Fun Facts About Monaco

Monaco is not large enough to have an airport (though everyone who is anyone has a private plane). Nearest thing is a shuttle service to the airport in Nice, France.

Monaco is 1.95 square kilometers in size -less than half a square mile.

The motto of Monaco and the Grimaldi family is “Deo Juvante” or ‘with God’s help’. It became so during the reign of Lord Lambert of Monaco in the fifteenth century.

The primary ethnic group in Monaco is not Monegasque but French. Roughly 47% of the population is French, the next largest groups being Italian and then British tax refugees.

Classes at the International University of Monaco (the only university in Monaco) are held exclusively in English.

The York bedroom in the Princely Palace was so named because the Duke of York, brother to King George III of Great Britain and Ireland, died there.

Monte Carlo is the only municipality in Monaco. Meaning “Mount Charles” it was named after HSH Prince Charles III.

Prior to 1861 Monaco was a protectorate of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and the official language was Italian.

Lord Charles I of Monaco led a corps of Monegasque crossbowmen at the battle of Crecy alongside the French during the Hundred Years War with England.

Some 330,000 square meters of the ward of Fontvieille consists of land that was reclaimed from the Mediterranean Sea. Prior to that, the ground where the heliport and Louis II Stadium sits was under water.

Lord Jean II of Monaco was allegedly murdered by his brother Lucien after he threatened to sell Monaco to the Republic of Venice.

French is the official language of Monaco, not Monegasque though the native tongue is taught in schools. Monegasque is a Ligurian dialect, similar to that spoken in Genoa, Italy.

Lord Hercules I of Monaco, a noted ladies’ man, was supposedly murdered by a gang of irate husbands and fathers.

Lord Rainier II of England, allied with France, led a raiding fleet that sacked Portsmouth, Dartmouth and Plymouth, England.

Monaco has more policemen per person than any other country in the world. Crime is not a problem.

The longest-reigning monarch in Monegasque history was HSH Prince Honore III who reigned as Sovereign Prince of Monaco for 59 years and 73 days.

Monaco and Economic Success

There are many liberals who love Monaco (and God bless them -I do hope I do not dissuade them) and those who do, in my experience, tend to be those who focus on results rather than on forms and styles. They do not know or (less often) do not care that, even with the most recent changes in the Monegasque constitution, the country is still, in fact if not in name, an absolute, hereditary monarchy. It is also an officially Roman Catholic absolute monarchy. However, I have seen some American liberals actually sigh in admiration at the power wielded by HSH Prince Albert II when he acts on environmental issues that they agree with him on. I have heard them sound rather envious that, when a certain Mediterranean fish came under threat, Prince Albert was simply able to decree it illegal to catch that type of fish in Monaco’s extensive territorial waters or to sell or consume that fish in the Principality without having to go through any long political argument over the subject. Most, however, are not that well informed. They are not ignorant in this regard, they simply have other priorities than the constitutional situation of a microstate on the French Riviera. What they do know is that Prince Albert II is a sincere and committed environmentalist, they know that Princess Caroline does immense good for orphans and poor children in Africa and elsewhere and that Princess Stephanie is a champion for AIDS victims and those with HIV. They help causes most liberals support and that is enough.

I am very grateful for that and I can salute such liberalism for their sincerity in their devotion to these causes. However, the story of the success of Monaco is largely (but not entirely) a success story of capitalism. Furthermore, the Princely Family would not be able to champion so many worthy causes were it not for the economic independence that came with the House of Grimaldi becoming a very wealthy family, roughly since the establishment of the gaming industry, which had certainly not always been the case in the more than seven centuries of Grimaldi rule over Monaco. Before capitalists get too excited, it must be said that a large part of the economic history of Monaco has been one of government controls in certain areas and extensive use of monopolies. However, in other ways, the economic policies which have made Monaco such a haven of prosperity are policies which many capitalists would support and only wish they could emulate in their own countries around the world. Capitalists would not agree with everything but I think they would be more happy than the socialists if more countries looked to follow the example of Monaco in trying to imitate their model for prosperity.

Monaco had a very modest existence for most of its history, getting by on fishing and farming for the most part. However, that all changed with the reign of Prince Charles III. Monaco was drastically reduced in size, all but eliminating any possibility for agriculture and, later, during his reign the gaming industry was established with the Monte Carlo Casino. When Monaco became connected to France by rail tourism also vastly expanded (the only prior routes to Monaco being by sea or narrow, dangerous mountain paths). As gambling was then outlawed in France (and most of the rest of Europe) Monaco and the Princely Family became very wealthy very fast on revenues from the casino and the tourism industry. That was how prosperity first came to Monaco, but far-sighted princes knew it wouldn’t last and indeed it did not as gambling became legal in other countries the number of visitors to the gaming tables in Monte Carlo naturally declined. However, the Princes of Monaco took care to invest for the future and today the gaming industry only accounts for a small fraction of the income of Monaco. Tourism is still quite important but even more so is finance, commerce and increasingly environmental research.

