A Grimaldi Working for American Independence

Today the United States celebrates its Independence Day, and, as most know, that independence would not have been won without the support and assistance of the Kingdom of France under King Louis XVI. At the time, the Principality of Monaco had nothing to do with these matters, though as HSH Prince Honore III was under the protection of France and part of the French nobility under King Louis, Monaco and the fledgling United States were technically on the same side. However, there was a member of the wider Grimaldi clan, a distant relation of the Princely Family, who was somewhat involved in the historic events of the American Revolution. That was the Italian-Spanish statesman Pablo Jerónimo Grimaldi y Pallavicini, marqués y duque de Grimaldi. A native of Genoa, he served in the courts of King Fernando VI and King Carlos III of Spain, helping to rebuild Spanish power and prestige after the traumatic events of the Seven Years' War. He had a long and eventful career but of particular concern here was his time as Spanish ambassador to the court of King Louis XVI of France.

He was appointed to the post by His Catholic Majesty King Carlos III and he forged a new alliance between the kingdoms of Spain and France in cooperation with the French Secretary of State Étienne François, duc de Choiseul. This was the "Third Family Compact" so named because of the Bourbon Royal Family that reigned over both France and Spain. He was in close contact also with the American Arthur Lee in Madrid, the envoy of the rebel American government for Spain and Prussia. Lee later helped draw up the alliance with France but is seldom noted because of a falling out with the more famous and popular Benjamin Franklin. Of course, he was insistent that Spain recognize the United States and join in the war against Britain immediately but the Duke of Grimaldi held back and delayed until Spain was in a stronger position, writing to Lee, "You have considered your own situation, and not ours. The moment is not yet come for us. The war with Portugal — France being unprepared, and our treasure ships from South America not being arrived — makes it improper for us to declare immediately." He was referring, of course, to the long-standing alliance between Portugal and Great Britain. However, the Duke of Grimaldi reassured Lee of Spanish sympathy and informed him of the large stores of clothing and gunpowder delivered to New Orleans and Havana that were to be smuggled in to help the American patriots with more on the way.

Eventually, of course, the Kingdom of Spain did recognize the United States and join in declaring war on Great Britain with the Treaty of Aranjuez in 1779. Spanish troops actually played an important part both by their numerous victories over the British on the gulf coast and by diverting British focus and forces with the siege of Gibraltar. In the end, Spain was able to win back almost everything that they had lost previously to Britain in the Seven Years' War, though not Gibraltar which, of course, remains under the British Crown to this day. So, there was a member of the Grimaldi family that played an often overlooked but critical part in the winning of American independence and the birth of the United States. It was during the war, in 1777, that His Catholic Majesty King Carlos III granted him the title first Duke of Grimaldi. He was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece for his service, made a Grandee of Spain and died in 1789.

Giballin Grimaldi

One of the earliest members of the House of Grimaldi to find mention in the history books is the enigmatic figure of Giballin Grimaldi. He came to notice during a very difficult and dangerous period in European history, the Dark Ages, after the great civilization of Imperial Rome had fallen away and when the continent was under threat from all sides. In the south the principle threat was the expanding forces of Islam. Moors, Saracens and so on, the forces of the new and growing Muslim religion had charged out of the Arabian desert and rapidly conquered the Middle East, spread across North Africa and began making inroads into Spain, southern Italy, even reaching as far as central France. From Monaco to St Tropez the Muslims were the dominant force and in 975 AD Count William of Provence led a major effort to reclaim the area for the forces of Christendom. He called upon the nobles and prominent leaders of the region to join him and the response was immediate. He was joined by Bishop Izam of Grenoble, Boniface of Castellane, the Lords of Vintimille and, as mentioned, the Genoese patrician Giballin Grimaldi. Banding together, they marched against the Moors and after fierce battles succeeded in capturing the primary Islamic fortress in the region at Fraxinet.

Giballin Grimaldi displayed qualities that would later come to characterize the personality of the Princely Family of Monaco; a concern for issues greater than his own, sympathy for the downtrodden and a willingness to help those in need. This was combined with great courage in times of conflict. During the capture of Fraxinet, Giballin Grimaldi and his men scaled a steep, rocky position which the Moors had left undefended as they were certain no one could possibly accomplish such a feat. As a result, Giballin and his men were able to surprise the Moors with their attack through the back door and divert their attention from the main assault by the Christian forces at the front door. Because of his crucial role in this victory, with only a small band of hand-picked soldiers to help him, Giballin Grimaldi was rewarded with the grant of a sizeable tract of land from St Tropez to Frejus. Because of his valor in battle the Muslims were driven from Villafranca, Castellare, Turbia, St Hospice and the Little Fraxinet. The Ligurian borders were firmly secured from the Moorish threat.

There is also the story that the second son of Grimaldi I, Lord of Antibes, father of Giballin Grimaldi, led a similar campaign to liberate the area that is today Monaco with dates for this given as 920 AD, 962 or 968 and that the Holy Roman Emperor gave the Grimaldi family this liberated territory of Monaco to them as their own sovereign state, as a reward for their heroism. Later historians have raised doubts about this story and that long ago, in such a chaotic time, obviously evidence is scarce but it was told for a long time as a nice story to show the House of Grimaldi having very, very deep roots in the region of Monaco. However, whether it is accurate or not, Monaco was not retained by the Grimaldis since, as we know, other powers (principally Genoa) took over the region and Grimaldi rule was not firmly established until the famous nighttime attack by Francesco Grimaldi (“the Cunning”) and his Guelf faction of warriors. However, many historians a great many centuries ago reported the story as fact, and it may well be, it is simply hard to tell with absolute certainty when it comes to almost anything in history so long ago.

