Royal Family of Monaco

The name of the royal family of the small principality of Monaco is the Grimaldi family. The Monaco Royal Family has enjoyed the ruling power over Monaco for over seven hundred years. The principality of Monaco is located on the Mediterranean coast. The first prince of Monaco and the Monaco Royal Family was Lanfranco Grimaldi. Lanfranco Grimaldi was a merchant and he was an Italian by birth. Lanfranco Grimaldi was the member of the Genoan Guelphic family and encroached upon Monaco in the year 1297. Lanfranco Grimaldi the first lord of Monaco encroached upon the area due to the economic disagreement with the Ghibellines who were the rival tribe of Lanfranco Grimaldi.

After the death of Lanfranco in the year 1309 he was followed by Rainier I, who was the first cousin of Lanfranco. Rainier I was the forefather of all the consequent princes of Monaco. Rainier I was also a merchant but his trading activities were not like the activities of his predecessor. The Rainier I trading activities were lawful in nature for that reason he within an indefinite time earned the obedience of the French monarch. In the year 1304 the French monarch appointed Rainier I as the Grand Admiral of France.

In the year 1612 Monaco became a principality but it was still under the shelter of Spain. On that year the then ruler called Honore II declared himself as the prince of Monaco. The following princes of Monaco later increased their numbers of title by marrying a series of inheritresses of France. After this the prince of Monaco became the holder of nineteen other valuable titles. In 1793 the Grimaldi Royal family of Monaco exiled from Monaco following the French revolution.