|portal2=Latin America|portal3=Brazil|portal4=France|portal5=Geography}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guyana, Republic of Independent}}
Category:First Brazilian Republic
Category:Former countries in South America
Category:Former unrecognized countries
Category:French colonization of the Americas
Republic of Independent Guyana
Republic of Independent Guyana
Category:States and territories established in 1886