Pheasant Island

There are no pheasants on the island. The name could be a misinterpretation of some French word related to "passing" or "toll". == History ==

The most important historical event to have taken place on the island was the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees. This was the climax to a series of 24 conferences held between Luis Méndez de Haro, a grandee of Spain, and Cardinal Mazarin, Chief Minister of France, in 1659 following the end of the Thirty Years' War. A monolith was built in the centre of the island to commemorate the meeting. The island has also been used for several other royal meetings: • 1659 – Louis XIV met his future wife Maria Theresa of Spain (1638–1683); they were the parents of Louis, Grand Dauphin; a year later – at the Meeting on the Isle of Pheasants – she said farewell to her father, Philip IV of Spain and much of the Spanish court, before crossing into France to become the consort of Louis XIV. • 1721 – Louis XV met his intended bride Mariana Victoria of Spain (1718–1781). The two never married; Louis instead married Marie Leszczyńska, and Mariana, the future Joseph I of Portugal. According to the terms of the Treaty of the Pyrenees, the island would remain a condominium. == Political status ==

The island is a condominium, the world's smallest, under joint sovereignty of Spain and France; for alternating periods of six months, it is officially under the governance of the naval commander of Hondarribia, Spain (1 February – 31 July) and of a French viceroy (1 August – 31 January). Currently, the French position of "deputy director for the sea and coast of the Atlantic Pyrenees and Landes departments" carries the title of "viceroy of Pheasant Island", an unusual name in the French Republic. One of the French officers with this title was Julien Viaud, better known as the writer Pierre Loti. In practice, it is administered in turn by the mayors of Irun (in Gipuzkoa, Spain) and Hendaye (in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France). == Geography ==

, the island was approximately long and wide, and it was eroding. == Access ==

The island can sometimes be reached on foot from the Spanish side at low tide. except very occasionally on heritage open days. and members of the Naval Commands of San Sebastián (Spain) and Bayonne (France), responsible for monitoring the island, land on it every five days. == See also ==