The History of Monaco, past and present

Preface

. Little excuse need be offered for writing the " His tory of Monaco" in English, as our countrymen have made it a perfect British colony, and its " Past and Pre sent " must necessarily be of interest to them. Many and sincere thanks are due from the author to various Mentonaises, who spared neither time nor trouble in seeking for and obtaining confirmation of several points difficult of proof, in consequence of the obstruc tions raised by those now in authority at Monaco, their object being to prevent any one giving the public a statement of facts, which must inevitably condemn their recent rule, to the world. The author is especially indebted to the librarian of the Bihliotheque Public at Mentone for the help and as sistance he gave, and for the valuable manuscripts he placed at his disposal, which were freely made use of and copied from.

London, November, 1S67. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. THE OEIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY . . . . 1 II. THE FIRST GRIMALDI . . 15 III. CHARLES GRIMALDI, FIRST LORD OF MONACO . . 31 IV. RAINIER GRIMALDI 48 V. JOHN CATALAN LAMBERT 63 VI. JOHN II. LUCIEN 83 VII. SPANISH PROTECTORATE 106 VIII. HONORE II. . . . . . . . . . . 133 IX. SEPARATION FROM SPAIN 148 X. LEWIS I. ANTHONY 1 169 XI. HONOR^ III. THE REPUBLIC — HONORE IV. . . 197 OCCUPATION OF MONACO BY THE ENGLISH HONORE V. . . . . . . • • • • 229 CONTENTS. VIII CHAP. PAGE XIII. FLORESTAN 1. THE REVOLUTION . . . . 256 XIV. THE CHEVALIER TRENCA . . . . . . • • 286 XV. CHARLES III. . . 311 CONCLUSION • • 331

Appendix

. . . . . . . . . . • • THE HISTORY OF MONACO.

Chapter I. The Origin And Early History

300 B.c 944 a.d. Perched on a rock rising 300 feet from the sea, and stretching like a point into it, is the little town of Monaco, nearly all that now remains of the former principality. Its origin has been traced back as far as 1700 years B.C., hence one may almost state it to be lost in antiquity. That Hercules of Thebes was its founder is generally admitted, and ancient authors speak of its port as Portus Herculis Monœci. But the first period one really hears it spoken of with any degree of authenticity is by Hecatæus of Miletus, who wrote about 500 years b.c. When writing of the THE HISTOKY OF MONACO. ports of the Mediterranean, he mentions Monaco as a town of Liguria. But we learn still more from Strabo, who not only mentions it frequently, but remarks that the harbour is small and little capable of affording shelter to many or large vessels.

However, it must nevertheless have had a certain military importance, which later rendered it a citadel sufficiently impregnable, to afford shelter during the Genoese Republic to the Guelfs and Ghibellines altern ately. Ammianus Marcellinus, who lived in the fourth century, and other authors relate that, after a victory gained against the Ligurians, Hercules consecrated the mountain and port of Monaco to his honour, and, further, that Hercules was worshipped in that part of Liguria, as he was at a later period all over Italy. Some historians assert the Phœnicians to have been the founders of the town of Monaco ; that they, after spreading their religion in Egypt, dispersed over the coast of the Mediterranean, raising temples to Hercules in Spain, Gaul, and Italy. It is worthy of notice that all places consecrated to Hercules in Italy were mari time, hence it is inferred that the Phœnicians, being a seafaring people, were, at any rate, the first civilized settlers in Monaco.

The introduction of the palm tree is also due to them, their name originating in the great number of palms that grew in their neighbourhood, and which trees they endeavoured to plant wherever they themselves settled. At that period Monaco had not the slightest im portance as a town, but simply as a maritime station. Before the Christian era the Maritime Alps were in habited by savage tribes, whose occupations consisted in hunting, fishing, and warfare. Then came the Phocians, who, after a bloody struggle with the in habitants, entirely subdued this portion of the Alps ; they then taught them agriculture and introduced the olive, since become the great source of wealth to the country. Prom the time of Hannibal the inhabitants of Monaco and the country around were compelled to keep up an incessant warfare against the Romans, Which terribly weakened their armies without any benefit accruing to them in return.

