Grimaldi Dynasty: 700 Years on the Rock
Grimaldi Dynasty: 700 Years on the Rock features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Monaco. Give it roughly ~20 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type historic
- Suggested visit ~20 min
- Monaco Monaco guide
About Grimaldi Dynasty: 700 Years on the Rock
The Grimaldi dynasty is the world's longest-ruling ruling dynasty still in power, François Grimaldi disguised as a Franciscan monk captured the Rock of Monaco in 1297, and his descendants have ruled the principality ever since, making Monaco one of the oldest sovereign states in Europe.
On 8 January 1297, a man calling himself Fray Guglielmo Adalbert, dressed in the grey habit of a Franciscan friar, knocked on the gate of the fortress of Monaco and asked for shelter. When the gate was opened, he drew a sword from beneath his habit and captured the fortress. His true name was François Grimaldi, a Genoese nobleman whose family had been expelled from Genoa in the political conflicts of the time. The Grimaldi arms bear two sword-carrying monks to this day, commemorating this act. The Grimaldi family went on to secure their position permanently, purchasing the lordship of Monaco from the Genoese in 1419, and they have remained the ruling family ever since, surviving French occupation (1793–1814), Spanish protectorate, and several international treaties that have repeatedly defined and redefined the relationship between Monaco and the great powers around it. The current ruler, Prince Albert II (born 1958, reigned since 2005), is a direct descendant of François Grimaldi, a continuity of over 720 years in the same family, in the same place.
Did you know? The Grimaldi family motto, 'Deo Juvante' (With God's Help), has been the motto of Monaco since the principality was formally established. It appears on the national coat of arms and on official Monegasque documents. The coat of arms' two sword-bearing monks reference François Grimaldi's 1297 disguise.
How long is a visit to Grimaldi Dynasty: 700 Years on the Rock?
Set aside roughly ~20 min for Grimaldi Dynasty: 700 Years on the Rock. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Grimaldi Dynasty: 700 Years on the Rock worth your time?
Grimaldi Dynasty: 700 Years on the Rock is among the 15 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Monaco, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Monaco
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