A purchase of land in 1719 created the sovereign nation of Liechtenstein
The modern borders of Liechtenstein were forged in 1719 when a wealthy prince purchased two tiny territories, creating a sovereign nation that remains one of the world's smallest and wealthiest countries.
On January 23, 1719, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI decreed that the lands of Vaduz and Schellenberg be united into a single principality. Prince Anton Florian of Liechtenstein had purchased these territories specifically to gain a seat in the Imperial Diet, as he needed land held directly under the Emperor.
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