Annales monégasques

This article is an introduction of this new issue, which traces the history of Prince Rainier III‘s reign, through general topics like social life, important works, tourism, industry and politics. (full text in French)

This second article illustrates the five decades during which Prince Rainier III reigned, thanks to pictures, for most unpublished, and comments with some Journal de Monaco quotes. (full text in French)

The foundation stone of the present casino was laid in 1858. Since then, the architecture of this building has changed according to the pictorial and musical fashions, but also the needs of every age. This article shows an overall map and pictures, sometimes unpublished, of the casino. Containing commentaries, those pictures introduce us to a universe of beauty and elegance. (full text in French)

A national march was created in the early 19th century, after a murky political period ended by the secession of Menton and Roquebrune. The march was transformed into anthem, with Prince Charles III’s support, in order to establish the international status of Monaco. Several instrumental versions exist, and the author presents two of them. (full text in French)

Madame de Sévigné was a Parisian in the soul, and came to Provence to visit her daughter, François de Grignan’s wife, who was then Governor of Provence. This epistolary relationship was the only way for those women to communicate. Even if Madame de Sévigné had never been in Monaco, she imagined the Principality when her daughter visited the princess of Monaco in 1672. (full text in French)

In 1912, the name of the opera of Monte-Carlo was associated to Raoul Gunsbourg, director of this prestigious institution since 1892. His artistic choices, safe and original, permitted to settle the operas of Boito, Verdi, Rossini and Puccini which built the reputation of this establishment. (full text in French)

Bought in 1346 by the lords of Monaco, the Cap Martin property was the princes’ hunting place in the next centuries. Antoine I could not move a lot because he had gout but he enjoyed hunting in this place, on a litter, and stayed in his Menton “casin”. (full text in French)

The treaty of Péronne was fundamental for the Monaco’s history. Its signature put an end to the Spanish protectorate, which was settled in 1524, and it represented the beginning of the French protectorate… for 152 years… (full text in French)

Françoise-Thérèse de Choiseul-Stainville, Joseph Grimaldi’s wife and Prince Honoré III’s daughter-in-law, was the only princess of Monaco who died guillotined. This article refers to this sensitive women who was born in a gold cocoon and who died on the last revolutionary cart, 28 years later. (full text in French)

Instigator of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, Prince Albert I, also called “the scientific prince”, travelled widely over the seas to advance the oceanographic knowledge. But his works also led to discover, for instance, anaphylaxy, in the medical field. (full text in French)

The power of issuing money was one of the best ways to affirm a state’s sovereignty. The princes of Monaco were convinced of this idea in 1612. Throughout the 17th century, they issued money for the prestige and wealth, but also in order to increase the international recognition. (full text in French)

Pierre Gobert was a painter from Paris we don’t know much about. However, he was chosen by Prince Jacques I to paint his wife Louise-Hyppolite and their children’s portraits, that is to say around ten canvas. Through an analysis of his paintings, this article introduces us to the world of the greatest. (full text in French)

This article is the second part of a study, the first part of which was published in the issue n° 19 of Annales monégasques. It deals with the actions of Prince Honoré III during the French Revolution troubles that affected Monaco. (full text in French)

Prince Louis I was a strong defender and passionate about the France’s greatness, which was represented by his own godfather Louis XIV. That is the reason why he was considered as a right-hand man to manage the awkward political situation that France was facing in the very end of the 17th century. Has he been up to the situation? (full text in French)

Honoré II was the first prince of Monaco. He gave his country a new identity and an international status. This article refers to the events’ and attitudes’ history and gives more details regarding the political, religious and social aspects raised by Prince Honoré II. (full text in French)

The family of princes of Monaco came from Genoa. In this city, the “albergue” refered to a house composed of many families who bore the name of their common ancestors. This explains the existing links between the Grimaldis who emigrated to Monaco, Bueil, Cagnes-Antibes and Châteauneuf. Did those people get along well despite their different interests? (full text in French)

René Blum was the brother of the famous Léon Blum. This article talks about René Blum as an arts lover, whose name must be associated to Balanchine, Pagnol or Matisse. He was also co-creator of the Russian Ballets of Monte-Carlo and director of the theater and the Ballets of Monte-Carlo from 1924 to 1940. He died in the concentration camp of Auschwitz in 1942. (full text in French)

The acute gouty arthritis that was facing Prince Antoine I at the age of 46, forced him to live between Monaco and Menton. Thus, it was crucial to build a carriage road between those cities, which was much more reliable than sea journeys. It was integrated to the road network… 150 years later. (full text in French)

The Giornale, written by Don Pacchiero, parish priest of Monaco in the 17th century, may be considered as the equivalent of the priest Lanciarez’s works in the 18th century. Indeed, written between 1638 and 1656, this diary gives a lot of precisions regarding the political and everyday life in Monaco. This third and last part is dedicated to the themes tackled in the entire Giornale. (full text in French)

