Monaco - the house of Grimaldi and its history

Monaco, the smallest principality of the world, even smaller than Liechtenstein
always have fascinated me.

It isn’t bigger than Hyde Park in London or the Central Park in New York. It is
located on the French Riviera and it is no more than a cape, which rises from
the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

However Monaco is ruled by a Prince. Prince Albert II is a member of the 
House of Grimaldi.

own pictures taken in 2013

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The Family Grimaldi was known as ambitious, hot-tempered, ruthless looters and
vengeful and combative people.  Are these the ideal qualities for a great future? 

For many years Monaco was owned by the Republic of Genua, who wanted to keep
there a catholic stronghold against the Saracens. However times were changing. 

François Grimaldi 

own picture taken in 2013

In the night from 8th. till 9th. January 1297, when a heavy storm took place,
François Grimaldi, dressed as a monk asked a night bed to the soldiers of Genua.

They agreed and later François could conquer the Rock. However after 4 years 
and a lack of money, he had to exile.

Charles Grimaldi 

In 1338, Charles Grimaldi a son of Rainier, the nephew of François, bought
Monaco from the Republic of Genua. Thus Charles became the ruler

of the Rock. 

He ended the piracy around Monaco. He also bought the villages of 
Roquebrune and Menton. 

However the Republic of Genua was worried about the alliance of
Monaco and France. In 1355 they attacked the rocked from the sea.

Charles died in 1357. His son also a Charles exiled and he never returned
to Monaco. 

Ambroise, Antoine and Jean

In 1419, Ambroise, Antoine and Jean, all sons of Charles II Grimaldi bought
Monaco again this time from Queen Yolande of Aragon.

In 1454, Jean died. His testament was made up in the official language of
Monaco, Italian. This succession regulation lasts till today!

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The eldest son succeeded his father. When there are no male heirs, the eldest
daughter became ruler of Monaco on the condition that her husband will take
the name and the coat of arms of the Grimaldi's. 

In 1487, Lambert Grimaldi, a nephew of Jean added an article to the testament:

All family members who chose for a ecclesiastical function are excluded for
succession.

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In 1612, Frederico Landi, Prince De Valdetare wanted a title for his nephew
Honoré Grimaldi. 

He made an official document which stated that Honore II became prince and
ruler of Monaco, Menton and Roccabruna by the Grace of God. 

The Spanish government didn't mention or saw this document and so, Monaco
became a principality. However only in 1633, Spain recognized the new 
principality

Honoré II Grimaldi

In 1615 Honoré II Grimaldi returned to Monaco. It was a real shock for him.
He was used to Milan (Italy) and he came on a rock with almost nothing. 

How could he find a suitable bride?

Source picture: Wikipedia

Finally there was a simple solution. Honoré's sister Jeanna was married and
her husband had a beautiful sister called Ippolita Trivulzio. 

Source picture: Wikipedia

The young couple stayed in Monaco. Honoré spent lots of time and money to
improve the castle of Monaco. 

However the actual rulers of Monaco still was Spain. On the rock there still
were Spanish soldiers. 

In 1630, Honoré went to Cardinal Richelieu of France to help him with the
Spanish. 

On 17 November 1641, Honoré attacked the Spanish garrison and his plan
worked out well for him. 

King Louis XIII of France admired the guts of Honoré II and he granted him
an audience. 

On 25 April 1642, Honoré departed via Marseille to Perpignan. When the
two rulers finally meet each other the French King offered the Order of 
the Holy spirit to Honoré.

Louis XIII of France also granted him the title Duke De Valentinois. This
offered Honoré lots of liberties. 

Back in Monaco, Honoré founded a ballet company, he bought paintings from
Titian, Rubens, Raphael and Dürer and he was a patron of local artists. 

In 1651, Honoré's only son Hercules died. His grandson Louis (named after the
King of France) became his successor.