The rivalry between Pompey and Cæsar also affected this part of the Mediterranean. Monaco sided with Cæsar, whilst Nice and Marseille, under a pretended neutrality, ranged themselves on Pompey 's side. Cæsar, however, being victorious, crossed the Alps, and going to Monaco, embarked from that port for Genoa, from THE HISTORY OE MONACO. 4 whence he proceeded to Rome. Æneas makes allu sion to this journey.* -Roman dominion, which for long had been strug gling for supremacy in Liguria, was at length definitely settled by a famous battle, in which Augustus Cæsar was conqueror. A temporary peace was the result, and a lasting memorial in the famous tower at Turbia, which all who have ever travelled over the Cornice road must be well acquainted with. It stands in ruined grandeur midway between Nice and Mentone, on the summit of the mountain, and commands an entire view of the ex-principality of Monaco.

But half the tower is standing, yet it is only on a near ap proach one perceives that one side has been entirely destroyed. It remained entire till 1706, when the French, considering it as a fortification, destroyed it at the same time as the Castle at Nice. The name Turbia has, according to Gioffredo, who quotes from the Levins manuscripts, degenerated from Trophœa Augusti, which was first cut down to Tropea, then Tropia, Torbia, and finally Turbia. In 15S5 Father Boyer states that a colossal head of Augustus was found by himself within the fortress, and though in a sadly mutilated condition, yet suffi- 0 Virgil, Æneid, song vi. verse 830. ciently preserved for him to take its measurement, which, he says, made him calculate the statue, when entire, to have been fully 22 feet in height. Towards the latter end of the last century a head of Drusus was dug out of some ruins, which is preserved in the Museum at Copenhagen, where it was placed by the Prince of Denmark, who purchased it himself on the spot.* At the time of Otho and Vitellius disputing the Roman empire, Marius Maturus held the Maritime Alps, and levied large forces amongst the mountaineers with the object of driving Otho from the country, but the peasants, incapable of contending against such powerful antagonists, were mostly cut to pieces, and those that escaped death were speedily dispersed.

In the year 69 a.d. Otho and Vitellius met in a sanguin ary engagement in the environs of Monaco and Lumone.f In this battle Vitellius entirely lost his Ligurian supporters, when Favius Valens, who acknow ledged him as emperor, landed at Monaco with troops destined to strengthen his partisan, Marius Maturus. * In 1859 the Piedmontese government resolved to restore the Tower of Augustus, and all the plans were prepared for that pur. pose, when war put an end to the enterprise. When peace again reigned Turbia belonged to France. t A town, the traces of which are still to be found on Cape Martin. This, however, proved a fatal expedition. Vespasian having been proclaimed emperor by some Asiatic legions, sent his lieutenant, Valerius, to take Favius, an order which was carried out without much difficulty, the winds and waves favouring the former.

Favius Valens' ship was driven on shore on the islands of Hyeres, where Valerius easily captured him. From that moment victory continued with the Emperor Vespasian. Thus it was between Monaco and Hyeres that the fate of Vitellius was decided. The Emperors Vitellius and Pertinax are both said to have been born at Turbia, and as no other country assumes to itself the honour of giving birth to them, it may be that Turbia but claims that which is her own. Pertinax, in 1Q3, is stated to have built the towers of Chateau-Neuf and the Spelugues, in order to protect the post of Monaco ; and that Septimus Severus ordered fortifications on the plateau of Mone ghetti. But there is nothing to prove this beyond tradition. About the time of Vitellius' death Christianity was first preached in the Maritime Alps by St Barnabas, and afterwards by St Nazaire, who pro claimed the gospel at Cimiez, near Nice, under Nero's reign.