In order to commemorate the Grimaldis’ arrival in Monaco, this article relates the events which took place in 1297, describing the European political and social background. It also succinctly highlights the history of the current princes’ ancestors. (full text in French)

Prince Antoine I is well known to be the “musician prince”. However, his sensitivity led him to write poems. This article presents a collection of those poems, never published before. It is also a good way to know more about the family circle of this artist and prince. (full text in French)

Louis Notari, Marc-Marius Curti, Louis Canis, “Lazare” Sauvaigo, Louis Frolla, Robert Boisson and Etienne Clerissi perfectly used the Monesgasque grammar in the 20th century. This article refers to those “words lovers”. (full text in French)

The map of 1602 was created in order to try to define, for the umpteenth time, Monaco’s borders with la Turbie, which was a village of the Savoy Kingdom. This map stands for the independence desire, which lasted until the middle of the 18th century. (full text in French)

How did Honoré III react when his country was torn apart by revolutionary troubles, and the social structures damaged? For months, he did not stop fighting against the French administration so as this latter to respect his country, as mentioned in the Treaty of Péronne. This article highlights the strengths and troubles of that time in order to have a better understanding of this complex situation. The second part of this study is published in the issue n°21 of Annales monégasques. (full text in French)

Following the article entitled “Hospitals on the rock of Monaco before the 19th century”, published in the issue n°18 of Annales monégasques, this study deals with the upheaval of the approach to health care and hospital structure. The authors talk about the health administration functioning, the civil hospice’s creation as well as the role congregations like Dames of Saint-Maur and the daughters of charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. (full text in French)

This is the second part of the entire translation of the Giornale, written by the parish priest Don Dominique Pacchiero in the 17th century (the first part was published in the issue n°18 of Annales monégasques, in 1994). This is a source for many historians, which gathers a lot of details such as religious practices, anecdotes or specific facts. The third part is published in the issue n° 20 of Annales monégasques, in 1996. (full text in French)

This study relates Prince Albert I’s role in the famous but controversial Dreyfus affair, between 1894 and 1906. Albert I quickly stood up for the captain and did all he could in the affair. He also militated in favour of a review of the trial, with Zola and Clémenceau. This involvement, sometimes badly received, is at the origin of a correspondence, largely quoted. (full text in French)

When Charles III died in 1889, Prince Albert I inherited a modern and prosperous city. Thanks to a policy which took advantage of the climate and the development of transports, Monaco became a seaside resort which attracted international visitors both in winter and summer. This study describes the various aspects of tourism in Monaco, in 1889-1890. (full text in French)

The first currency issuing occurred under the reign of Honoré II. From 1640 to his death in 1662, he gave the authorization to six currency issuings that permitted to follow the evolution of his portrait, clothes, decorations and titles of nobility. Honoré II used his power of currency issuing in order to settle his sovereignty and prestige, and to serve the economic policy. (full text in French)

This study deals with the history of hospitals in Monaco, from Lambert Grimaldi in the 15th century to the end of the First Empire, and consequently, talks about the health history within the Principality. It also describes the houses used as hospitals in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The study finally refers to the hospitals evolution in the early 19th century. (full text in French)

François-Joseph Bosio’s nephew (sculptor) and son of Jean-Baptiste Bosio (painter), Astyanax-Scevola Bosio had a great sculptor career. His uncle taught him sculpture and Astyanax-Scevola was a brilliant technician who often exposed his work at the French artists Salon and was rewarded several times. He mainly worked for the State, the cities of Paris and Puy. (full text in French)

Emile Novella (1898-1982), painter, poet, illustrator, was also a Monegasque author of satirical plays and a traditional festivals organizer. This text was written in Venetia in 1970 and refers to the author’s childhood memories and illustrations in the early 20th century. (full text in French)

The parish priest Don Dominique Pacchiero wrote the Giornale in the 17th century. This is a source for many historians, which gathers a lot of details such as religious practices, anecdotes or specific facts. The second and third parts are published in the issues 19 and 20 of Annales monégasques, in 1995 and 1996. (full text in French)

The first historians of Monaco had a severe judgment on Honoré V who was a contradictory figure. Although Prince of Monaco from 1815 to 1841, Honoré V mainly lived in Normandy, in the Torigni Castle. This is the place where he carried out the fight against pauperism. Even if his action was well received in Normandy, this was not the case in Monaco as it was statist, authoritarian and ineffective. (full text in French)