Louis I, Prince of Monaco

Source picture: Wikipedia

Louis I Grimaldi married to Catherine Charlotte de Gramont, daughter of
Antoine de Gramont, himself a Marshall of France. 

Source picture: Wikipedia

When Louis and Catherine  Charlotte met each other the wedding
contact already was signed. 

Her father promised her to stay at the French Royal Court until she became
the Princess Consort of Monaco. 

She agreed and meanwhile she had a love affair with her nephew Antonin
Nompar, marquess the Puyguilleim and captain of the Royal Guard. He also
lived in Paris.

The wedding of Louis of Monaco and Catherine Charlotte de Gramont took
place at Pau on 30 March 1660.

After their wedding the royal couple went to Paris. Louis I of Monaco didn't
like the official life at the Royal Court. 

On 10 January 1662, Louis I Grimaldi became the new ruler of Monaco and
finally he could return back home. However his wife didn't like it! 

She returned after having kids to Paris! There Catherine Charlotte became
a part of the court of Henriette, Duchess of Orléans, sister in law of King
Louis XIV and the daughter of King Charles I of England. 

Meanwhile, in 1666, Louis I distinguished himself in the Four Days Battle
between the English and the Dutch. In 1688 he was made a Knight of the
French Royal Orders by Louis XIV of France.

In 1699, Louis I of Monaco was sent to Rome by King Louis XIV of France
there he died on 3 January 1701. His body was transported back to Monaco. 

Antonio I, Prince of Monaco

Antonio I, Prince of Monaco was born on 25 January 1661 as the son of
Louis I, Prince of Monaco and Catherine Charlotte de Gramont. 

Source picture: Wikipedia

On 13 June 1688, Antonio, Prince of Monaco married Marie de Lorraine a
daughter of the Count of Armagnac. 

Marie loved balls, parties and theatre. Louis XIV of France gave his blessing
for their marriage immediately. The king offered them a palace just outside Paris. 

Source picture: Wikipedia

After a turbulent marriage - with affaires of both - Antonio died without male
heirs. 

Jacques I, Prince of Monaco

Source picture: Wikipedia

Antonio's daughter Louise Hippolyte went to Monaco to reign. However already
in 1731 she died. 

When Loiuse Hippolyte died, the House of Grimaldi ended and a new family
the Matignons became the rulers of Monaco.

Her husband Jaques I, Prince of Monaco succeeded Louise Hippolyte in 1732.

He already abdicated in 1733 in favour of his son.

Honoré III of Monaco

Source picture: Wikipedia

Honoré III of Monaco ruled the principality from 1733 till 1795. However
Antoine Grimaldi, le Chevalier de Grimaldi acted as regent between 1733
and 1794. 

Honoré III married to Maria Caterina Brignole in 1751. Their relationship
first was good, the couple would have 2 children together.

However Honoré didn't like Monaco very much. He preferred to stay in 
France. 

Honoré IV of Monaco

Source picture: Wikipedia

Honoré IV was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 1814 to
16 February 1819. Due to his health, the state of affairs was managed by
a regency of his brother Joseph Grimaldi and his son Prince Honroré V. 

Honoré IV married Louise Félicité Victoire d'Aumont, Duchess of Aumont,
Duchess Mazarin and of La Meilleraye on 15 July 1777 in Paris. They 
divorced in 1798 and they had two sons. 

Honoré V of Monaco

Source picture: Wikipedia

Honoré V of Monaco was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois. He was
the first son of Honoré IV of Monaco and Louise d'Aumont. 

Honoré V of Monaco never married, although he had a son with his mistress
Félicité de Gamaches. Louis Gabriel Oscar Grimaldi was born in Paris on
9 June 1814. Honoré's son was legitimized but the throne nevertheless passed 
to Honoré's brother Florestan.

Florestan

Source picture: Wikipedia

Florestan was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 2 October 1841

untill his death in 1856. 

He was taken prisoner during the French invasion of Russia, he was freed in 
1814!