Both were martyred at Rome. In the time of Decius St Bassus, , the first Bishop of Nice, was martyred in that town, as was also his successor, St Pons. Persecutions were frightful everywhere, but in the joint reigns of Diocletian and Maximilian they assumed a violence terrible to think of even at this distance of time. Death was invariably preceded by tortures of the most exquisite cruelty. Men, women, and children were alike the victims of faith. It was one continued blood-shedding, the contest was awful, yet the preach ing of the gospel continued, and as score after score of the faithful fell beneath the sufferings they were called on to endure, score after score rose up to fill the empty ranks left vacant by the martyrs of Chris tianity. Amongst those whose history is mixed up with that before us is Saint Devote's, the patron saint of Monaco.

Her story, as given in the chronicles of the Lerins, is as follows : — ' In the time of the Emperors Diocletian and Maxi milian there lived in Corsica a young maiden named Devote, a Christian from her birth. Hearing that a go vernor was about to be sent to the island in order to persecute the Christians, Devote went secretly to the house of Senator Euticus, as much out of fear of the Pagans as with the hope that there she might, under his protection, follow out the precepts of her religion in peace. ' This happy follower of Christ, brought up in all Christian virtues, passed her days and nights in singing praises to God, and delivering her body up to the severest austerity. Incessantly she meditated on these words : — " Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

She subdued her body by abstinence, and none could dis suade her from the most rigorous fasts, or induce her to take subsistence except on days of relaxation. Euti cus remarked all this and remonstrated with her, asking her why she thus wore away her life by such severe fasts. She replied that she was not exhausting her life, for God daily strengthened her with His good gifts. After that Euticus ceased to vex her with ques tions, being filled with a pious fear, and from that time forth he was unable to look on her countenance, from the brilliancy of the light that shone on it. ' Soon after the expected governor arrived in the island, attended by a numerous suite, and offered sacrifices to the gods. All the principal people of Corsica assembled together, Euticus amongst them. The sacrifices were proceeded with, and incense offered to their idols.

On hearing this Devote mourned over their blindness, and gave herself up to unceasing prayer for their conversion. Some one informed the governor of the existence of this young girl, of her having sought refuge in the house of Senator Euticus, and of her re fusing to sacrifice to the gods. Then the governor turned to Euticus, and desired him to deliver the maiden up to him. This the senator refused to do ; then the governor, fearing to quarrel with him openly, he being an influential man, had him secretly poisoned, and then sent his emmissaries to take the Christian maiden and bring her before him. Whilst being led away she never ceased repeating these words : " 0 God, come to my aid ; hasten, Lord, to help me." ' The moment she stood before the governor he commanded her to offer a sacrifice to the gods.

She replied, "Each day sees me serving the true God, with the desire of a pure heart ; as to your gods, gods of wax and stone, I deny them, they are but masks, that neither see nor hear." Then the governor, carried away with rage, desired her mouth to be crushed with stones, and cried, " Cease to blaspheme the gods and goddesses." He then ordered her to be bouud hand and foot and dragged over sharp-pointed rocks ; during this torture she said, " I thank thee, my THE HISTORY OE MONACO. Saviour, that thou hast found me worthy to be martyred for thy sake. Receive also thy servant Euticus, who for my sake was barbarously murdered by this cruel man." 'More exasperated than ever at her words, he commanded her to be suspended from the horse, a fearful instrument of torture, where she cried to her Saviour to receive her soul.

Then was a voice heard saying, " My worthy servant, thy voice is heard, all that thou hast asked or wilt ask thou shalt obtain." At the same moment a dove flew out of her mouth, aud taking rapid flight, ascended up to heaven. ' The governor hearing that the young virgin's soul had already been received into heaven, ordered her body to be burnt. At the same time two Christian priests, that fear of persecution had caused to conceal themselves in a cave, were warned in a vision to go immediately and take the body of the martyred maiden out of the island. Accordingly they made arrangements with a mariner named Gratian ; and in the night, escorted by a multitude of virgins, they car ried the body on board the boat, embalmed it, and set sail for Africa ; but a strong south wind kept driving them northwards.

