The BBC has produced a short video on the Catalan people's centuries-long struggle for their own, independent state, introducing the three Catalan republics there have been through history.

The first, which lasted six days, was declared by Pau Claris in 1641, early in the Reaper's War (as it happens, archaeologists recently announced a discovery they believe is linked to that war). Centuries later came Francesc Macià's republic in 1931. That attempt lasted three days and led to the first restoration of the Generalitat, the Catalan government and the first Catalan Statute of Autonomy. The latest attempt came just last year, with a vote in the Catalan Parliament on 27th October 2017, spearheaded by Carles Puigdemont. That time, it formally lasted for a day until the Spanish government applied article 155 of the Spanish Constitution​ and imposed direct rule.

The 3 republics of Catalonia pic.twitter.com/sK9TN0Yuf1 — Patrick Jackson (@patrickgjackson) 30 d’octubre de 2018