The arts and sciences flourish in Monaco but, it must be said, this, as well as the widespread philanthropy of the Princely Family and others, would not be possible were it not for the abundance of quite wealthy citizens and residents of Monaco. The primary reason many wealthy people flock to Monaco is quite simple; the lack of a personal income tax. In fact, when the socialists were at the height of their power in the United Kingdom, English was almost an unofficial second language in Monaco as so many “tax refugees” relocated to the principality to escape the enormous tax burden of life in Britain. At times this has led to some friction with foreign countries. At one point, relations between Monaco and France became quite tense due to anger in Paris over the large number of French citizens who escaped French taxes by relocating to Monaco. Because of that, and the special relationship Monaco has with France, a legal exception was passed so that French citizens can no longer avoid paying taxes by living in Monaco. However, there is no doubt that the immense prosperity Monaco has enjoyed in our time is due in large part to having no personal income tax, no overregulation and a very pro-business and pro-investment environment.

This has attracted a very wealthy population and many, what we might call “elite” industries to Monaco. As a result, Monaco has consistently enjoyed a very high national income, a very high standard of living and a 0% unemployment rate, almost unheard of anywhere else in the world. It also means there are an abundance of people who can afford to give generously to the many charities which operate out of Monaco, including those organized by members of the Princely Family, which do an immense good for huge numbers of people around the world and, in the case of those championed by Prince Albert II especially, do good for the world itself. Other countries, envious of the wealth in Monaco, might do well to stop angrily trying to change the country and instead trying to emulate its formula for success and sustained growth. Monaco has also been able to accomplish this by maintaining their much prized independence. The country is in a customs union with France (and has been for a long time), which is necessary, and though Monaco is not a member of the European Union, it is a member of the Eurozone and mints its own Monegasque Euro coins. Obviously, not everyone in Monaco is extremely wealthy but the country is almost alone in the world in having no poor and those who are not so well off as the rich are easily cared for because the economic environment, which does not look to punish success, has attracted a population wealthy enough to easily take care of the less well to do.

Monaco is a stunning example of what can happen when the people of a country are allowed to keep and control their own money and dispose of their wealth as they see fit. Monaco, in this regard, is one of the best kept secrets in the world with a political and economic system that is able to satisfy the most ardent liberals and conservatives alike. Taxes are low, people keep their own money, invest it as they please, creating wealth, creating prosperity and there is a monarchy which, through numerous charity galas throughout the year, provides a social incentive for these wealthy people to give generously to help the underprivileged and sponsor (quite often) liberal causes they might otherwise not. Conservatives appreciate the traditional structure, the low taxation and the pro-business atmosphere while Liberals appreciate the efficiency of the government and the liberal causes that are sponsored, funded and promoted by the Princely Family and the many charitable organizations. It all works together to make the Principality of Monaco one of the most successful and prosperous countries in the world as well as one that does immense good for people across the globe with the proud support of a loyal population at home and many friends abroad.

Video: Albert II et Charlene au pic nic des monégasques

A 18 heures a débute le traditionnel pique nique des monégasques auquel participait
la famille princière, arrivée sous les applaudissements.

MM Video: Modern Monaco

Monaco and the Roman Empire

During the time of ancient Rome and the birth of the Roman Empire the area of Monaco, while not central, was certainly not unknown. The region, the Maritime Alps, Liguria etc was conquered by the Romans but as with many places never totally subdued. In Monaco, the Port of Hercules went by that name far back into ancient times as the Greek historian Strabon recorded that, “In Monaco there is a temple dedicated to Hercules” and the Roman naturalist and author Pliny the Elder also wrote of the “Port of Hercules at Monaco”. Julius Caesar was quite familiar with the area and when he completed his conquest of Gaul he boarded ship at the port in Monaco for his return to Rome. The Ligurians were, for the most part, loyal to the faction of Caesar and even rebels fought for Julius Caesar in his war against Pompey the Great in spite of the fact that the area of Monaco and Liguria had not been totally pacified at that time.

As we know, Julius Caesar ultimately met a tragic and bloody end, murdered and betrayed by his friends, and his legacy was inherited by his young nephew Octavian who, in time, became Augustus Caesar, the first Roman Emperor. It was Augustus who completed the work of his great uncle in bringing Liguria firmly under Roman control. The Romans built a road to connect the area with the rest of the empire, a road which followed almost exactly the same path as the later narrow road connecting Menton and Nice; famous for being narrow and rather hazardous if one were not a veteran at navigating it. We also have the remnants of that famous bastion La Turbie, which would long play a part in Monegasque history in numerous disturbances and dramatic historical events over the centuries, which was built by the Romans to commemorate the great victory of Augustus Caesar over the Ligurians at that place. Today La Turbie is also the name of a commune in the French Alps-Maritimes department. The name comes roughly from ‘trophy of Augustus’.

