List of rulers of Monaco

Monaco

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The following is a chronological list of rulers of Monaco. Most belong to the House of Grimaldi; exceptions, which consist primarily of the principality's administrators under periods of foreign occupation, are noted.

Contents

Lords of Monaco

Name Portrait Reign start Reign end Notes
François Grimaldi January 8, 12971 Though François seized the Rock, he was never ruler of Monaco.
Rainier I, Lord of Cagnes January 8, 1297 April 10, 1301 François's cousin1
Under Genoese control from April 10, 1301 to September 12, 1331
Lords of Monaco (French: Seigneurs de Monaco)
Charles I September 12, 1331 August 15, 1357 Joint rulers from June 29, 1352 to August 15, 1357
Antonio June 29, 1352
Rainier II
Gabriel
Under Genoese control from August 15, 1357 to January 1395
Louis January 1395 December 19, 1395 First of two reigns2; jointly with Jean I
Jean I First of three reigns3; jointly with Louis
Under Genoese control from December 19, 1395 to May 11, 1397
Louis May 11, 1397 November 5, 1402 Second of two reigns
Under Genoese control from November 5, 1402 to June 5, 1419
Ambroise of Menton June 5, 1419 1427 Jointly with Antonie and Jean I
Antonie of Roquebrune Jointly with Ambroise and Jean I
Jean I October 3, 1436 Second of three reigns3; jointly with Ambroise and Antonie
Occupied by the Duchy of Milan under the governorship of Biagio Assereto from October 3, 1436 to November 1436
Jean I November 1436 May 8, 1454 Third of three reigns
Catalan May 8, 1454 July 1457  
Claudine July 1457 March 16, 1458  
Pomellina Fregoso July 1457 March 16, 1458 Regent for Lady Claudine
Lamberto March 16, 1458 March 1494  
Jean II March 1494 October 11, 1505 Murdered by his brother, Lucien
Lucien October 11, 1505 August 22, 1523 Assassinated by his nephew, Bartholomew Doria of Dolceacqua
Honoré I August 22, 1523 October 7, 1581  
Augustine Grimaldi August 22, 1523 April 14, 1532 Regent for Honoré I
Nicholas Grimaldi April 14, 1532 April 23, 1532
Étienne Grimaldi April 23, 1532 December 16, 1540
Charles II October 7, 1581 May 17, 1589  
Hercule May 17, 1589 November 29, 1604 Murdered
Honoré II November 29, 1604 January 10, 1662 Though he started his rule as Lord of Monaco, Honoré II later became the first Prince of Monaco4.
Prince Francis Landi of Valdetare November 29, 1604 1616 Regent for Honoré II

Princes of Monaco

Name Portrait Reign start Reign end Notes
Princes of Monaco (French: Princes de Monaco)
Honoré II November 29, 1604 January 10, 1662 Though he started his rule as the last Lord of Monaco, Honoré II later became Prince of Monaco4. His independent sovereignty was first recognized by Spain in 1633 and by France in 1641.[1]
Louis I January 10, 1662 January 2, 1701 Louis I is not to be confused with Louis, an earlier Lord of Monaco2.
Antonio I January 2, 1701 February 20, 1731  
Louise Hippolyte February 26, 1731 December 29, 1731  
Count Jacques Goyon de Matignon of Thorigny February 20, 1731 December 29, 1731 Regent for Louise Hippolyte until her death
Jacques I December 29, 1731 November 7, 1733 Left the country on May 20, 1732. Abdicated
Honoré III November 7, 1733 January 19, 1793  
Antoine, Chevalier de Grimaldi May 20, 1732 November 28, 1784 Regent for Jacques I until his abdication, then for Honoré III
National Convention January 19, 1793 February 24, 1793 President:
Joseph Barriera
Annexed by France on February 24, 1793; under French occupation until May 17, 1814
Armand Louis de Gontaut February 24, 1793 March 1, 1793 French commandant
Henri Grégoire March 1, 1793 French commissioners
Grégoire Marie Jagot
Under allied occupation from May 17, 1814 to June 17, 1814
Honoré IV May 30, 1814 February 16, 1819  
Joseph Grimaldi June 17, 1814 June 23, 1814 Regent for Honoré IV
State Council of Monaco June 23, 1814 March 4, 1819 Ruled on behalf of Honoré IV.
Members:
Louis Millo-Terrazzani
Horace Pretti de Saint-Ambroise
Antoine Sigaldi
Joseph Rey
Honoré Albini
Honoré Grimaldi March 3, 1815 February 16, 1819 Regent for his father Honoré IV in his old age; became Honoré V upon his father's death
Honoré V February 16, 1819 October 2, 1841  
Florestan I October 2, 1841 June 20, 1856  
Charles III June 20, 1856 September 10, 1889  
Albert I September 10, 1889 June 26, 1922  
Louis II June 26, 1922 May 9, 1949  
Rainier III May 9, 1949 April 6, 2005  
Prince Albert, Marquis of Baux March 31, 2005 April 6, 2005 The Crown Council of Monaco named Albert Regent for his father Rainier III while incapacitated; became Albert II upon his father's death
Albert II April 6, 2005 Present  

Notes

History of Monaco

This article is part of a series
Rock of Monaco
House of Grimaldi
(List of rulers)
Franco-Monegasque Treaty

 
  1. François Grimaldi is often cited as the principality's first ruler, though he was simply the leader of the group which seized the Rock of Monaco on 8 January 1297. François's cousin Rainier I, Lord of Cagnes, was, in fact, the first sovereign Grimaldi ruler of the area now known as Monaco. His successor Charles I, who retook the Rock after thirty years of Genoese rule, was the first true Lord of Monaco, and is thus widely considered the founder of the dynasty.
  2. Three men named Louis have ruled Monaco: Louis, Lord of Monaco, twice in the 1390s and early 15th century; Prince Louis I from 1662 to 1701; and Prince Louis II from 1922 to 1949.
  3. Jean I ruled or co-ruled for three separate periods. During the second, after the death of his co-ruler Antonie and the abdication of Ambroise in 1427, he continued as sole ruler, thus assuming a Roman numeral I in later historical texts.
  4. Starting in 1612, Honoré II was the first Monegasque ruler to add the personal style of Prince to his former title, Lord of Monaco; this became official when Philip IV of Spain recognized Monaco as a principality in 1633. It may be added that, through possession of territories in Italy, the Grimaldi rulers of Monaco were already entitled to the designation of prince, in a personal capacity.

See also

References