Rufus Massa, former Prince Honoré III’s podesta, former magistrate of the Italian republics of Genoa and Lucques, commentator of the 18th century, legislator reformer, was 50 year-old when the French Revolution drove him to start a political career, first as a deputy at the “Convention nationale” and later, as Mayor of Menton. (full text in French)

This study was, at first, published in 1925, and written by Léon-Honoré Labande (1867-1939), a great historian from Monaco. This text, which cannot be find in its original version, is published again in order to complete the articles dedicated to Jacques de Matignon in the previous issues of Annales monégasques. Relying on a correspondence, the author talks about the expedition in Spain in 1719. (full text in French)

Louis Bréa was a painter from the 15th and 16th centuries. He was born in Nice and known for his huge religious works, frescos and altarpieces that he mostly created in Nice, in the Genoa region and in the Ligurian Riviera. Some of his works are kept in the Cathedral of Monaco such as an altarpiece of Saint-Nicholas and the “Pietà des Pénitents Blancs”. (full text in French)

This short study, which is lavishly illustrated by pictures from that time, completes some previous articles published in the Annales monégasques (n°7, 8 and 14) regarding the Second World War in Monaco. The author talks about the extent of the military deployment around Monaco from 1939 to 1945, as well as the operations which took place in Villefranche-Peille-Roquebrune. (full text in French)

The Hôtel Matignon, located 57 rue de Varenne, is nowadays the French Prime Minister’s residence. However, the luxurious house has been for nearly a century (1725-1804) the princes Grimaldi’s property, and a large part of its fittings are dated back to Jacques I of Monaco, formerly named Jacques de Goyon-Matignon. After the French Revolution, the hotel was turned into a diplomatic, judicial and politic house. (full text in French)

The article describes the history of the Black Penitents of Monaco, from their origins in the 17th century, to their disappearance, during the revolutionary period in the 18th century. The author talks about the status, goods, duties and customs of the Black Penitents. (full text in French)

Under the reign of Prince Honoré II, after the Treaty of Péronne and the French alliance, the court of Monaco organised more and more celebrations, notably on the occasion of the Carnival. The court ballet, inspired by the French model, was created in Monaco in the middle of the 17th century. The two ballets that performed in 1654 and 1655, are presented in this study. (full text in French)

Completing an article entitled “The Principality of Monaco under the fall of the First French Empire (1815-1817)”, published in the issue n°13 of Annales monégasques, this study discusses the consequences of the Treaty of Paris (November 1815), which put Monaco under the protection of the Kingdom of Sardinia. The settlement of this new protectorate, very different from the previous ones, led to important negotiations and marked a new step in the history of Monaco. (full text in French)

Under the French Revolution and Empire, Monaco was annexed by France and became a part of the Alpes-Maritimes department. In 1808, Napoleon promulgated a decree in order to put an end to wandering and begging. Some “begging and charity establishments” had to be settled in each departments, to gather the beggars. In the Alpes-Maritimes, the Palace of Monaco is chosen, as it had been empty for a few years, it was in the city center, had a large number of rooms and an important surface. (full text in French)

The Archives of the Palace of Monaco keep approximately twenty letters written by the writer Colette, addressed to Prince Pierre of Monaco and Prince Rainier III, during her stays in Monaco between 1948 and 1954. This correspondence, presented and published in this article, allows us to find out more about the last years of Colette’s life, and on some traits of her personality. (full text in French)

This study deals with the evolution of Menton after the death of Prince Honoré II. Under the reign of Louis I (1662-1701), Menton developed the lemon trade and became the Principality’s first port. The population in Menton diversified because of the emergence of some nobles and upper middle classes. This situation stabilized under the reign of Prince Antoine I (1701-1731). (full text in French)

The article deals with the history of the White penitents of Monaco, from their origins in the 13th and 14th centuries, to their disappearance, during the revolutionary period in the 18th century. The author also covers the feasts, ceremonies, services and customs linked to the function of the White Penitents, as well as the chapels devoted to them. (full text in French)

In the end of the 19th century, Nietzsche, a music lover, often went to Nice during winter and enjoyed live music in Monte-Carlo. While his relationship with Wagner got worse, he was completely upset by the prelude of Parsifal, during a concert in December 1886. Nevertheless, this episode stood for the rediscovery of French and Italian music. (full text in French)

In the beginning of the 20th century, Raoul Gunsbourg, director of the Monte-Carlo Theater from 1893 to 1951, dreamt about the creation of Parsifal by Wagner. This project was initially impossible as the composer had given the exclusivity of his score to the Beyrouth Theater, for thirty years after his death, that is to say in January 1st 1914. Gunsbourg made his dream come true in January 1914, and it was a huge success. (full text in French)