Later in the history of Rome, after the reign of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the rival emperors Otho and Vitellius fought a battle in the area over control of Monaco. Emperor Otho won three battles in the area but was ultimately defeated in what was called the contest “between Monaco and Lumone” and after addressing his troops took his own life. Vitellius, however, did not go long unchallenged as Vespasian was proclaimed emperor in Alexandria. He sent a trusted friend named Fabius Valens to Monaco but he was captured before he could reach the port by Valerius. Monaco then goes unmentioned in Roman history until the reign of Emperor Pertinax. Although today it is widely disputed, it was once asserted that Pertinax, the son of a slave and a charcoal burner before his rise to the purple, had been born in Monaco. Was Pertinax the one and only Monegasque Roman Emperor? We may never know for sure but he did built two fortified towers in Monaco to defend Port Hercules. His successor, Emperor Septimus Severus, also built fortifications in the region. We also know that it was Emperor Diocletian who instituted the persecution of Christians which led to the death of St Devote, patron saint of Monaco and the House of Grimaldi. Not long after the era of Roman rule came to an end and the time of the barbarian invasions commenced.

Even today the legacy of Eternal Rome remains very much on display in Monaco, flowing over the country with such ease that one can easily miss it. There is the language itself (French and Monegasque), the very titles of "Prince" and "Principality" come from the Latin princeps which was used as a title by Augustus. Traces of the Roman style can be seen in many of the monuments, villas and so on, the Roman Catholic Church remains the faith of the vast majority and even the throne of Monaco is very Roman in style, designed after the revival of all things Roman during the Napoleonic era in France. Monaco was also later associated with the Holy Roman Empire, successor state of the Western Roman Empire, and was ruled by the aforementioned French Emperor Napoleon who, from his laurel crown to his Imperial Eagles, very much tried to copy the style of the Roman legions and their caesars. Like all the rest of the children of western civilization, Monaco can be justly proud of their deep roots in the Roman Empire.

News of Future Papal Visit

Rene Giuliano, Vicar-General of Monaco, has confirmed that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will visit the principality, sometime in the first half of 2012. The Vicar-General said, "It's more or less sure, unless there's something major, like the Pope falling ill". This statement was prompted by rumors that the Pope would be visiting next year which sparked even more whispers that the Pontiff might be set to officiate at the wedding of Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock. It is hard to imagine that anyone would believe that but was evidently a story that was 'making the rounds'. However, a papal visit of any sort will be a very happy occasion for Monaco, one of the very few officially Roman Catholic monarchies left in the world. Talk of the Pope performing the wedding ceremony was obviously silly, that is not something popes commonly do and given the Prince's rather 'colorful' years as a bachelor for the Pontiff to preside at his wedding would be unthinkable. That does not, of course, take away from the importance of the occasion with the marriage set to be *the* wedding event of 2011 -at least until the news came out that Prince William and Kate Middleton will be marrying on a date set prior to that of the Prince of Monaco. On a historical note Pope Paul III was the first Supreme Pontiff to visit the Principality of Monaco.

Prince Albert II, Five Years on the Throne

It was on November 19, 2005 that HSH Prince Albert II was formally enthroned at St Nicholas Cathedral as Sovereign Prince of Monaco. This followed a period of mourning for the death of his father upon whose passing Albert inherited the title on April 6. It was a time of great nervousness, for lack of a better term, when Albert II took the throne. Most of the Monegasque could hardly remember a time without the sturdy image of Prince Rainier III reigning over them. At the time of his death he was the second-longest serving head of state in the world. What sort of a monarch would Albert, the quintessential “nice guy” and perpetual bachelor be? It would, of course, be grossly immature to pass final judgment now, but in light of the recent anniversary it would be appropriate to take a look back at Albert’s five years as Sovereign Prince of Monaco.

Probably the most significant events of the reign of Albert II so far have been the changes he has brought about in the economy. Carrying on and expanding on the foundational work done by his father, Albert II has shifted Monaco away from a purely tourism-based economy (though that is still obviously a major part) and toward becoming a center for technological innovation, global business and the study of environmental changes, particularly in regards to the oceans, and finding new ways to deal with these changes. If there is one area Albert II has been tireless in his efforts it has been researching, warning and raising awareness about global climate change and advocating more responsible lifestyle changes to combat the effects of global warming. He has also taken on a larger role for Monaco in humanitarian causes around the world such as rushing financial assistance in the wake of natural disasters to countries as far removed as Haiti and Pakistan.