To some extent it depends on the veracity of the earliest genealogical records of the House of Grimaldi, one of the first of which was compiled by a secretary to HSH Prince Honore II who traced the family line back to Grimoald, son of Pépin d’Héristal, elder brother of Charles Martel (“the Hammer” who defeated the Saracens at Tours in France) who was the grandfather of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. This would obviously give the House of Grimaldi some quite prestigious bloodlines as well as a family history that Giballin Grimaldi and his actions against the Moors would have fit neatly into. Perhaps it is so, and perhaps Giballin was the son of the Grimaldi lord who was first given the sovereignty of Monaco from the Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great. If so, Francesco Grimaldi and his men were merely taking back what was rightfully Grimaldi land with their famous attack, though that time on the side of the Supreme Pontiff rather than the Emperor in Germany.

What is not disputed is that Giballin Grimaldi played a critical role in the campaign to evict the Muslim invaders from the region of Liguria at a critical time in the development of Europe when Christendom was in real danger of being completely overrun by enemies from the north, east and south. Thankfully, when the people came to Giballin Grimaldi for help, looking for someone to defend them and make right the wrongs they had suffered, he did not turn them away but devoted himself to effecting their rescue and the return of their lands and security. It was the start of what would be a long and colorful history of involvement on the part of the House of Grimaldi in the struggles between Christendom and the expanding world of Islam. They would go on to participate in the crusades, becoming quite prominent as both diplomats and naval military commanders, before that page of history finally came to an end and focus shifted to other areas.

MM Video: Princely Family Portraits

The Republic of Genoa

As long-time readers will know, the Principality of Monaco is very old amongst the modern States of Europe and has its origins in the Guelf-Ghibelline conflict of Genoa. But what exactly was this city-state on the sea from which our beloved Grimaldis sprung? “The Most Serene Republic of Genoa” came into being in 1005 on the Ligurian coast of the Italian peninsula. What started out as a minor city state grew over time to be one of the major commercial mini-empires of the Mediterranean with Genoese outposts stretching from Spain and North Africa, all of Corsica to parts of Sardinia, the Italian mainland, a number of Greek islands, a quarter of the East Roman capital of Constantinople and all the way to the Crimean Peninsula in what is now the Ukraine and ports in what is now Syria. Although it never reached quite the height of power that its rival across the peninsula, the Republic of Venice, did, Genoa was nonetheless a force to be reckoned with and the House of Grimaldi became one of the leading families of the oligarchic republic.

Originally an autonomous commune within the old Kingdom of Italy (the successor of the Lombard kingdom which sprang up after the end of Imperial Roman rule). The Republic of Genoa began to establish itself during the height of the Islamic expansion, starting with raids against the Fatimid Caliphate in North Africa. A number of victories broke Muslim rule over the Mediterranean and allowed maritime powers like Genoa and Venice to rise rapidly in importance, particularly as the Crusades were launched and Italian merchants were needed to transport knights, supply them and, sometimes most importantly, to fund them. Genoa itself contributed a great deal in these campaigns, even supplying warships and soldiers to participate in the fighting and in return the republic was given colonies and advantageous commercial treaties with the Crusader states. For the most part though, although Genoa gained some colonial footholds in certain ports, her real influence was in her economic power, through trade and commerce and not by direct rule.

Genoese galleys, upon which the state was built

As Genoa and Venice both grew in wealth and influence they naturally grew in rivalry with each other as well and often backed opposing sides in various conflicts. In the infamous Fourth Crusade, for example, Venice backed the Latin Knights whereas Genoa backed the Byzantine Emperor. When Constantinople was retaken Genoa benefited greatly from this investment and received many new ports in the Greek islands. It was not until the rise of the Kingdom of Aragon as a major Mediterranean power that the dominance of Genoa, by then mostly in the western Mediterranean, began to decline. However, even then, the Republic of Genoa began to rebound as a center of banking within the Spanish sphere of influence. Genoa sold Corsica to France and lost her last outpost on the African coast (the island of Tabarka) to the Bey of Tunis in 1742. Genoa had just started recovering from a disastrous war with the Austrians alongside Spain and France when Napoleon Bonaparte (himself a native of Corsica) led French revolutionary forces in conquering the Republic of Genoa and proclaiming the region the “Ligurian Republic” which was simply annexed by France a short time later. Unlike some other states, after the Napoleonic Wars the Republic of Genoa was not restored but her remaining territory ceded to the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia in 1815.