The little bark was tossed to and fro, and kept filling with water ■ all night long they worked hard to save themselves from sinking. At length Gratian said to one of the priests that he must watch the boat whilst he himself took some repose. Very soon he fell asleep, and then the young girl's spirit appeared to him, and touching him, said, " Rise, the wind is going down and the sea is becoming calm, your bark will no longer fill with water and will cease to battle with the waves. You and the holy priests watch attentively, and when you see a dove come out of my mouth follow it till you arrive at a place called, in Greek, Monaco ; in Latin, Singular e ; there bury my body." Then he rose up, and looking attentively, they all saw the dove come forth from her mouth, and they followed it to the spot indicated by the saint.

On reaching Monaco the dove rested in the Valley of Gaumates, where there is a church in honour of St George, there they placed the body of the holy virgin and martyr, Devote, on the 16th day of the February Calends (27th January).' The chief interest that rests with this legend is that to this day St DeVote's fete is kept with great ceremony on the 27th of January in each year, priests carrying her sacred relics, and processions formed by all the inhabitants of the little principality to do honour to her memory. An oratory was built at the entrance of the Gaumates valley for the purpose of containing the relics, but since that they have been removed to the parish church. In 1612 Honors, second Prince of Monaco, erected a bronze statue in honour of St Devote. A time of peace followed these terrible persecutions, which seemed to give promise of repose to Rome and the newly-Christianized worldbut it was of short duration : the calm but proved the forerunner of such stirring events that the downfall of the Roman empire was the consequent result.

Her ruin was making rapid strides onwards. A host of barbarians, after committing depredations throughout Gaul, finally brought complete deso lation to entire Italy, and left their bloody traces from one end of the country to the other. Monaco, owing to her protected position, escaped for some time the fate of other towns along the littoral ; but in the end, like the rest, she was given over to pillage and fire. The fall of the Roman empire caused Liguria to be freed from her dominion ; but the Lombards, into whose hands she fell, proved but cruel and oppressive masters. From 590 till 775, when Charlemagne removed the yoke from off their necks by uniting their country to his empire, they were but mere slaves. Still peace and rest were far from them. A new, terrible, and unexpected enemy assailed them in the Saracens.

But, seeing their danger, they easily resolved to strengthen themselves by union, and in 729 the towns of the Ligurian littoral joined together, and by common consent placed themselves under the protectorate of Genoa. This enabled them, conjointly with the help afforded them by Charlemagne; to keep at bay their assailants, and during his life the Saracens never made way on these shores • but the great emperor was hardly in his grave before their troubles began afresh, and with no longer the power successfully to combat them. They took and held the best positions in Provence. Amongst the principal was the famous fortress of Fraxinet, by some historians believed to be near St Tropez, but by others on the peninsula of St Ptospice, between Nice and Monaco, near to Eza ; at any rate, all agree in stating the Saracens to have been masters of the entire position from Monaco to St Tropez, and that they had even entered Savoy, Cisju rane, King of Burgundy, having actually permitted their establishing themselves, perhaps, though we are not told so, because he could not help himself.

They strengthened themselves on the mountains around Monaco, at St Agnes, Turbia, and Eza, pillaging the whole country, massacring the inhabitants, and burn ing the towns. Hugues, King of Italy, receiving letters from his wife, Bertha, urging him to send and chastise these enemies of Christianity, gathered together powerful forces to attack them by sea and by land ; which he did successfully, taking their great fortress of Fraxinet from them and driving them into the Esterel mountains ; but there he feared to follow them, and in 944 he brought the warfare to a conclusion by a dishonourable treaty, giving them back Fraxinet and even granting them territory in Dauphiny and Savoy, on condition that they took part with Hugues against Berenger, his rival claimant to the throne of Italy, and that they held the pass of St Bernard, and the Valley of Noster, preventing any attempt of Berenger to cross that way. But this treaty, as might be ex pected, was broken the first opportunity it suited the Saracens. (See Appendix A.)

Chapter II. The First Grimaldi

It was not till 973 that there appeared any prospect of the Saracens being driven from this part of the world • then William, first Viscount of Marseilles, Count of Aries, and a descendant of Bozon, King of Aries, determined to drive them from his dominions,* which extended over nearly the whole of Provence. Pie attacked them by land and sea, and was supported by many a valiant hand ■ all were ready to join the common cause against the barbarian invaders. The Great Fraxinet was taken, and this time, for fear of eventualities, was razed to the ground. Then were the Saracens pursued from stronghold to stronghold, till at length they were driven to take refuge in a range of rocky mountains, that on one side were almost perpendicular, and on the other not much easier of approach, and hence were con- * The Saracens took possession of the Convent of St Sauveur, near Marseilles, and cut off the noses of all the nuns. sidered inaccessible.