On 27 November 1816, Prince Florestan married Maria Caroline Gibert de
Lametz in Commercy. But his family didn't like this reunion. They would 
have a son together: Charles and a daughter Florestine (who married to 

Wilhelm 1st Duke of Ulrach - a nephew of King Frederick I of Württemberg -

(Sabine Hammerbacher via Twitter)) 

Charles III

Source picture: Wikipedia

Charles III was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 20 June 1856

to his death in 1889. He was the founder of the famous casino in Monte Carlo.

own picture taken in 2013

On 28 September 1846, he married to Countess Antoinette de Mérode- Westerloo.

This took place in Brussels, nowadays the capital of Belgium. 

Under Charles III the Principality of Monaco increased its diplomatic activities;

In 1864 Charles III concluded a Treaty of Friendship with the Bey of Tunis. 

Albert I

Source picture: Wikipedia

Albert I was Prince of Monaco from 10 September 1889 until his death in 1922.

He devoted much of his life to oceanography, exploration and science. 

own picture taken in 2013

Alongside his expeditions Albert I made reforms on political, economic and
social levels, bestowing a constitution on the principality in 1911. 

On 21 September 1869 Albert married Lady Mary Hamilton, a daughter of the
Duke of Hamilton and his wife Princess Marie of Baden. Within a year their 
child was born. However Mary disliked Monaco and Albert was away fighting
at the Franco-Prussian War. She left Monaco permanently and the couple 
divorced on 3 January 1880. 

On 30 October 1889, Albert married the Dowager Duchess de Richelieu, born
Alice Heine. She helped her husband to attract business leaders to Monaco.
She made Monaco one of Europe's great cultural centers, with an opera, theater
and a ballet under the direction of Serge Diaghilev. 

However in 1902 Albert and Alice separated. 

Albert died on 26 June 1922 in Paris. He was succeeded by his son Louis II. 

Louis II 

Source picture: Wikipedia

Louis II was Prince of Monaco from 26 June 1922 to 9 May 1949. He was 
born in Baden-Baden (Germany) as the only child of Albert I, Prince of
Monaco and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton (1850-1952). His mother was
a daughter of the 11th. Duke of Hamilton and his wife Princess Marie Amelie
of Baden. 

Louis was raised in Germany by his mother and stepfather Prince Tassilo
Festetics von Tolna. He did not see his father until he was 11 years old. 

Then he was forced to return to Monaco to be trained for his future princely

duties. 

In Paris he met Ghislaine Dommanget, a cabaret singer and Prince Louis fell
in love with her. On 30 September 1898 their daughter Charlotte Louise
Juliette was born. 

In 1919 Charlotte was formally adopted by Louis II.

Charlotte of Monaco married in 1920 to Count Pierre de Polignac of Hennebont. 

The couple had two children: Antoinette and Rainier. 

This marriage was not a happy one due to his homosexuallity. Charlotte left hem
for a doctor and her Italian lover Dalmazzo. The couple divorced in 1933. 

In 1944 she renounced her rights to the throne of Monaco to her son Rainier. 

On 26 June 1922, Louis ascended the throne. He left an indelible imprint on the
tiny principality. In 1924 the Monaco Football Club was formed and in 1929
the first Grand Prix of Monaco was held. 

Louis' sympathies were strongly pro-French. He supported the Vichy France
government of his old army colleague Marshal Pétain. 

In 1942 the Italian army invaded and occupied Monaco. Shortly after the
German army occupied Monaco and began the deportation of the Jewish
population. 

Under Prince Louis' secret orders, the Monaco Police, warned people in
advance that the Gestapo was about to arrest them. 

During the war there was an enormous rift with his grandson Rainier, the
heir to the throne, who strongly supported the Allies against the Nazis.

Prince Louis II of Monaco died in 1949 and he was succeeded by his 

grandson Rainier. 