Doge of Genoa Giovanni Giacomo Grimaldi

The Republic of Genoa was, as stated, an oligarchic republic, ruled by a Doge (“duke” ) chosen from amongst the prominent merchant families and one of the most prominent was the Grimaldi family. In all, a member of the House of Grimaldi would hold the office of Doge of Genoa on twelve occasions throughout the history of the republic. The first of these was Cristoforo Rosso Grimaldi who was elected the 49th Doge of Genoa in 1535. Originally the Doge was elected by popular vote for life but later, after changes made by Andrea Doria, the Grand Council elected the Doge who served for a limited term. The last Grimaldi to hold the office was Pier Franco Grimaldi, elected in 1773 though due to the decline in Genoese fortunes, his was a very modest coronation and celebration. Much of his term was spent dealing with religious issues as this was when the Society of Jesus was being suppressed throughout Europe and trying to recover from the ‘Balilla Uprising’ and the war with Austria. After his term ended he served in the Ministry of War and then the Ministry of Holy Worship as the Church and the military had long been the most important parts of his life.

The branch of the family that eventually became the Lords and Princes of Monaco started out like most of the Genoese patricians, as fighting sailors and intrepid entrepreneurs. In charge of their Genoese galleys they had brought the King of Jerusalem and the King of Hungary to Egypt in the Fifth Crusade, they raided Venetian galleys in the intermittent war with that state, grow in wealth and status and finally fight the forces of Genoa itself on a number of occasions as the republic tried to reassert her claim to Monaco or when a rival political family gained power in the ‘serene republic’. The history of Genoa is a fascinating one, growing from a tiny, overlooked port to a commercial empire with merchant ships and war galleys operating from the Black Sea to the Pillars of Hercules, from the African coast to the English Channel. When eclipsed by Venice the city-state came back as the banking center for the Spanish empire and their colonial adventures in the Americas when the famous Andrea Doria was admiral-in-chief to the Hapsburg monarchs. Even today, traces of the maritime empire of Genoa can still be seen even in such far removed places as the fortress in Sudak, Ukraine to the famous Galata Tower in what is now Istanbul.

MM Video: Grimaldis in Uniform

Mystery Marchesa

Observe this portrait by the famous Belgian painter Sir Antony Van Dyck. It is of the Marchesa Elena Grimaldi, wife of Marchese Nicola Cattaneo. I feel a little sorry for the woman because this painting must be more famous than she is as every time I've tried to look up info on-line about Elena Grimaldi all I get is details about Van Dyck and this famous portrait. What information I was able to find was not in a language I spoke and on-line translators usually leave me more confused than when I started. I know the Cattaneo family were very big in the Republic of Genoa and at one time were the major financial backers for the Hapsburg war effort in Holland and Belgium. In any event, it would make perfect sense for a Grimaldi and a Cattaneo to be married but I have no more information than that. If anyone knows more, or where some details might be found, please leave a comment and let me know.

Favorite Princely Images

The Grimaldi family: (left to right) Princess Charlotte, Prince Rainier, Princess Antoinette, Prince Pierre and Sovereign Prince Louis II.

The Houses Savoy and Grimaldi

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the unification of the Kingdom of Italy under the royal house of Savoy. It is no wonder, both being powerful names in southern France and northern Italy, that there is a very long, sometimes friendly and sometimes troubled history between the Savoy and Grimaldi families. Rainier I had dealt with the House of Savoy in border disputes between Piedmont and Monaco. Lord Lucien of Monaco was the first to officially ally himself with the Duke of Savoy (seeking the help of the King of France at the same time) during one of the most serious efforts of the Republic of Genoa to conquer Monaco. However, the friendship turned sour when the Duke sent troops to occupy La Turbie which Lucien took as much as a threat as a guardian. The Lady Claudine was so upset over the experience that she set it down in her will that any Grimaldi who did homage to the Savoy should be deprived of their hereditary rights. A little harsh perhaps? However, the two families could not ignore each other forever, though they made a good effort to do so for quite a while.

Relations, did, of course, warm up over the years. As we have mentioned, Duke Victor Amadeus II of Savoy (later King of Sardinia) was quite infatuated with the Grimaldi Princess Louise-Hippolyte though she did not feel quite the same about him. It was also Victor Amadeus II who obtained Nice from France and tried to obtain Monaco but was not successful there. He did, however, obtain feudal rights over 11/12 of Menton and Roquebrune which Prince Antoine I contested but an arbitration by Britain and France found in favor of the House of Savoy in 1714. The ceremony of homage to the Duke of Savoy (by then also King of Sardinia and Sicily) from 1716 to 1841. The idea that a sovereign principality would be a protectorate of one kingdom and a vassal of another kingdom in at least one portion of its territory might give someone a better understanding of why the Monegasque have always been so protective of their independence. It was something they had to fight hard to obtain and have constantly struggled to keep amidst the changing designs of the great powers of Europe surrounding them. Monaco under the Grimaldis were trying to hold fast but the for the House of Savoy, their star was clearly on the rise.

King Vittorio Emanuele I came to the throne of Sardinia-Piedmont in 1802. Obviously this was during the French Revolutionary period and the territories of the Savoy had suffered like all the other neighbors of the French Republic. However, things would turn around under the firm rule of Vittorio Emanuele I. The Congress of Vienna set him back on his throne in Turin (he had by then also inherited the legitimist -Jacobite- claim to the thrones of England, Scotland, Ireland and France) and his family holdings were enlarged by the Congress to include the former territories of the Republic of Genoa. Meanwhile, the Grimaldis had been restored to Monaco mostly thanks to Prince Tallyrand, otherwise the Allies might have found it easier to give Monaco to the Savoys altogether while they were at it, just to keep things simple. However, Tallyrand intervened and ensured Monaco remained under Grimaldi rule.