Another major accomplishment of Albert’s reign, so far, related to the new direction in the business life of Monaco has been his effort to get Monaco off of the so-called “grey list” of nations regarded as tax havens. Although still strictly guarding their own sovereignty, Monaco has worked extensively with the OECD, the G20 and individual nations in showing that Monaco has nothing to hide in regard to her banking and business transactions. Prince Albert has instituted new policies, new reforms and signed new fiscal agreements with Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Monaco signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with the United States of America and similar agreements with Belgium and San Marino, enacted into Monegasque law by Sovereign Decree. Monaco still wants to be as investment-friendly as possible but all of these changes have done much to improve the international reputation of the principality.
Also under Albert II Monaco has achieved a measure of greater practical control from the French with the appointment of Michel Roger as Minister of State. Prince Albert made the appointment himself after some legal changed regarding the special relationship with France. Previously the Minister of State had effectively been chosen in Paris. Fortunately, under Albert’s leadership Monaco has remained comparatively unscathed in the economic crisis of recent years though it did necessitate the dropping of a planned expansion into the sea. And, on the personal side of things, Albert admitted his failings to the world in recognizing two illegitimate children and has been a source of strength to his sister Princess Caroline when marital problems beset her. He slapped away a ludicrous attempt at extortion by a professional fraudster and finally, almost marking the anniversary of his five years on the throne, announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Charlene Wittstock. Given how long it was in coming this may be seen as the most significant achievement of Prince Albert yet, particularly if, in years to come, an heir to the throne comes along to continue the Grimaldi-Polignac line.

It has not been all cakes and ale certainly, and changes always mean making some uncomfortable. However, on the whole, any objective look back would have to view the first five years of the reign of Prince Albert II as a solid success.

Vive le Prince!

Monaco Defending the Faith

Monaco is on board with a plan to defend the Christian heritage of Europe. Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Department of External Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, proposed the constitution of a “strategic alliance between Catholics and Orthodox” to defend the Christian traditions of Europe “against the secularism, liberalism and relativism that prevail in modern Europe”. The Russian Orthodox Church is not known for vague statements. This was prompted by the ruling last November against the display of crucifixes in Italian schools by the European Court of Human Rights. This has led to a coalition of some 20 countries from across Europe, Catholic and Orthodox, united in defense of the crucifix as a vital symbol of the religious heritage of the continent. Among those 20 is the Principality of Monaco which, while certainly allowing freedom of religion, recognizes the Roman Catholic Church as the official religion of the country as it always has been.

The ruling about crucifixes in Italian classrooms has taken on a much broader significance as people on both sides of the issue have seized on it as a symbolic struggle in the growing trend of secularization across Europe. Opponents of the ruling say that, since the court deemed that the state must be confessionally neutral the court effectively ruled that, regardless of history, heritage or the will of the popular majority, Europe must be entirely secular. The ruling means, rather oddly, that regardless of the democratic process any European country must be totally secular in order to be democratic. Supporters of the crucifix ban say that this issue is simply about religious freedom (the original lawsuit was brought by a Scottish convert to Islam living in Italy who objected to the presence of the crucifix in classrooms). However, while traditionally Catholic countries like France have officially become totally secular the neighboring Principality of Monaco has not and yet both have complete freedom of religion.

The Principality of Monaco was among the first ten countries to object to the court ruling alongside Armenia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, Malta, Romania, Russia and San Marino. Later on ten more countries; Albania, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldavia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia and the Ukraine have also joined the opposition to the ruling. Obviously, this opposition cuts across the traditionally deep divisions between Catholic and Orthodox countries, united now in common defense of the Christian heritage of Europe. With Italy, almost half of the founding nations of the Council of Europe have now voiced disapproval of the secularist policy. Prince Albert II has not been totally uninvolved in the campaign for closer ties between the Catholic and Orthodox communities. Regular readers will remember the Sovereign Prince awarding His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos I for his efforts in this regard.

Religious Festivities in Monaco

After making making the big announcement about his engagement, Prince Albert II, Princess Caroline and Princess Alexandra took in the local celebrations in honor of the feast of St John the Baptist. The little Princess of Hanover is really growing up fast.

Princess Caroline points out to her Protestant daughter how Catholics do things...

Prince Albert II teamed up with Princess Caroline again today for the opening of the "Buddha Bar" in Monte Carlo. A business geared toward over-indulgence in alcohol in a country famous for harboring the super-rich with a Buddhist theme...hmmm....somehow I doubt that the 'Enlightened One' would approve of his image being used in this way.

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.

Monegasque Sculptor Francois-Joseph Bosio

One of the most famous names to ever come out of Monaco, and one of the most famous names in the world of art in general, was the Monegasque sculptor Joseph-Francois Bosio. He was born on March 19, 1769 in Monaco where a small square in Monaco-Ville honors him. His family roots went back to the island of Corsica and they owned a large estate called Pieve dei Bosio which was elevated to a county. It was in the late XVIth Century that the family settled in the Principality of Monaco. He showed early artistic promise and from the age of 16 was refining his skills as a sculptor. From a heap of iron he produced a striking figure of Christ which attracted the attention of HSH Prince Honore III. Seeing potential in the young man the Sovereign Prince gave him a scholarship to attend school in Paris under the famous master sculptor Pajou.