Rainier III

Source pictures: Wikipedia

Rainier III was born on 31 May 1923. He was Prince of Monaco from 

9 May 1949 to his death in 2005. He ruled the principality for almost
56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs in Europe. 

After ascending the throne, Rainier decided to promote Monaco as a
tax haven, commercial centre, real-estate development opportunity and
an international tourist attraction. 

In the 1940's and 1950's Rainier had a relationship with a French film
actress Gisèle Pascal. 

In 1955, Rainier met the Academy Award winning actress Grace Kelly
during a photocall at the Palace scheduled to support her trip to the Cannes
Film festival. 

On 18 April 1956, Rainier married Grace at a civil ceremony which took
place at the Princely Palace of Monaco.

On 19 April 1956, the religious wedding was held at the Saint Nicholas
Cathedral in Monaco. The marriage was broadcast by MGM studios and
it was viewed by 30 million people across the globe. More about this
event on this link. 

On 23 January 1957 Princess Caroline was born.

On 14 March 1958, Prince Albert, the heir was born.

On 1 February 1965, Princess Stéphanie was born. 

Princess Grace died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident in
1982. She was 52 years old. Prince Albert II stated during an interview
that his mother's death was a traumatic event for him and his family. 

Rainier died on 6 April 2005.

As a huge princess Grace admirer I always want to search after traces of
her. 

I saw the famous movie starred by Nicole Kidman. More about this movie
on this link. 

Recently I visited a statue of Princess Grace at the Monaco square in 
Oostende, Belgium. More about this statue on this link. 

Of course I visited her grave in the Monaco Cathedral.

Albert II

Albert II was born on 14 March 1958 as the son of Prince Rainier III and 
Grace Kelly. 

Albert is one of the wealthiest royals in the world. He owns shares in the 
Société des Bains de Mer, which operates Monaco's casino and other
entertainment properties in the principality. 

Albert was an enthusiastic sportsman, participating in cross country, 
javelin throwing, handball, judo, swimming, tennis, rowing, sailing, skiing,
squash and fencing.

Albert competed in the bobsleigh at five Winter Olympics for Monaco. 
This was in 1988, 1992,1994, 1998 and 2002. He participated under the
name Albert Grimaldi. 

He also took part in the 1985 Paris-Dakar Rally but he did not complete it. 

Albert has been a member of the International Olympic Committee 

since 1985.

Prince Albert met Charlene Wittstock in 2000 at the Mare Nostrum
swimming meeting in Monaco. They made their public debut as a couple
at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics. She accompanied
him to the weddings of the Crown Princess of Sweden in 2010 and to the
Duke of Cambridge in 2011. 

In July 2011, Albert married South African Olympic swimmer Charlene
Wittstock. They have two children together: Princess Gabriella and
Hereditary Prince Jacques. 

Monaco Harbour, own picture taken in 2013

Events in Monaco

Monte Carlo Fashion Week more on this link. 

Monte Carlo Rally - more on this link. 

Sainte Devote - more on this link. 

Famous places/hotels in Monaco

Hotel the Paris. More on this link. 

Fairmont Hotel in Monte Carlo - More on this link. 

Succession troubles in Monaco

On 28 September 2021, I published a post on this blog about the
succession troubles in Monaco. See this link. 

A visit to Monaco

Visiting Monaco was as a dream come true. It happened in 2013 and I 
arrived by train from Nice in France. 

Although it was at the beginning of January, the temperature felt great,
I could wear posh sunglasses and I enjoyed walking, to all the famous
places. 

Of course, I liked the harbours with the magnificent boats, but I was
most impressed by the changing of the guard at the princely palace. 

Anyway it was a visit I never forget, and I hope to come back once at
beautiful Monaco. 

The postcard of Monaco received in 2022

Source Princely Palace

The postcard of Monaco received in 2023

Source princely palace

Source pictures princes and princesses: Wikipedia

Own pictures of Monaco taken in 2013