Monaco

Monaco, 1297 to today. Draft, not yet reviewed

The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco, with brief interruptions, since 1297. In 1419 the Grimaldi family purchased Monaco from the Crown of Aragon. Revolutionary forces captured Monaco in 1793, and it was occupied by the French until 1814. Monaco's sovereignty was officially recognised by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty of 1861, and it became a full United Nations voting member in 1993.

Seat of power: Monaco

Rulers

Lucien, Lord of Monaco

Prince of Monaco, 1505–1523

In December 1506, 14,000 Genoese troops besieged Monaco and its castle, and in March 1507 Lucien routed the Genoese. In 1515 Lucien bought the feudal rights over the city of Mentone, bringing the city under Monaco's sovereignty.

Portrait of Lucien, Lord of Monaco: att. Ambrogio de Predis, Public domain, file

Charles III, Prince of Monaco

Prince of Monaco, 1856–1889

During his reign the towns of Menton and Roquebrune were formally ceded to France. The Principality was in dire need of cash flow, so Prince Charles and his mother, Princess Caroline, had the idea of erecting a casino. Monte Carlo takes its name from Charles, its founder.

Portrait of Charles III, Prince of Monaco: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file

Albert I, Prince of Monaco

Prince of Monaco, 1889–1922

Albert I devoted much of his life to the study of the sea and oceans. In March 1910 there were mass protests against his rule, and on 5 January 1911 he granted Monaco a constitution. In the Great War Monaco declared its neutrality but provided the Allied forces with hospitals, convalescent centers, and soldiers.

Portrait of Albert I, Prince of Monaco: J. B. E. Detaille, Public domain, file

Louis II, Prince of Monaco

Prince of Monaco, 1922–1949

In 1924 the Monaco Football Club was formed, and in 1929 the first Grand Prix of Monaco automobile race was held. In 1942 the Italian Army invaded and occupied Monaco, and Nazi Germany occupied it shortly after. On the night of August 27, 1942, Monaco authorities rounded up 90 Jewish residents and handed them over to the Nazis; all but nine were murdered in the Holocaust.

Portrait of Louis II, Prince of Monaco: Georges Detaille, Public domain, file

Rainier III, Prince of Monaco

Prince of Monaco, 1949–2005

Rainier became the Sovereign Prince of Monaco at the age of 25 on 9 May 1949. To make up for lost income, he decided to promote Monaco as a tax haven, commercial centre, real-estate development opportunity, and international tourist attraction. In 1962 Rainier ratified a new constitution that significantly reduced the power of the sovereign.

Portrait of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco: Robert LeRoy Knudsen, Public domain, file

Albert II, Prince of Monaco

Prince of Monaco, 2005 to today

Albert was appointed regent in March 2005 after his father fell ill, and became sovereign prince upon his father's death a week later. In the early years of his reign Albert oversaw multiple judicial and legal reforms, including freedom of the press and the protection of children's rights. Since his accession he has been outspoken in the field of environmentalism and an advocate of ocean conservation.

Portrait of Albert II, Prince of Monaco: Lula Oficial, CC BY-SA 2.0, file

Culture

Its economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with the opening of the state's first casino, the Monte Carlo Casino. In 1869 the principality stopped collecting income tax from its residents.
The Monaco Grand Prix was founded in 1929 and has been on the Formula One calendar since the first season in 1950. Since 1911 the ending portions of the Monte Carlo Rally have been held in the principality.
The principality's signature style, particularly in Monte Carlo, is that of the Belle Époque. Monaco has an opera house, a symphony orchestra and a classical ballet company.
Italian was the official language in Monaco until 1860, when it was replaced by French. Although French is the official language of Monaco, Italian and Monégasque are also widely spoken and understood.

Picture

The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco.

Image: Nikolai Karaneschev, CC BY 3.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.