Bosio served in the French army during the Revolution, becoming a lieutenant, but left the army and wandered northern Italy working on his art, mostly doing religious pieces for chapels and convents. He spent time in Florence, later worked in Rome and Naples and returned to Paris when Napoleon crowned himself Emperor. While in Italy he had befriended the sculptor Bartolini who he met again in Paris and arranged his meeting with the director of the Imperial Museums, Denon, who appreciated his talent and commissioned work from him. His talent was seen and appreciated and Empress Josephine posed for a bust for him which so impressed the Emperor Napoleon that he placed the bust in his private quarters and named the humble artist from Monaco the official favored sculptor of the French Empire.

The fame of Bosio grew to such an extent that the fall of the empire and the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy had no effect on him. He was appointed to the Academie des Beaux Arts and was retained as first sculptor by King Louis XVIII. In 1817 he was, by royal decree, made a tutor at the royal school of fine arts. King Charles X confirmed the status of Bosio bestowed by his elder brother and even elevated him to the status of a baron on May 11, 1828. During his career Bosio produced many famous pieces and busts of all the monarchs he served. His statue of a young King Henri IV is displayed at the Louvre, his equestrian statue of the famous King Louis XIV stands in the Place des Victoires but it is his many pieces from classical Greco-Roman mythology that are probably most famous.

Bosio died on July 29, 1845. A month later Raoul Rochette, permanent secretary of the Academy of Fine Arts, at a memorial at his tomb, stated of Bosio that, “He was born in a State, almost imperceptible on the political map of Europe, but which yet will one day be celebrated as the birth-place of a great artist”. Today Monaco is famous for much more but in the arena of fine art the name of the Monegasque sculptor Bosio will be remembered and honored forever.

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.

The Princely Palace of Monaco

The Princely Palace of Monaco is one of the oldest monarchial homes in the world that is still in use today. Just as it has been for centuries past the Princely Palace is still the official residence of the Monegasque sovereign and, as such, is the heart of the political and social life of Monaco. Part of the unique beauty of the palace is the blending of styles, part modern Mediterranean palace, part medieval fortress, sharing Italian and French styles as well as others. This all goes back to the palace being originally built as a military fortress, a castle, by the Genoese republic in 1191. In 1297 the castle was taken by the House of Grimaldi but the transition from military bulwark to princely palace took a long time.

Over the centuries the Princely Palace that was once a castle was attacked many times, fought over in numerous small wars including Monaco and often changed hands. Seigneur Charles I of Monaco (r. 1331-1357) expanded the fortifications and constructed new buildings which saw the first shift in style from that of a military base to a residential home. Further expansions were made under Lords Lambert and Jean II, however, battles and skirmishes continued off and on until a lasting sense of peace and security was established by the alignment with the Kingdom of France. That, of course, was during the reign of HSH Prince Honore II.

A man of refined taste and a Francophone, Honore II embellished the palace with the works of some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance period and more or less completed the change from castle to palace. By the time his reign ended he had made it a place any French or Italian prince would be comfortable in, as able to entertain as to defend. In the years that followed the Princely Palace was further refined and decorated until it became known as the ‘Versailles of the Mediterranean’. Louis I spent lavishly on furnishings, his son Antoine more on defensive works as the threat of war crept closer to Monaco again. However, with the rise of Louis XIV in France and the importance attached to the court at Versailles a long period ensued in which most Princes of Monaco spent most of their time in France rather that at home.

Some additional work was done during the reign of Honore III, though he was also often absent, and it was during his reign that the Duke of York died in the palace, giving his name to one of the bedrooms. However, toward the end of his reign the outbreak of the French Revolution brought ruin and occupation to Monaco. The Princely Family was arrested in France, the country occupied, the palace looted and later turned into a military hospital and poor house for the revolutionaries. When the Revolution and Napoleonic Wars had passed and the House of Grimaldi was restored the palace had deteriorated considerably and some areas had to be demolished and replaced with new structures.

The rebuilding and restoration increased under Prince Charles III who was the next monarch to actually spend most of his time in Monaco. He went to great lengths to try to recover as much as possible of the art work and family treasures that had been stolen and dispersed at the time of the Revolution. Subsequent monarchs, however, spent much of their time abroad and the palace lingered in the rather gloomy atmosphere it acquired during the long period of Charles’ infirmity. This did not change until the arrival of Prince Albert I and his second wife, Princess Alice. Although the sovereign was often at sea, Princess Alice put her own touch on the palace and society life in Monaco as she encouraged art, learning, music and dance. The place became something of a haven for intellectuals alongside the flow of visitors of every stripe to the booming casino at Monte Carlo.

