The Principality of Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco ), more commonly known as

Monaco, is a constitutional monarchy and city-state in Western  Europe located along the

French Riviera between the Mediterranean Sea and  France. It is one of six microstates

located in Europe. Monaco is the world's most densely populated country and the second

smallest independent nation; with a population of just 32,410 and an area of 1.96 square

kilometers (485 acres), Monaco is the world's smallest French-speaking polity.

 

Until 2002 the Minister of State (head of government under the Prince) was always a French

citizen chosen by the Prince from among a list of candidates presented to him by the French

government.  Also, prior to 2002, had the House of Grimaldi died out the French would have

taken control of Monaco but changes made in that year ensured the continued independence

of Monaco regardless of whether or not the Sovereign Prince has heirs or not. The primary

industry of Monaco is tourism due to its scenic beauty and the world famous casinos of Monte

Carlo. Monaco is also known for hosting a number of sporting events and is also known as an

international tax haven for the worlds richest, as Monaco has no personal income taxes.

 

 

 

Most of the residents of Monaco are French with the native Monegasques being a minority in their
own country. It is also one of the most heavily populated countries in the world because of its small
size, popularity and status as a tax haven. A considerable part of the population is a mixture of people
 from all over the world of various origins and nationalities, making Monaco one of the most cosmopolitan
 places on earth. The government consists of a four-member Council of Government presided over by
 the Minister of State all under the authority of the Sovereign Prince who is head of state. Monaco became
 independent under the Grimaldi family in 1297 and has been a constitutional monarchy since 1911.

 

 

As a French protectorate it is up to France to oversee the defense of Monaco, however, the country does
 have a large police force and an armed civil defense corps. There is no navy or air force but at least a
token army which consists of the Prince's Company of Carabiniers. These are the troops which guard the
 Princely Palace. The men are mostly natives of Monaco while the officers generally come from the French
army. They are always on duty and visitors can see the changing of the guard every day at noon. They
were first formed in 1817 by Prince Honore IV and today consist of about a hundred men plus a military
band. In the 19th Century, following the fall of the Papal States, there was also a company known as the
"Papalins" made up of former soldiers of the Papal Army who were given a place of service in Monaco,
the present Sovereign Prince Albert II of Monaco is the Commander-in-Chief. 

 

       

 

Sovereign: Albert II Prince of Monaco (Monaco, March 14, 1958), Son of

Prince Rainier III of Monaco (1923-2005) and Grace Kelly (1929-1982),

Succeeds his father Rainier III Prince of Monaco (1923-April 6th, 2005),

Inauguration: Monaco, July 12th, 2005. Motto: Deo Juvante ( With

the help of God ), Religion: Roman Catholic, Status Unmarried .

 

Address: Palais Grimaldi , 2 Boulevard des

Moulins 98015, Monte Carlo , Monaco.

 

     

 

The Rulers of Monaco

 

Honoré II................................1604 - 1662
Louis I.....................................1662 -  1701
Antoine I.................................1701 - 1731 

Louise-Hippolyte..............(1697-1731) 1731
Jacques I...................(1689-1751) 1731-1733
Honoré III................(1720-1795) 1733-1795
Honoré IV.................(1758-1819) 1795-1819
Honoré V..................(1778-1841) 1819-1841
Florestan I................(1785-1856) 1841-1856
Charles III................(1818-1889) 1856-1889
Albert I.....................(1848-1922) 1889-1922
Louis II.....................(1870-1949) 1922-1949
Rainier III................(1923-2005) 1949-2005
Albert II..................................(1958- ) 2005-

 

     

 

The House of Grimaldi

 

The House of Grimaldi is associated with the history of the Republic of Genoa
and of the Principality of Monaco. The Grimaldi family descends from Grimaldo,
a Genovese statesman at the time of the early Crusades. He was the son of Otto
Canella, a Consul of Genoa in 1133, and in turn Grimaldo became a Consul in
1160, 1170 and again in 1184. His numerous grandsons and their children led
maritime expeditions throughout the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and soon the
North Sea, and quickly became one of the most powerful families of Genoa. The
Grimaldis feared that the head of a rival Genoese family could break the fragile
balance of power in a political coup and become lord of Genoa, as had happened
in other Italian cities. They entered into a Guelphic alliance with the Fieschi
family and defended their interests with the sword. The Guelfs however were
banned from the City in 1271, and found refuge in their castles of Liguria and
in Provence. They signed a treaty with Charles of Anjou, King of Naples and
Count of Provence, to retake control of Genoa, and generally to provide mutual
assistance. In 1276, they accepted a peace under the auspices of the Pope,
which however did not put an end to the civil war. Not all the Grimaldis 
chose to return to Genoa, as they preferred to settle in their fiefdoms.