However, what the Allies did do, was to tear up the treaty with France first signed by Prince Honore II. Henceforth, Monaco would be a protectorate of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia under the House of Savoy. Prince Honore IV predicted there would be trouble over this given the long rivalry that had existed between the two houses. The public was not happy about the change, having been used to the relationship with France, but King Vittorio Emanuele I tried to make a good impression. However, relations only worsened when Sardinian troops occupied Monegasque territory and people were really outraged when Turin forbid the fabrication, trade or import of tobacco in the principality as this had been a lucrative local business. As tensions increased over the years and trouble began brewing in Menton and Roquebrune in particular the Monegasque blamed the Savoy government for being behind it as this was when the drive toward Italian unification was starting to get underway.

That drive got underway during the reign of King Vittorio Emanuele II, son of King Carlo Alberto, who did finally succeed in bringing together the Italian nation, creating the united country of Italy as we know it today and he became the first King of Italy. During this ambitious enterprise the King needed the support of Emperor Napoleon III of the French. Piedmont-Sardinia, in the wake of the uprisings in Menton and Roquebrune, had claimed those areas but in working out their relationship with France surrendered control of these areas (along with their own ancestral homeland) and Prince Charles III of Monaco agreed to sell these towns to France. So ended the period when Monaco was a protectorate of the House of Savoy but there were still some in Italy who longed for the territory as well as Nice and Savoy to be included in greater Italy. It is also worth remembering that, at this stage, the Monegasque, although unique, considered themselves rather more Italian than French due to their long history going back to Genoa and the Ligurian region. In World War II, following the Italian declaration of war on France and the occupation of Savoy, Nice, Corsica and Tunisia, Monaco was occupied as well and for the last time was within the Savoy sphere of influence.

It was not long, however, before the fortunes of war shifted. Monaco's brief stint as part of Mussolini's 'new Roman Empire' did not last very long. In 1943 King Vittorio Emanuele III dismissed the dictator and withdrew to the Allied camp, later abdicating in favor of his son King Umberto II. Monaco was liberated and Prince Louis II could breath a little easier. Things were not so happy for the House of Savoy. In 1946 a fraudulent referendum brought down the Italian monarchy and the House of Savoy was forced into exile. Despite sometimes have trouble in their long history together, the two houses remained friendly in spite of everything and when King Umberto II, the last reigning member of the Savoy royal house and last King of Italy, died in exile, Prince Rainier III attended his funeral to pay his respects to the man who represented the end of an era.

Crown Jewels of Monaco

As most will know, there is no crown in the Grimaldi family. Although long featured as a symbol of princely authority on flags and arms and such, there is no actual crown and there is no coronation. However, the recent female members of the Grimaldi family have had a number of feminine tiaras to choose from when the occasion warrants it. Princess Grace owned at least three tiaras, and these have occasionally been worn by Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie in their turn, but the most famous pieces have been in the family a bit longer and these were regularly worn, by Princess Caroline particularly, before her marriage to the Prince of Hanover.

HRH Princess Caroline is seen here wearing the pearl and diamond tiara which was made by Cartier Paris for HSH Princess Charlotte of Monaco, Caroline’s grandmother. It displays pearls set in platinum and white gold.

In this picture (as well as the above but with a better view), in addition to the pearl and diamond tiara, Princess Caroline is wearing the diamond fringe tiara as a necklace. This piece was also given to Princess Caroline by her grandmother Princess Charlotte of Monaco. It was based on a popular Russian design featuring circular cut diamonds set in a gold and silver frame. To complete the full Monegasque princess picture she is also wearing her sash and star of the Order of St Charles.

Here Princess Caroline is wearing (solo this time) the Cartier tiara, first owned by her grandmother Princess Charlotte, which was given to her as a wedding present by her husband Prince Pierre, Count of Polignac. It features scrolling diamond arches and swinging pearl drops. These two tiaras are probably the most associated with Monaco and have been in the Grimaldi family the longest.

What if Princess Caroline...

Of course, I hope that Prince Albert II and Charlene have a very long and happy life together and that Charlene will give Monaco an heir to carry on the Grimaldi-Polignac line of Prince Rainier but, let us just suppose for a moment that (for any reason) no children are forthcoming from the match. This question arose after someone asked me, if Princess Caroline were to succeed Albert II as the second Sovereign Princess in Monegasque history, as she is still married to the Prince of Hanover, would that not make the Monegasque monarch completely "royal" for the first time in history? I got to thinking about this and some questions arose that, while I certainly don't have the answers for all of them, might present a problem about Princess Caroline keeping her "HRH" if she is ever called to the throne of Monaco.

It has already been speculated about as to whether Princess Caroline would keep her "HRH" if she and Prince Ernst-August were ever to actually divorce. However, I have not seen much discussion on the opposite side of that question. Ironically, the titles of the Prince of Hanover are not recognized at all in his native Germany but are recognized in the Principality of Monaco which recognizes him and Caroline as Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Hanover. However, readers of this blog might remember that the rules of succession in Monaco, set down by Prince Jean I many centuries ago, calls for the husband of any heiress of Monaco to take the name and arms of the House of Grimaldi. It would impossible to imagine the Prince of Hanover doing this, even if their marriage was not effectively over. For a Hanoverian and someone included in the succession of the British Royal Family, this would be seen as a "step down" to become a Princely Grimaldi.