They managed, however, by scaling these rocky peaks, to gain a position nearer the sea, which to them was of vital importance • and whilst gathering all their forces together in these deso late regions, hope, that for a time began to fade, once more revived amongst them. On the other hand, wearied by such persistent opposition, apparently making way, yet never actually gaining ground, the Christian troops began to despond and to urge their commanders to give up so hopeless a conquest. Fore most in the victories already gained, and the leader to whom was due the glory of taking the Great Fraxi net, was one Giballin Grimaldi, a noble of Genoese origin, who, amongst many others, had tendered his services to William of Marseilles. A valiant and brave soldier, he could not resign himself to the thought of letting the Saracens remain in peace and at liberty to go on with their cruelties whilst he still had forces at his command.

He there fore resolved on one final attempt, and he imparted his enthusiasm in the cause to those he was about to lead to death or victory. In the dead of night, when all was still, he deter mined to lead on his forlorn hope. In order to sur prise the enemy, he determined to scale the perpendi- , U ■ ■■ cular side of the rock. This was done successfully, and, as he anticipated, he found no watch to warn them of his approach. They reached the summit safely and unnoticed, and the result fulfilled the wildest hopes of the brave soldier, he gained a complete victory ; the whole of the Saracens were massacred before sun rise, and Giballin Grimaldi returned to the valley to meet the reward that he well merited. His brilliant services were recompensed, by Wil liam conferring on him as fief land the coast be tween St Tropez and Frefjus • which formerly was called Sinus Sambracitanus, but, in honour of the gallant soldier, was named the Gulf of Grimaud.

The deed of gift was drawn up and executed in Sep tember, 980. This date is the earliest authentic period from which it is possible to trace the Grimaldis as holding any power over the territory of Monaco. The actual history of their house may be said to commence from this time, though there is much diversity of opinion on the subject. According to some old records kept in the library of Mentone, the principality of Monaco belonged to the Grimaldis from 920, through the gift of Otho I., for having gained a victory over the Saracens in that yearbut as Otho at that period could only have been eight years of age, and that he did not begin to reign till 937, and that he died in 973, without fulfilling his oft-repeated promise of driving away the Saracens, it is not a record of much value. Again, Venasque, secretary to Honore* II., Prince of Monaco, made out in 1647 a genealogical tree of the House of Grimaldi, tracing, in a way sufficiently satisfactory to please his master, their descent as far back as 712 to Pepin d'Heristal, whose son was as sassinated at Liege in 714.

Pepin then placed his grandchild, a boy of five years of age, in his father's place as mayor of the palace of Anstrasia. However Venasque is not worthy of any dependence ■ his genea logical tree was drawn up to gratify and gain favour with Honors II., and all facts recorded by him that coidd in any way cast a shade over a Grimaldi are carefully clothed in language that well conceals de fects. The most accepted account of the origin of the Grimaldi family is the one we have first given • and Giballin was valiant and brave enough to be received by them as the founder of their house, however great their pride may be. That in 9S0 the Saracens were in possession of the fortresses of the Great Fraxinet, St Hospice, Turbia, Eza, St Agnes, and Villafranca, is authenti cated ; therefore it is barely probable that the Gri maldis were the lords of Monaco from 920 without any recorded attempt to rid themselves of such destructive neighbours till Giballin rose up from obscurity and expelled them from the country.

Moreover, the fact of Hugues, King of Italy, being, in 944, urged to send forces against them, and after a victory entering into a treaty with them by which he restored the Great Fraxinet to them, and no mention whatever occurring of the name of Grimaldi, proves that, at that period, they could have had no title to be called either masters or possessors of the territory, or even to have had a share in the warfare carried on against the in vaders by the King of Italy, neither could William of Marseilles have conferred on Giballin Grimaldi as a reward for his achievements the land from Saint Tropez to Frejus, if it already belonged to his father, or to himself in right of his father. At any rate their history is a blank till 9S0, unless we accept the romance drawn by Venasque. Notwithstanding their expulsion from Liguria and Provence, the Saracens still held ground at the two extremities.