 

In 1299, the Grimaldis and their allies launched a few galleys to attack the port
of Genoa before taking refuge on the Western Riviera. During the following years,
the Grimaldis were going to enter into different alliances that would allow them
to come back in force. This time, it was the turn of their rivals, the Spinola
family, to be banned from the City. During all that period, both Guelfs and
Ghibellines took and abandoned the castle of Monaco, which was ideally located to
launch political and military operations against Genoa. Therefore, the story of
Francis Grimaldi and his faction-who conquered the castle of Monaco under the
disguise of friars in 1297, but the story is largely anecdotal.

In the early 14th century, the Catalans from Spain raided the shores of Provence
and Liguria, challenging Genoa and King Robert of Provence. In 1353, the combined
fleet of eighty Venetian and Catalonian galleys gathered in Sardinia to meet the
fleet of sixty galleys under the command of Anthony Grimaldi, but only nineteen 
Genoese vessels survived the battle. Fearing an invasion, Genoa rushed to request the
 protection of the lord of Milan. Several of the oldest feudal branches of the House
of Grimaldi appeared during those unrests, such as the branches of Antibes, Beuil,
Nice, Puget, and Sicily. In 1395, the Grimaldis took advantage of the discords in
Genoa to take possession of Monaco, which they then ruled as a condominium.

As it was customary in Genoa, the Grimaldis organized their family ties within a
corporation called Albergo. In the political reform of 1528, this ancient family
became one of the 28 alberghi of the Republic of Genoa, to which other families
were formally invited to join. Other Alberghi included the Doria and Pallavicini
families. The House of Grimaldi provided many illustrious personalities such as
doges, cardinals, cabinet ministers, and countless officers. Through an intermarriage
with the Serra Family they became related to the Dukes of Cassano and Gerace.
Until 2002, a treaty between Monaco and France stated that if the Grimaldi family
ever failed to produce a male heir then the sovereignty over the territory would
revert to France. The 2002 agreement modified this to make provisions for a regency
and continued Monegasque sovereignty if such an event were to occur. The coat of
arms of the House of Grimaldi are simply described as fusily argent and gules,
i.e., a pattern of red diamonds on a white background.

The Family Titles and Styles

The members of the Princely Family bear the Title of
Prince or Princess of Monaco together with the formal
Appellation of His or Her Serene Highness

The Line of Succession of Monaco

HRH Princess Caroline of Hanover,
Hereditary Princess of Monaco

Andrea Casiraghi
(son of Princess Caroline)

Pierre Casiraghi
(son of Princess Caroline)

Charlotte Casiraghi
(daughter of Princess Caroline)

HRH Princess Alexandra of Hanover
(daughter of Princess Caroline)

HSH Princess Stephanie of Monaco

Louis Ducruet
(son of Princess Stephanie)

Pauline Ducruet
(daughter of Princess Stephanie)

     

The Council of Monaco tried to limit Spanish power but the
occupation lasted until 1614, and a strong Spanish influence
remained until 1633, when it recognized Honoré as a sovereign
prince. From adulthood, Honoré started to criticize Spain and
turned to France for support. Louis XIII gave him the support
he needed and this resulted in the Treaty of Péronne. This
ended Spanish rule and put Monaco under French protection,
recognizing and guaranteeing Monegasque sovereignty. As a
consequence Honoré lost his Spanish and Italian possessions,
but was compensated by King Louis XIII of France with the
marquisate Les Baux and the title of Duke of Valentinois.
During his reign he did much to extend, rebuild and transform
the Genoese fortress that was the Grimaldi's stronghold into
what is today Monaco's Royal Palace. On 13 February 1616 he
married Ippolita Trivulzio (d. 1638).