However, not having seen the original document (and a few changes have been made over the centuries), I would how this would work out if Princess Caroline was obliged to take the throne of Monaco. Would the Prince of Hanover simply be ignored? Again, I cannot imagine him voluntarily becoming a Grimaldi under the best of circumstances and it certainly would be unthinkable the way things are now. To the best of my knowledge, this situation has not arisen before. The only other female heiress was Princess Louise-Hippolyte whose husband did take the name and arms of Grimaldi (though he was not royal to begin with like Ernie) and in the case of Princess Charlotte and Prince Pierre, she abdicated her rights to the throne in favor of Rainier III before Prince Louis II had passed away so the issue never needed addressing. Anyway, I thought that was an interesting little quandry and something to think about for Monaco-Grimaldi scholars out there ;-)

Funeral for Princess Antoinette

The Casiraghis and de Massy clan

Stephanie, Caroline, Albert and Charlene

Preparing to remove the Princess to the chapel of Peace

Melanie Antoinette de Massy paid a touching tribute to her grandmother, remarking on her courage in facing illness, her love of people, zest for life and attachment to the Catholic Church. "Deo Juvante" (With God's Help) the Grimaldi motto was mentioned numerous times.

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Grimaldi Days

It has been 'all hands on deck' for Monaco at the 35th International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo. Princely fiance Charlene Wittstock was just on hand with HSH Prince Albert II for the awards ceremony at the Big Top in Fontvieille.

HSH Princess Stephanie of Monaco was, of course, also attending as was daughter Pauline Ducruet. Also close at hand were Grimaldi cousins Keith Sebastian Knecht and Laetitia de Massy Brouwer. Over the past week Pierre Casiraghi and long-time girlfriend Beatrice Borromeo appeared on the scene, with Beatrice starting to look more like just another girlfriend these days. Pierre's uncle Marco Casiraghi was also spotted as was little Princess Alexandra of Hanover but none of these returned for the awards ceremony.

Princess Caroline was not to be seen, but that is no surprise. The circus has always been more the domain of Princess Stephanie and, in any event, Princess Caroline had other business to attend to. On Thursday she was in Brussels for a charity luncheon organized by her foundation AMADE to raise money for orphans in Burundi. Several members of the Belgian Royal Family also attended the event (Burundi was formerly a Belgian colony) and announced their own support for the project "AMADE Burundi" which was launched by Princess Caroline in cooperation with sister Stephanie's charity Fight AIDS Monaco. Charlotte Casiraghi also commanded a great deal of attention when she appeared a couple days ago sitting with Kate Moss at a lingerie fashion show by Etam at Paris Fashion Week.

Family fun at the circus, helping the less fortunate and high society glamor all in the week or so, which pretty well sums up the Princely Family of Monaco and what they do.

Dealing with the Loss of Grace

For a number of reasons, mostly his kind and friendly temperament, Prince Albert II has never been viewed as an exceptionally “strong” monarch. Before he came to the throne many worried what would happen once the firm and familiar figure of Prince Rainier III was gone. Albert seemed like too nice of a fellow to make the big, tough decisions required of a prince who is expected to actually rule his country. There had been no such trepidation about Rainier. He was the man who had gone head to head with Aristotle Onassis and won, faced down Charles DeGaulle and even exiled his own sister when she acted against him. Yet, Rainier was a man who felt his feelings hard and Prince Albert had more inner strength than most people gave him credit for even fairly early on. At no time was this more demonstrated than at the darkest moment for the family: the tragic death of Princess Grace.

Rainier III was positively devastated. One of his best friends had died the year before and, contrary to what some dishonest tabloids tried to imply, Grace was the love of his life and the center of his world. Everyone saw the sad Mediterranean monarch, head bowed by grief, walking behind the casket at the funeral, doing everything according to protocol, even attending a second requiem mass several hours after the first (something not so many are aware of). His heartbreak was evident but he seemed to be bearing the burden solidly. Yet, what the public did not see was how inconsolable he was in private. Immediately after it happened Prince Rainier simply shut down. His beloved wife was gone, his baby girl in the hospital -it must have seemed like his world was falling apart. It was in that most terrible of situations that Prince Albert, only 24 at the time, stepped in to fill the breach.

For several weeks after the passing of Princess Grace it was Prince Albert who covered for his grieving father. Although obviously he was extremely struck by the tragedy as well (everyone said Albert was the most like Grace and he was the apple of her eye) he nonetheless shouldered the burden for his father. He dealt with the officials, the courtiers and it was he who took the phone calls from the multitude of friends of Princess Grace that came pouring in after the news of her death hit the news. He put off going to New York to study international finance so he could deal with the tragedy and he showed a side of his character that not many had had occasion to see before. The sympathetic young man was effectively acting as a guardian for his grief-stricken father, screening him from the intrusion of the world at such a time until he could compose himself. Princess Caroline also stepped up to help her father at the time. She took charge of the palace, overseeing the staff, the maintenance and even ordering meals for Prince Rainier. She would also often go to the hospital to sit up overnight with Princess Stephanie. When he was able Prince Rainier also visited several times a day if only to stop and play cards.