Prince Louis II did not spend much of his life in Monaco, being in the field with the French army most of the time, his most lasting legacy being the opening of the Napoleonic museum at the palace where the bathing pavilion of Honore II had once stood. However, when his successor Rainier III married the American film icon Grace Kelly the Princely Palace was steadily lived in again and, for the first time in a long time, became a family home. Princess Grace redecorated, which drew some snide comments about what were perceived as California styles, but such attitudes did not last long. Rainier and Grace also oversaw the restoration of much of the priceless artwork at the palace while carrying out their own renovations, mostly geared toward making the palace a more practical home. It was also under Rainier III that the palace became part office as the home base of the big business that was the Grimaldis’ Monaco.

Today, although again often traveling, Prince Albert II still maintains his formal residence at the Princely Palace which, in recent years, has become as much a tourist attraction as many other Monegasque landmarks. State rooms are open to the public in the summer months, parts have the appearance of a museum, but the smart changing of the guard every day reminds all that it is still a monarchial residence.

The Grimaldis Take Monaco

Once Monaco came under the protection of Genoa it steadily grew. The fortifications were strengthened, there was a permanent garrison that was heavily armed and documents from 1252 even mention an “old castle” and a “new castle” which would seem to imply there were two. So it was no small task when the Grimaldi clan took it upon themselves to rest Monaco from Genoese control. As we have discussed before the conflict came about as a result of the struggle in Genoa between the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. The Guelphs were driven out of Genoa and into the protecting arms of Charles d’Anjou, comte de Provence. However, despite the Ghibellines taking over Genoa and being in a seemingly strong position they had not counted on the tenacity and aggressiveness of the House of Grimaldi. They planned a surprise attack on the main fortress on The Rock at Monaco.

This operation was taken in hand, famously, by Francesco Grimaldi, also known as Francesco (or Francois) the Cunning. Others called him Francesco Malizia or “Francis the Malicious”. It was the night of January 8, 1297 -picture it. A clear, cold night on The Rock, jutting out into the sea with the roar of waves crashing at the base. Atop the rock stands an imposing castle. There is a knock at the door. A sleepy guard finally responds, looking out to see a rugged, bearded man in the hooded brown robe of a Franciscan monk. The guard asks what the man wants. He replies that he is a poor monk, simply seeking shelter for the night. The tired guard opens the door, after all, Guelph or Ghibelline, they are all Christians.

If the guard had been paying closer attention he might have noticed that the monk was not barefoot or heard a slight clinking noise of metal on metal as the man came through the door. But, it was too late -Francesco Grimaldi pulled his sword from under his robe and dropped the guard with a single blow. He pulled back his hood and waved his companions in from the door. From around the walls Guelph soldiers dashed into the fortress, including Francesco’s stepson Rainier Grimaldi, future first Seigneur de Monaco. The first Ghibelline soldiers were wiped out in minutes and through the night the Guelph soldiers fought their way through the castle. Imagine the cold dark night, the castle perched high on The Rock, the screams from within drowned out by the crashing waves. Did any soldiers fall from the battlements onto the jagged cliffs or pounding surf below? Perhaps so, perhaps not, none of the details are known to history, just the basic fact that the attack happened. By the time dawn broke The Rock, and with it all of Monaco, was in the hands of the House of Grimaldi.

That night in 1297 was the start of the modern history of Monaco as we know it and the start of Grimaldi rule which has continued, with occasional interruption, to this day. The event is commemorated throughout Monaco. A number of stamps have featured the nighttime attack or Francesco Grimaldi. A statue of the intrepid Guelph stands in front of the Princely Palace and the event is symbolically represented on the Grimaldi coat-of-arms which feature two men dressed as monks brandishing swords.

Monaco and the Grimaldis: The Early History

The settlement of Monaco as we know it today began on June 6, 1215 with a Genoese man named Foulques de Castello. He entered the port of Hercules with three galleys full of soldiers and a number of other transport ships carrying construction workers and building materials and immediately went to work building a fortress on The Rock; 37 sections of ramparts guarded by four large towers. The Republic of Genoa also encouraged settlement with a message promising free land for all who would be willing to relocate to Monaco to establish a Genoese presence there. They would not have to pay taxes or rent, a fact which many subsequent historians have pointed to as proof that Monaco, from the very beginning, even before Grimaldi rule, was something of a tax-haven.

It should be noted that among the Genoese moving to Monaco, the Grimaldi family was not among them. It is seldom the well-established who pack up and move to new lands to start over and the Grimaldis of Genoa were certainly well established even at that early date. At least by 1133 this was so as Otto Canella (founding father of the Grimaldi clan) was made a consul of the Republic of Genoa. This same office was held three times by his son, Grimaldo Canella, and it was because of his prominence that the family itself came to be known by the name Grimaldi starting with his son Oberto Grimaldi. The office of consul was held by four families in rotation and they are among the most famous in the history of the Mediterranean area; the Spinolas, the Fieschis, the Dorias and the Grimaldis.

