principality · France and the Low Countries

Principality of Monaco

1297 CE – present · capital Monaco

A rock on the Riviera seized by the Grimaldis in 1297 and still ruled by them, now one of the world's smallest and richest sovereign states.

Origins

In January 1297 François Grimaldi, a Genoese Guelph exile, took the fortress of Monaco disguised as a Franciscan friar, an event recalled in the monk on the family arms. The Grimaldis lost and regained the rock several times before establishing lasting control in the 15th century.

Rule and society

The Grimaldis governed as lords, later princes, balancing between Genoa, Spain, France and Savoy. Honoré II placed Monaco under French protection in 1641 and adopted the title of prince. Revenues came from tolls, olive oil and citrus from Menton and Roquebrune, until Charles III founded the Monte Carlo casino in 1863.

To the present

Monaco was annexed by France in 1793 and restored in 1814 under Sardinian protection. Menton and Roquebrune broke away in 1848 and were sold to France in 1861. Constitutions of 1911 and 1962 limited princely power; under Rainier III and Albert II it became a banking and tourism centre.

Lineage

Principality of MonacoFree Cities of Menton and Roquebrune 1848 CE – 1861 CE

Connections (4)

Principality of Monaco was a protectorate of Spanish Empire1524 CE – 1641 CE
Principality of Monaco was a protectorate of Kingdom of France1641 CE – 1793 CE
Principality of Monaco was conquered by French First Republic1793 CE – 1814 CE
Principality of Monaco was a protectorate of Kingdom of Sardinia1815 CE – 1860 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Principality of Monaco. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-monaco
MLA: “Principality of Monaco.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-monaco. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Principality of Monaco.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-monaco.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Principality of Monaco’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-monaco (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