Not surprisingly, Princess Stephanie had a particularly terrible time dealing with the situation. Her uncle, John Kelly Jr. said, “Stephanie is suffering not just from her injuries but from the trauma of being there when it happened. I think maybe in some way she might be blaming herself for not having done something to save the situation”. Obviously, that would be quite a burden for a seventeen-year-old girl who had been arguing with her mother just before the crash and then had to deal with all of the hurtful rumors that spread afterward, adding even further to the pain common in such circumstances known as ‘survivors guilt’. While the others had duties to keep themselves busy, even if only helping take care of their father for Albert and Caroline, Stephanie had many long hours in her hospital bed to relive every detail of the tragedy in her mind over and over again. The overnight stays by her sister and the visits by her father, several times a day, certainly helped. They had always been close and the tragedy only drew them closer as it did the family as a whole. Once stable enough himself Prince Rainier led the way in their coping as a family, taking them away from the glare of Monaco to the island of Nassau where they could spend time together coming to grips with what had happened and trying to occupy themselves with other things when possible.

Many people wondered how Rainier would carry on without Princess Grace. He had never loved being in the spotlight and had been the shy type ever since he was a boy. Princess Grace, the actress, the socialite and international celebrity, had in many ways been the public face of the Monegasque monarchy during their marriage. She excelled in dealing with people and Rainier had given her a great deal of freedom in handling things in which he knew she was better suited than he was. How could he go on without her? Of course, he did, and the tragedy perhaps showed all of them what they could cope with when they had to. Princess Caroline stepped into the role of ‘first lady’ admirably, working together with her father to fill the space that Princess Grace had occupied in public life. Albert continued on with his preparations for his destiny to become Sovereign Prince one day, despite the worries of people that he was too nice, too accommodating and eager to please to be the sort of tough monarch that the people of Monaco expected. Those who said such things did not know how he had shielded his father in those terrible days after the accident. He was made of tougher stuff than anyone had imagined. Those closer to the family noted that the tragedy had a maturing effect on him.

Princess Stephanie has probably had the toughest time carrying on after the tragedy, which is understandable. Her meteoric ups and downs over the years have caused many to blame it all on the absence of Princess Grace. ‘If she had been around things would be different’ was the attitude. That may be true or it may not. Both the Grimaldi girls have always been very strong willed and both parents learned that once their minds were set to something there was finally nothing that could stop them. Of course, had the accident not occurred Princess Stephanie would perhaps have at least been spared some of the emotional trauma she had to endure that the rest of the family did not and that may have caused her to make different decisions in her life. However, we can say that Princess Stephanie, perhaps because of the tragedy, has displayed a desire to live her life (to quote a song of hers’) because it can be cut short without warning. She has also carried on the tradition of her mother in her charitable work and her compassion for others, regardless of their background or personal choices. In that regard, I think Princess Grace would certainly be proud of how all of her children have done since she has been gone.

MM Video: Goofing Off with the Grimaldis

MM Video: Young Grimaldis

Red Cross Ball 2010

The 62nd annual Red Cross Ball was held today at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club of the Principality of Monaco, the biggest event on the Grimaldi's social calendar and the largest charity gala in the world. The special guest entertainment this year was Tom Jones and the "theme" this year was a luxury cruise.

HSH Prince Albert II arrived with his two special girls. Fiance Charlene Wittstock set a glamorous tone that has drawn mostly praise from observers. HSH Princess Stephanie turned heads with her fashion choice -reviews have been mixed, though in my very biased opinion I think she looks fantastic.

Other celebrities on the guest list included model/actress Victoria Silvstedt (a regular every year), singer Julio Iglesias, the ever-present and ever-ominous looking designer Karl Lagerfeld, singer Shirley Bassey, Baroness Tita Cervera, Tiziana Rocca, Isabell Kristensen, etc. Also attending was Prince Albert's former paramour and mother of his son Alexandre, Nicole Valerie Coste. I hope Charlene was properly prepared for that experience. Although Nicole has attended events at which the Prince was presiding before this was the first time she ever attended a formal ball. Sadly, once again, Princess Caroline was not to be seen, nor were the "Casiraghi trio" who lately have attended more often than not. Still, it was a very glamorous and successful event, as it usually is, Charlene seemed to handle all the extra attention very well and it is always great to see Princess Stephanie at such formal family events.

Lady Claudine of Monaco

*

Although not always considered as a sovereign of Monaco, Lady Claudine is often listed amongst the seigneurs and princes of the House of Grimaldi. She was born probably in 1451 (according to most if not all sources) to Lord Catalan of Monaco. She was one of three children but the only one to survive and thus stood to inherit the throne of Monaco from her father but a suitable arranged marriage to another Grimaldi cousin was necessary. Imagine having your marriage discussed and negotiated when you are only 6-years-old! The choice was her cousin Lambert Grimaldi but because of her age the two could not marry right away (at least it would have made little sense to as they certainly could not have lived as husband and wife). So, though the plans were made, she was still unmarried when her father died in 1457 and, at the age of 6, Claudine became the nominal lady of Monaco.