In 1859, Théodore de Banville stayed in Nice for seven months. He wrote some chronicles published in “Le Moniteur universel”, from January 7th to June 6th 1860. Those chronicles were then gathered in a book entitled “La mer de Nice”, in which Théodore de Banville dedicated five chapters to the Principality of Monaco. He described each aspect of the city and its inhabitants, and presented Monaco as heaven on earth. (full text in French)

Relying on the “Status Animarum” by Don Pacchiero, census of Monaco in the 17th century, this study deals with several aspects of the population nature in Monaco in the 17th century : population pyramid, life expectancy, social category, family setting, names and first names, foreigner status, population move, domestics, jobs, etc… (full text in French)

Daughter of Louis I de Lorraine, count of Armagnac, Marie de Lorraine married Prince Antoine I of Monaco in Versailles in 1688. The princess did not get along with her husband; she stayed in Versailles where she had a successful part within the French court and she rarely came to Monaco. She died in 1724. Through Marie de Lorraine’s life, this study illustrates some features of her time. (full text in French)

Monaco took part in the universal exhibition in 1889. The area given to the Principality was small but well situated. The pavilion, built by Ernest Janty, and the garden refered to Monaco : brightness, colours, exuberance of vegetation. This exposition allowed, among other things, to make a presentation of the first oceanographic campaigns of Prince Albert. The results obtained, the equipment used, and the participation of the prince to many international congresses during the exhibition, allowed Prince Albert to have a scientific renown. (full text in French)

This article charts Prince Louis II career in the French army. After having studied in Saint-Cyr and at the Saumur School of Cavalry, he was assigned to the 1st foreign regiment, and was seconded to the 2nd hunters of Africa in 1893. During the First World War, he joined the 5th army staff. Major and colonel at the end of the war, Prince Louis II put an end to his military carrer when his father died. (full text in French)

When the First French Empire fell, Monaco faced an uncertain fate as the Principality was annexed by France. After many negotiations, two treaties of Paris (May 30th 1814 and November 20th 1815) allowed the Grimaldis to head the Principality, but Monaco was enclosed in the Piedmont-Sardinia, the influence of which was increasing. (full text in French)

In autumn 1792, the Principality faced many troubles as it was annexed by France. The author tries to determine if the revolution in Monaco was the result of the French influence, sustained or supported by the population. (full text in French)

Following a short stopover in Monaco in April 1887, Guy de Maupassant, then aged 37 and already well-known, dedicated some fantasy-based pages to the Principality, in a collection entitled “Sur l’eau”. This text rather humorist, describes Monaco as a military powerless state, without any moral and religious strengths, and devoiding a real judicial system. According to him, the Sovereign was using a vain authority and he considered the population as mindless subjects. (full text in French)

Louis-Vincent Bosio, wrote a manuscript around 1840-1843, entitled “Notices sur Monaco”. This text is an invaluable account about the Monaco lifestyle in the late 18th century and in the beginning of the 19th century. This article is composed of the publication of a chapter from this manuscript, entitled “Saint-Devota feast day, patron saint of Monaco”. (full text in French)

Following the death of the Duke of York, the brother of King Goerge III, in Monaco in September 1767, Prince Honoré III was invited in England in April and May 1768. He had an obliging welcome with dinners and receptions. Honoré III also visited Oxford, Cambridge, Portsmouth, Bristol, Newmarket and Bath. (full text in French)

After having managed the theater of Lille and the Opera of Nice, Raoul Gunsbourg took the direction of the Monte-Carlo Theater in 1892. Young, dynamic and extremely talented, he transformed it into a major place of global lyrical art. He had been director for nearly six years, until his death in 1951, at the age of 95. (full text in French)

The study is dedicated to the counter-revolution within the former county of Nice during nearly 25 years, the revolutionary conquest, until the Sardinian Restoration in 1814. The author talks about the “barbets”, the irregular militias created in response to the abuses of French troops settled in Nice. (full text in French)

In the 18th century, Prince Antoine I built a palace surrounded by orchards, at the gates of Menton. Richly decorated, this Palace of Carnolès became the summer residence of the princes of Monaco. Prince Charles III sold this house in 1863. The Palace then became a gambling casino, a house, an architectural firm and finally a museum. It has been classified as a historical monument from September 1969. (full text in French)

Relying on Don Dominique Pacchiero chronicles from 1638 to 1656, but also on correspondences, registers and pictures, the author studies the old organs of Saint Nicholas Church, located on the rock of Monaco. He also refers to the origins and the restoration of those organs, and talks about the organists in the 17th century. (full text in French)

The author talks abuot the career of Edouard-Auguste, Duke of York and second son of Prince of Wales and Augusta of Saxony, brother of King Georges III, from his birth in 1739 to his death in Monaco in 1767. The article also describes the honour bestowed on Edouard-Auguste by Prince Honoré III after his death, and the funeral in Westminster. (full text in French)