      

     

     

     

      

   

 

HONORÉ IV, Prince of Monaco 12 Mar 1795 (Monaco

17 May 1758-Paris 16 Feb 1819); m.Paris 15 Jul 1777

(div 1793) Louise d'Aumont, Duchesse de Mazarin et de

la Meilleraye (Paris 22 Oct 1759-Paris 13 Dec 1826)

 

   

 

1a) HONORÉE V Gabriel, Prince of Monaco

(Paris 13 May 1778-Paris 2 Oct 1841)

 

 

 

2a) Tancrede FLORESTAN Roger Louis, Prince of Monaco

(Paris 10 Oct 1785-Paris 20 Jun 1856);

m.Commercy 27 Nov 1816 Caroline Gibert

(Paris 18 Jul 1793-Monaco 25 Nov 1879)

 

 

 

1b) CHARLES III Honoré, Prince of Monaco

(Paris 8 Dec 1818-Château de Marchais 10 Sep 1889);

m.Brussels 28 Sep 1846 Antoinette de Mérode

(Brussels 28 Sep 1828-Monaco 10 Feb 1864)

 

   

 

1c) ALBERT I Honoré Charles, Prince of Monaco (Paris 13 Nov 1848-Paris 26 Jun 1922);

m.1st Château de Marchais 21 Sep 1869 (div 1880) Lady Mary Douglas-Hamilton

(Hamilton Palace 11 Dec 1850-Budapest 14 May 1922); m.2d Paris 30 Oct 1889

(judicially separated 1902) Alice Heine, Dowager Dsse de Richelieu

(New Orleans 10 Feb 1858-22 Dec 1925)

 

 

 

1d) LOUIS II Honoré Charles Antoine, Prince of Monaco

(Baden-Baden 12 Jul 1870-Monaco 9 May 1949); m.Monaco

24 Jul 1946 Ghislaine Dommanget (Rheims 13 Oct 1900- Neuilly-

sur-Seine 30 Apr 1991); he had an illegitimate daughter by

Marie Juliette Louvet (Pierreval 9 May 1867-Paris 24 Sep 1930):

 

     

 

1e) Charlotte Louise Juliette, legitimated and granted title Dss de

Valentinois 16 May 1919, renounced rights in favor of her son 30

May 1944 (Constantine, Algeria 30 Sep 1898-Paris 16 Nov 1977);

m.Monaco 19 Mar 1920 (div 1933) Pierre Cte de Polignac, cr

Duc de Valentinois, cr Pr of Monaco 18 Mar 1920 (Kerscamp

24 Oct 1895- Neuilly-sur-Seine 10 Nov 1964; see Polignac)

1f) Antoinette Louise Alberte Suzanne, Baronne de Massy

(b.Paris 28 Dec 1920); m.1st Genoa 4 Dec 1951 (div 1954) Alexandre Noghès

(Monaco 15 Jun 1916-17 Feb 1999); m.2d The Hague 2 Dec 1961 (div 1973)

Jean-Charles Rey (Monaco 22 Oct 1914- Monaco 17 Sep 1994); m.3d Monaco

28 Jul 1983 John Gilpin (Southsea, Hants 10 Feb 1930-London 5 Sep 1983)

1g) Elisabeth Anne de Massy, b.Monaco 3 Jul 1947; m.1st Monaco

19 Jan 1974 Bernard Alexandre Baron Taubert Natta

(Geneva 2 Jul 1941-Geneva 13 Apr 1989); m.2d London 18 Oct 1984

Nicolai Vladimir Costello, dit de Lusignan (b.Lees 24 Dec 1943)

1h) Jean-Léonard Baron Taubert Natta,

b.Geneva 3 Jun 1974

2h) Mélanie de Lusignan,

b.Monaco 18 Jan 1985

 

     

 

2g) Christian Louis Baron de Massy, b.Monaco 17 Jan 1949;

m.1st Buenos Aires 14 Nov 1970 (div 1978) Maria Marta Quintana

y del Carril (b.London 17 Jun 1951); m.2d Cecile N (b.Guadeloupe);

m.3d Ramatuelle 11 Sep 1982 (div 1987) Anne Michelle Lütken

(28 Nov 1959- London 25 Nov 2001)

1h) Laetizia de Massy, b.

Buenos Aires 16 May 1971

 

2h) Brice Baron

de Massy, b.1988

 

3h) Baron Antoine de

Massy, b.1997 [1996?]