Obviously Claudine could do very little and power was exercised on her behalf by her formidable grandmother and regent Pomelline Fregoso, wife of Seigneur Jean I. The people of Monaco, naturally desiring a stable government with an adult in charge (a man naturally at the time of course), wanted the will of Lord Catalan to be put into effect and for Lambert to take over things immediately. Well, Pomelline was having none of that and she immediately began plotting against Lambert no sooner than Catalan was cold in the ground. She had her agents pursue Lambert and capture him though whether or not she intended to have him killed or simply locked away remains unknown.

Nonetheless, it was to no avail. Lambert found out about the conspiracy and eluded his attackers even fighting off a massive raid on Monaco when Pomelline enlisted the support of Catalonia and Aragon in her effort to maintain power. However, in the end, Lambert and his forces prevailed and he had Pomelline’s supporters beaten and arrested Pomelline herself and kept under guard at her home in Menton. With that matter settled, and after a nominal reign of only about a year, Lady Claudine abdicated her position to her future husband in 1458. Seven years later, in 1465, Claudine was considered old enough to marry and at the age of 14 she wed her, by now 45-year-old, cousin Lambert.

Given the roughly three decade age difference between the two, the fact that the match was an arrangement of family politics, one might expect the result to have been a failed and unhappy marriage. On the contrary, however, despite their disparity in age the two seemed to have had a very successful marriage and Claudine gave Lambert six children; Jean (future Jean II of Monaco), Louis (disinherited on grounds of insanity), Bianca, Augustine (future Bishop of Grasse), Francoise (who married into the Doria family) and Lucien who would also become Seigneur of Monaco one day. She died on November 19, 1515 during the reign of her son Lucien, to the last trying to keep peace in the family.

*in the absence of a known portrait of Claudine I substituted this image of a girl of the same period by Leonardo de Vinci.

Seigneur Catalan of Monaco

Catalan de Grimaldi was the son and heir of Jean I, Lord of Monaco, and succeeded his father upon his death in 1454. However, Seigneur Catalan de Monaco was not to last much longer himself. Considering the rules of succession his father had drawn up just before his death, it was crucial that his only child; his daughter Claudine, make a suitable marriage. It was up to Lord Catalan to see his girl married to someone of proper strength to be a leader for Monaco and also someone who was either already a relative or who would forsake their own family name and arms for that of the House of Grimaldi. Of course, an additional problem may have been the fact that Claudine was only a child (6-14 years-old depending on the source). His father had been adamant that, if at all possible, daughters set to inherit the throne should be married to another Grimaldi. Lord Catalan finally decided on a cousin; Lambert Grimaldi who was co-seigneur of Menton and whose brother Gaspar was Seigneur of Antibes.

Other than the arrangement of this marriage, paving the way for the reign of the colorful Lambert Grimaldi, the only other thing Lord Catalan is known for is repudiating the treaty his father Jean I had signed with the Duke of Savoy. After reigning for only three years he died in 1457 at the age of 42, leaving the throne of Monaco to the husband of his only daughter (he had three children but Claudine was the sole survivor). The marriage must not have seemed ideal but necessary. Lambert and his brothers had fought for Monaco already and the Antibes branch of the family was descended in a direct male line from their Genoese family patriarch Grimaldo. If little else can be said of him, Lord Catalan did ensure that, despite his own problems in securing the succession in his own line, the family would go on and Grimaldi rule over Monaco was secure.

The Oldest Monarchy

One can find a number of different monarchies which certain historians and writers will attach the title to of being “the oldest monarchy” in Europe or even the world. What can be reasonably asserted is that the oldest monarchy still functioning in the world today is the monarchy of Japan. Although its origins trace back to the legendary foundation of Japan (not uncommon, particularly in the Far East) with figures and lifespans few would consider entirely accurate, even if the earliest names and dates are dismissed Japan still usually comes out well ahead of all others. HIM Emperor Akihito (currently reigning) is officially listed as the 125th Emperor of Japan dating from the reign of Emperor Jimmu on February 11, 660 BC.

In Europe it is the Kingdom of Denmark that is generally accepted as the oldest monarchy with HM Queen Margrethe II of today being able to trace the line of her predecessors back to roughly 936 AD with the accession of King Gorm the Old. Denmark also has a listing of legendary monarchs going back much further though obviously it is hard to separate fact from fiction in those cases. Still, there are some disputing claims. For example, King Alfred the Great of Wessex was the first monarch to style himself “King of the English” (or Anglo-Saxons) and his reign commenced in 871 AD with his taking of the title dated as sometime around 886 AD. However, it was his grandson King Athelstan (whose reign started around 924 AD) who was the first monarch to rule over mostly the same area as what is considered England today.

However, this raises the question as to whether or not a “monarchy” is more or less than a title. If one is to go by which figure in Europe retains the oldest unique title the winner would likely be the Roman Catholic Pope whose title, “Supreme Pontiff” predates Christianity itself being used by numerous Roman Emperors and officials of the Roman Republic long before the birth of Christ. It was though not until 381 AD that the Roman Emperor Gratian officially transferred this title to Pope St Damasus. If the Papacy is to be regarded as a monarchy it would be the oldest, dating from the life of Christ and the “passing of the keys” to St Peter. However, this gets into religious territory exclusively as St Peter did not become Bishop of Rome until some years later and the Papacy did not hold sovereignty over any actual territory, as a monarch, for some considerable time even after that.