However, Grimaldi family members were leaders in areas other than politics. Some were merchants and over time became major trade tycoons, others got into finance and became leaders in the banking industry but the most famous were the soldiers. Gabriele Grimaldi was a naval commander in the service of Charles d’Anjou, Comte de Provence. Luchetto Grimaldi was fighting Venetians in Acre and then in Armenia in the competition between the maritime empires of the two aristocratic republics. Two of my personal favorites were Carlo Grimaldi, also a naval commander, who fought with his galleys in the distant Black Sea and Gentile Grimaldi who doubled as a diplomat, mediating between the opposing forces of the Bulgarians, the Ottoman Turks and the Mongol Empire. So, we see that the Grimaldi dynasty was already known all across the Mediterranean when the first major settlements and fortifications were being built on Monaco. It would not be long before the paths of the family and the country would cross and lead to even greater accomplishments and notoriety in the future.

The First Gift of Monaco

Most who know anything about the history of Monaco know that it was the Grimaldis of Genoa who took control of The Rock during the long feud between the Guelf and Ghibelline factions that raged throughout Italy between the adherents of the Pope and the (German) Holy Roman Emperor. But how was it that the aristocratic Italian Republic of Genoa ever came to have any interest in Monaco? Well, that was all thanks to the man seen above; the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI. He was born in Nijmegen (in what is now the Netherlands) in 1165 and was the son and heir of the famous German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. In his turn Henry VI became King of the Romans, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily. In the English-speaking world Emperor Henry VI is famous for ransoming King Richard the Lion Heart of England for 150,000 pieces of silver. However, in middle and southern Europe he was "the man" and particularly after he became the King of Sicily he was the most powerful monarch in the Mediterranean area, dominating the region and even recieving tribute from the Byzantines.

One small, often overlooked, part of his vast realm was the port of Monaco which was being ravaged by raiding Lombards and repeated attacks by Barbary pirates. It was the rampant piracy that began to be felt by Emperor Henry VI and so, to put a stop to it, he turned to the skillful seafarers of the Republic of Genoa. In 1191 the Emperor agreed to cede the port of Monaco to Genoa (at the time simply the harbor and The Rock) if the Genoese would build a castle on The Rock to be a base against pirate attacks. Evidently Genoa was not too concerned with this business deal as it took them all of twenty-four years to act on the bargain and build their fortress; finally recognizing that Monaco was very well placed between Genoa and Marseilles to be a lucrative port in their little merchant empire. So, the castle was finally built and Monaco came within the Genoese sphere of influence and it was that same castle which was famously captured, in a suprise attack, by Francesco Grimaldi on the night of January 8, 1297. So, the long history of the Grimaldi dynasty in Monaco all goes back to that one night when the castle was stormed, a castle built by the forces of Genoa that was first given to them in a bid to stop piracy by Emperor Henry VI in 1191.

Ancient Monaco

The history of Monaco, vivid enough as most know it, goes back much, much farther than the arrival of the Grimaldi dynasty from Genoa. The name “Monaco” actually came from the name of a Ligurian tribe that occupied the area which was known as the “Monikos”. As early as the 400’s BC the Greek historian Hecataeus of Miletus described Monaco as a city in Liguria -though he did not mean “city” in the way that we define it today. Still, ships took refuge in the natural port, people lived there and there was a permanent presence even then. The name for the Port of Hercules comes from an association so ancient it is undetermined when it began. Strabon, another Greek historian, wrote that, “In Monaco there is a temple dedicated to Hercules” and so the area has long been associated with the mythic Greek champion. In Roman times Pliny the Elder also wrote about the ‘Port of Hercules at Monaco’. Even the great Julius Caesar, when leaving his conquests in Gaul for Rome, boarded his ship for the return to Italy in the port at Monaco.

Evidence has been uncovered in excavations in a cave under St Judist’s Gardens that people have lived in what is now Monaco as far back as around 300,000 BC. Fittingly enough, ancient historians say that the original inhabitants (Ligurian mountain people) originally came from Genoa just as the Grimaldi Lords of Monaco were to do so many centuries later. The first to use the Ligurian name “Monikos” as a geographical term were the Phocaeans of Massalia who founded a colony sometime in the 6th Century BC. Ancient historians say that Hercules stayed in the area, while passing through, alone (thus the name Hercules Monoecus) and it was because of this that a shrine of some sort was erected in his honor and Hercules has been associated with Monaco ever since.