 

3g) Christine Alix de Massy (Monaco 8 Jul 1951-

Nice 15 Feb 1989); m.1st Monaco 14 Feb 1972

(div 1976) Charles Wayne Knecht (b.Philadelphia

23 Nov 1944); m.2d 25 Mar 1988 Leon Leroy

 

1h) Keith Sebastian Knecht, b.Philadelphia

1972; m.Jul 1999 Donatella Dugaginy

 

 

 

2f) RAINIER III Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand,

Pr of Monaco (Monaco 31 May 1923-Monaco 6 Apr 2005);

m.Monaco (civ) 18 Apr 1956 (rel) 19 Apr 1956 Grace Kelly

(Philadelphia 12 Nov 1929-k.in car wreck at Monaco 14 Sep 1982)

 

     

 

1g) Caroline Louise Marguerite (b.Monaco 23 Jan 1957); m.1st Monaco

(civ) 28 Jun 1978 (rel) 29 Jun 1978 (div 1980) Philippe Junot (b.Paris 19

Apr 1940); m.2d Monaco 29 Dec 1983 Stefano Casiraghi (Milan 8 Sep

1960-k.in boating accident nr Cap Ferrat 3 Oct 1990); m.3d Monaco 23

Jan 1999 (rel) Marienburg 27 Jan 1999 Ernst August

Pr of Hannover (b.Hannover 26 Feb 1954)

 

1h) Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi

(b.Princess Grace Clinic, Monte Carlo 8 Jun 1984)

 

2h) Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi

(b.Princess Grace Clinic, Monte Carlo 3 Aug 1986)

 

3h) Pierre Rainier Stefano Casiraghi

(b.Princess Grace Clinic, Monte Carlo 5 Sep 1987)

 

          

 

2g) ALBERT II Alexandre Louis Pierre, Prince of Monaco

(b.Monaco 14 Mar 1958) who has two natural children.

 

       

 

1h) Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, b.1991, natural daughter of

His Most Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco .

 

2h) Alexandre Éric Stéphane Coste (Grimaldi), b 2003, natural

son of His Most Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco.

 

     

 

3g) Stéphanie Marie Elisabeth (b.Monaco 1 Feb 1965); m.1st

Monaco 1 Jul 1995 (div 1996) Daniel Ducruet (b.27 Nov 1964);

m.2d Vandoeuvres, Switzerland 12 Sep 2003 Adans

Lopez Peres (b.1975)

1h) Louis Robert Paul Ducruet

(b.Princess Grace Clinic, Monte Carlo 26 Nov 1992)

2h) Pauline Grace Maguy Ducruet

(b.Princess Grace Clinic, Monte Carlo 4 May 1994)

3h) Camille Marie Kelly Grimaldi (or Gottlieb)

(b.Princess Grace Clinic, Monte Carlo 15 Jul 1998)

2b) Florestine Gabrielle Antoinette

(Fontenay 2 Oct 1833-Stuttgart 24 Apr 1897);

m.Monaco 15 Feb 1863 Wilhelm, Duke von Urach

(Stuttgart 6 Jul 1810-Schloß Lichtenstein 17 Jul 1869)

 

    

The List of The Lords of Monaco

Name	Reign	Notes
Rainier I, Lord of Cagnes	January 8, 1297 - April 10, 1301
Under Genoese control from April 10, 1301 to September 12, 1331
Lords of Monaco (French: Seigneurs de Monaco)
Charles I	September 12, 1331 - August 15, 1357	Joint rulers from June 29, 1352 to August 15, 1357
Antonio	June 29, 1352 - August 15, 1357
Rainier II	June 29, 1352 - August 15, 1357
Gabriel	June 29, 1352 - August 15, 1357
Under Genoese control from August 15, 1357 to January 1395
Louis	January 1395 - December 19, 1395	First of two reigns2; jointly with Jean I
Jean I	January 1395 - December 19, 1395	First of three reigns3; jointly with Louis
Under Genoese control from December 19, 1395 to May 11, 1397
Louis	May 11, 1397 - November 5, 1402	Second of two reigns
Under Genoese control from November 5, 1402 to June 5, 1419
Ambroise of Menton	June 5, 1419 - 1427	Jointly with Antonie and Jean I
Antonie of Roquebrune	June 5, 1419 - 1427	Jointly with Ambroise and Jean I
Jean I	June 5, 1419 - October 3, 1436	Second of three reigns3; jointly with Ambroise and Antonie
Occupied by the Duchy of Milan under the governorship of Biagio Assereto from October 3, 1436 to November 1436
Jean I	November 1436 - May 8, 1454	Third of three reigns
Catalan, Lord of Monaco	May 8, 1454 - July 1457
Claudine	July 1457 - March 16, 1458
Pomelline Fregoso	July 1457 - March 16, 1458	Regent for Lady Claudine
Lambert	March 16, 1458 - March 1494
Jean II	March 1494 - October 11, 1505
Lucien	October 11, 1505 - August 22, 1523
Honoré I	August 22, 1523 - October 7, 1581
Augustine Grimaldi	August 22, 1523 - April 14, 1532	Regent for Honoré I
Nicholas Grimaldi	April 14, 1532 - April 23, 1532	Regent for Honoré I
Étienne Grimaldi	April 23, 1532 - December 16, 1540	Regent for Honoré I
Charles II	October 7, 1581 - May 17, 1589
Hercule	May 17, 1589 - November 29, 1604
Honoré II	November 29, 1604 - January 10, 1662	Though he started his rule as Lord of Monaco, Honoré II later became the first Prince of Monaco4.
Prince Francis Landi of Valdetare	November 29, 1604 - 1616	Regent for Honoré I