Giballin therefore erected a habitable tower, where he himself resided between the sea and where the Great Fraxinet had stood, thus placing himself in a position to be instantly aware of any ap proach of his enemies, or even any attempt to attack him, either by land or sea. He had not long to wait for action. Giballin Grimaldi's character resembled in many points that of Garibaldi • he was ever ready to help the weak and fight on the side of the oppressed. His philanthropic nature was already well known, and hence the resolution adopted by the Nizzards to send a deputation to him and implore his assistance against their common enemy, who still held the Little Fraxinet.* To their already powerful army Giballin instantly joined his forces, and himself took the command, and after several hard-fought battles he succeeded in driving them from Villafranca, Castellare, Turbia, and St Hospice, the Little Fraxinet was destroyed, and the Ligurian borders delivered from the barbarians.

Monaco, like all tho adjacent towns, did not re cover the oppression it had been subject to during the eighth, ninth, and tenth centuries, till 1215, when it was restored by the Genoese. From the time the * The Little Fraxinet is supposed to have been situated at Villa franca or St Hospice. I THE FIRST GRIMALDI. 21 Saracens were driven out till 1191 the rock was utterly abandoned, then the Emperor Henry VI., perceiving the importance of its position, made it over to Genoa. This had already been done by Raymond V., Count of Toulouse, who had granted them the power of trad ing in all the towns between Aries and Turbia, and also conferred on them the place and mountain of Monaco, with the lands dependent on it, ' to enjoy as actual possessors.' But till the Emperor of Germany confirmed the gift the Genoese took no advantage of it.

Then, however, they sent two consuls and two nobles, accompanied by two of the emperor's deputies, who, in Henry VI. 's name, invested the consuls with the power of holding and possessing the rock, port, and entire territory of Monaco. In this transaction there is no mention made of the Grimaldis or their claim over the lands thus disposed of, nor do we hear of them again, except casually, till they rise to the surface in the quarrels between the Guelfs and Ghibellines. The Genoese were notwithstanding unable to establish themselves in Monaco for four-and-twenty years after it was made over to them, owing to the feel ing of animosity existing against them amongst the Nizzards and Counts of Provence, who, by incessant hostilities, kept them in constant anxiety ; still we do not hear of a Grimaldi standing in their path, or being in any active way engaged against them.

In 1215 they at last made a forward step, and on the 6th of June in that year Falco de Castello and several nobles were enabled to land at Monaco, and were followed by ships laden with wood, lime, iron, and other building materials, and on the 10th of the same month the foundation of the palace was laid, nor did they leave till the circumference wall and four towers were built. In 1220 Frederic II., son of Henry VI., ratified his father's gift to the Genoese, on the condition that all forts raised in Monaco should be reserved, and always ready for the service of the empire. Thus by a double donation were the Genoese secured to Monaco and its lands. Twenty years later wars broke out between the Republic and Frederic II., then the Genoese sought the alliance of Raymond Berenger, Count of Provence.

They sent ambassadors to him, and on the 22nd of July, in the year 1240, a Convention was signed at Aix, in the Count's Chapel, by which, amongst other things, it was stipulated that ' Berenger renounced all claim to the rock, port, and littoral of Monaco, and over all the country from Turbia to Genoa.' It was about this time that the Lascaris, Counts of Ventimiglia, ceded Mentone, Piupin, * and Rocca bruna, which from the expulsion of the Saracens were dependent on them, to the great Genoese, William Vento. The Republic, however, claiming jurisdiction, a lawsuit followed, in which Vento 'succeeded in proving his rights over the towns in dispute, and to him was granted the power of appointing governors, judges, &c, &c. Prom the time of Giballin Grimaldi till the latter half of the thirteenth century little that is worth recording is known of his family.