Roman historians explain this in one of two ways; either because Hercules drove out everyone else and lived there alone or because at his temple no other gods were worshipped besides Hercules alone. The Romans ruled Monaco for a very long time and numerous Roman historians, writers and even poets like Virgil make mention of Monaco which was part of the Roman province of the Maritime Alps or Gallia Transalpina. Today there are few other existing monarchies with such a long history as the Grimaldis of Monaco, yet, as can be seen, the small gem on the Riviera already had a very ancient history and had been trod by ancient Greeks, Romans and perhaps even by Hercules (;-)) when Francesco Grimaldi first set foot on the Rock to claim it as his own.

When the Emperor Came to Monaco

(Holy Roman Emperor Charles V)
The trouble began with the murder of Seigneur Lucien Grimaldi in 1523. He was succeeded by his brother, Bishop Agustin Grimaldi acting on behalf of his young son Honore I. In the feud that erupted between the Grimaldi family (especially the branch still in Genoa) and the murderers of Lucien both sides lined up with the on-going war between King Francis I of France and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. The primary leader of the murder plot and the effort to take over Monaco, Barthélemy Doria, was sheltered by the French queen mother, Louise de Savoie. Bishop Augustin later lured him to Monaco and captured him but let him go after being advised against executing the man by Pope Clement VII. Doria then went back to King Francis I and spent the rest of his life in the French army. So, who else did the Grimaldis of Monaco have to turn to but the Emperor?

It was rather significant that the Lord of Monaco at this time was a Catholic bishop. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was widely viewed as the Catholic champion of Europe and Pope Clement VII, after giving official papal recognition to Bishop Augustin as heir to his brother and rightful Lord of Monaco, urged him to come to an agreement with the Emperor and join the Hapsburg camp. Thus persuaded, though still cautious, the Lord-Bishop sent a relative, Leonardo Grimaldi, to Burgos to speak to the Emperor about an alliance with Monaco. Leo seems to have been a little overcome by imperial surroundings and more than arrange an alliance, on June 7, 1524 he pledged on behalf of the Lord of Monaco to swear, “total obedience in the service of his emperor”.

Monaco was badly in need of a strong protector it is true, but by his actions Leonardo had all but sold out the sovereignty and independence of Monaco which the Grimaldis had jealously guarded and defended for so long. Bishop Augustin was outraged when he learned what Leonardo had done in spite of the fact that he brought back an appointment from Charles V to the rank of Imperial Counselor and an annual pension of 2,000 écus. The bishop immediately informed the Emperor that Leonardo had overstepped his authority and the Emperor graciously annulled the oath Leonardo had made and recognized the independence of Monaco as a protectorate of Spain (Emperor Charles V also being King Carlos I of Spain).

Several years later, in the summer of 1529, after peace was finally secured with France, Emperor Charles V paid an imperial visit on the newest star in his orbit. He was on his way to Bologna where he was to be crowned by Pope Clement VII with the famous Iron Crown of Lombardy and along the way he dropped anchor in Monaco. Bishop Augustin put on a lavish ceremony to welcome the Emperor with all of the pomp and pageantry that Monaco could muster. For three days Emperor Charles V was feasted and celebrated in Monaco and when he finally departed Bishop Augustin went along with him, at least as far as Genoa, where some other members of the Grimaldi family owned a bank that had extended credit to Charles. The occasion was such an historic event for Monaco that it is still immortalized in a fresco on the façade of the palace chapel of St John the Baptist. (image below)

Congratulations to AS MONACO

The Monegasque, and probably Prince Albert and his nephew and football enthusiast Louis Ducruet have reason to cheer these days as the AS Monaco football club has made it to the French Cup finals. Thomas Mangani has said, "only important matches are left" and that they are going to take things as they come, one Saturday at a time and try to focus on winning each match and not get too far ahead of themselves. You can keep track and follow the favorite team of Mad for Monaco at the official website of AS Monaco football club here.

The 2010 Rose Ball

This year's Monte Carlo Rose Ball was a resounding success. Princess Caroline, keeping with tradition, picked out the theme of the party which was, this year, "Morocco" and everything from decoration to much of the chosen attire of the guests was built around the styles of the north African kingdom.

Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock

Prince Albert's longtime girlfriend Charlene Wittstock attended once again

The Sovereign Prince of Monaco

Charlene, Prince Albert and Princess Caroline pose with guests of honor Frederic Mitterand (French Culture Minister) and Princess Lalla Joumala Alaoui of Morocco

Charlotte Casiraghi, looking as lovely as usual

Charlotte attended with her older brother Andrea Casiraghi (cousin Melanie de Massy can be seen in the background)

Pierre Casiraghi attended with girlfriend Beatrice Borromeo

French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterand and Princess Lalla of Morocco

Princely cousin Melanie de Massy (right) granddaughter of Princess Antoinette of Monaco attended with Gaia Repossi

Also on hand were Princess Camilla and Prince Charles of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

Andrea Casiraghi's girlfriend Tatiana Santo Domingo (right) chose distinctly Moroccan fashions in keeping with this year's Rose Ball theme