 

      

 

The List of The Princes of Monaco

 

Name	Reign	Notes
Princes of Monaco (French: Princes de Monaco)
Honoré II	November 29, 1604 - January 10, 1662	Though he started his rule as the last Lord of Monaco, Honoré II later became Prince of Monaco4.
Louis I	January 10, 1662 - January 2, 1701	Louis I is not to be confused with Louis, an earlier Lord of Monaco2.
Antoine I	January 2, 1701 - February 20, 1731
Louise-Hippolyte	February 26, 1731 - December 29, 1731
Jacques I	February 20, 1731 - December 29, 1731	Regent for Louise-Hippolyte until her death
Jacques I	December 29, 1731 - November 7, 1733
Honoré III	November 7, 1733 - January 19, 1793
Chevalier de Grimaldi	May 20, 1732 - November 28, 1784	Regent for Honoré III
Ruled by an elected National Convention and its president Joseph Barriera from January 19, 1793 to February 24, 1793
Annexed by France on February 24, 1793; under French occupation until May 17, 1814
Armand Louis de Gontant	February 24, 1793 - March 1, 1793	French commandant
Henri Grégoire	March 1, 1793 - March 1, 1793	French commissioner
Grégoire Marie Jagot	March 1, 1793 - March 1, 1793	French commissioner
Under allied occupation from May 17, 1814 to June 17, 1814
Honoré IV	May 30, 1814 - February 16, 1819
Joseph Marie Jerôme Honoré Grimaldi,	June 17, 1814 - June 23, 1814	Regent for Honoré IV
The State Council of Monaco, consisting of Louis Millo-Terrazzani, Horace Pretti de Saint-Ambroise, Antoine Sigaldi, Joseph Rey, and Honoré Albini, ruled on behalf of Honoré IV from June 23, 1814 to March 4, 1819.
Honoré Grimaldi	March 3, 1815 - February 16, 1819	Regent for his father Honoré IV in his old age; became Honoré V upon his father's death
Honoré V	February 16, 1819 - October 2, 1841
Florestan I	October 2, 1841 - June 20, 1856
Charles III	June 20, 1856 - September 10, 1889
Albert I	September 10, 1889 - June 26, 1922
Louis II	June 26, 1922 - May 9, 1949
Rainier III	May 9, 1949 - April 6, 2005
Prince Albert, Marquis of Baux	March 31, 2005 - April 6, 2005	The Crown Council of Monaco named Albert Regent for his father Rainier III while incapacitated; became Albert II upon his father's death
Albert II	April 6, 2005 - Present

 

       

The Official Weblinks of Monaco

• American Friends of Monaco
• Monaco Official Site - Tourism Dept
• Radio Monaco
• Monte Carlo Press
• Monte Carlo
• Saint Devote
• Monaco Cathedral
• Monaco UN Mission
• Monaco Press Center
• Int. University of Monaco
• Monegasque Consulate, New York
• AMADE
• Embassy of Monaco, USA
• HRH Princess of Hanover
• Prince Pierre Foundation
• The Archdiocese of Monaco
• Prince Albert II Foundation
• Princess Grace Foundation USA
• Fight AIDS Monaco
• The Government of Monaco
• The Princely Palace of Monaco