The line of the Kings of France has been dated back to 428 AD which puts them back farther than the Danish or English kings but they are thwarted by the fact that there is no longer a reigning King of France today. What also complicates matters in the England-Denmark dispute over age is the fact that England did not maintain its independence throughout that great period from the first “King of the English” to today. There was the Norman conquest in 1066, the Dutch conquest (albeit largely welcomed) in 1688 and a number of changes in dynasty. Denmark has had changes in dynasties as well but have been more fortunate in maintaining their independence. Their monarchy has also been continuous whereas the English at one point overthrew and executed their King (Charles I in 1649) and had a republican dictatorship until the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. It is at this point that the partisans of England will usually bring up the occupation of Denmark by Nazi Germany during World War II. However, sad as that was, it must be remembered that the King of Denmark, Christian X, did not leave his country, nor was he ever deposed as monarch during the occupation. Germany regarded Denmark as a “protectorate” and never officially took direct control of the country. The status of Denmark, it seems, withstands the contests to her title of “oldest monarchy” in Europe.

Well, that all may be well good, you might be thinking, but why bring up this topic here? Because, believe it or not, there are writers who have stated (perhaps without giving it too much thought) that the Principality of Monaco is the oldest monarchy in Europe. Readers of this blog will know that is certainly not the case. It was not until 1297 that a Grimaldi first set foot in Monaco to take it from the Ghibellines of Genoa with Lord Rainier I titled as the first sovereign ruler of Monaco. However, Monaco cannot be easily dismissed either and while it cannot claim to be the oldest monarchy in the world or even in Europe, the House of Grimaldi is often seriously considered the oldest reigning family in the world. It is a fact that there was a Grimaldi ruling Monaco in 1297 and there is a Grimaldi ruling Monaco today -something no one else can really say, both because current royal dynasties do not go back as far in the countries they now preside over and because none of the monarchs of older kingdoms and even dynasties still actually rule their countries as the Prince of Monaco does.

However, there is always a catch, as they say, and that is somewhat true in this case as well. For example, the English monarchy has changed royal families a number of times over the centuries. Today it is the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (lately named Windsor) which dates from the reign of Queen Victoria whose husband was Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Prior to that time it was the House of Hanover after 1714. Prior to that time it was the House of Stuart (though the senior line was driven out in 1688) after 1603 before which it was the House of Tudor. During all that time and all those changes it was always the House of Grimaldi that ruled Monaco. Where cries of “foul” might arise is over disputes of what makes a reigning house -blood or legal name and title? In 1731 the Grimaldi Princess of Monaco, Louise-Hippolyte, (the only Sovereign Princess in Monegasque history) died of smallpox and the throne passed to her husband Prince Jacques I and then to her oldest son. Prince Jacques was of the Matignon family (as regular readers will know) but according to the rules of succession in Monaco laid down by Seigneur Jean I, those wishing to succeed to the throne by marrying a daughter of the House of Grimaldi must renounce their own family name and coat of arms and legally adopt the name and arms of Grimaldi. Moreover another such change came with the passing of Prince Louis II when the throne passed to Rainier III whose father was of the French noble house of Polignac.

So, contestation of the claim of the Princely Family of Monaco to be the longest reigning family still ruling today stems from those who accept only direct descent in the male line of a family. However, even this tends to fall apart today as most people in Britain, for example, would not think that their whole royal family changed since the time of Queen Victoria or that the current Prince of Wales represents a different royal family than that of his mother Queen Elizabeth II. All those who have succeeded to the Monegasque throne, other than Jacques I, have a male or female-line of relation to the original Grimaldi founders of the Principality of Monaco and even Jacques I and all others who married into the family and stood in the line of succession have legally taken the name and arms of the Grimaldi family. Therefore, while not the oldest monarchy in the world, the House of Grimaldi can boast of being the oldest reigning house still ruling over a sovereign nation today.

Chateau Grimaldi

Seigneur Rainier I is best known as the founding father, so to speak, of the Princely Family of Monaco. He was the first official Lord of Monaco but spent much of his time in France where, as readers of this blog will know, he became a grand-admiral of France for his contribution during the wars of King Philippe IV against England and Flanders, particularly the great naval victory in Zeeland in August of 1304 where he captured the Flemish admiral Guy de Namur whom he carried in triumph back to Paris. However, he was also, in addition to being Lord of Monaco, the Lord of Cagnes and it was as Cagnes-sur-Mer, in what is now the Alps-Maritimes department in France, that he built the formidable Chateau Grimaldi.
Standing tall and imposing on a hill overlooking the town, the castle was built from local stone with fortified walls, bastions, towers, an imposing keep all centered around a triangular courtyard. There had been fortifications on the hill going back to the Roman Empire and even the ancient Greeks before Seigneur Rainier I built his castle there in 1309. Later, during the reign of King Louis XIII, the castle was modified to be a more livable residence rather than simply a military structure. During that time the artist Genois Carlone painted the great hall of the chateau with a scene of the fall of Phaeton from Greek mythology.

Today the Chateau Grimaldi still stands, to a large extent as it was when Rainier I of Monaco built it but with a more peaceful occupation. Officially known as the Grimaldi Castle Museum it houses an impressive art collection including pieces of mostly contemporary and modern art. It is safe to say that a fighting sailor like Rainier I would be quite surprised to see his imposing fortress used to display modern art.