More than you needed to know about Monaco

Everything needs a good origin story

Why does Monaco exist as a sovereign state? As an elevated rock on one of the most important shipping lanes in the world in the early second millenium, there were plenty of reasons for the French, Italians, and Holy Roman Imperial subjects to take over the Rock of Monaco. Nevertheless, Monaco persists—in all its second most tiny, most densely populated country glory.

The origin story Monaco seems most fond of involves François Grimaldi¹ dressing up as a (mysteriously well armed) Franciscan friar to gain entrance to the castle along with his contingent of fellow fake Franciscan friars.² For the next hundred years or so the Grimaldi’s would fight (and eventually fend off) the Genoese, all while the French and the Spanish would maintain competing claims over the rock.

In 1641, Monaco's leader, Honore II, cleverly secured Monaco’s sovereignty through a strategic treaty with France. This agreement provided Monaco with strong French protection, even allowing French troops to remove Spanish forces occupying the principality. Honore II adeptly played these larger powers against each other, transforming Spain's loss into France’s gain, while quietly cementing Monaco's independence.

This diplomatic maneuvering served Monaco well until the revolutionary upheavals of 1789 and again in 1848.³ Monaco’s rather unconventional response to the 1848 upheaval—"Let's build a casino and sell off our only valuable land!"—was surprisingly effective. It generated enough revenue and glamour to convince France that Monaco simply wasn't worth conquering.⁴

This delicate balance of sovereignty held until 1918, when Monaco faced a crisis sparked by World War I's conclusion. With France emerging exhausted from war with Germany, the potential for a German noble inheriting Monaco (strategically placed and under French influence) was intolerable. France applied significant pressure, compelling Monaco to fully align its foreign policy with French interests. However, Monaco retained its ruling Grimaldi family—continuing in this arrangement until the marriage of Prince Rainier to Hollywood star Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly's arrival ensured substantial American attention, further solidifying Monaco’s unique and glamorous sovereignty—a status that continues today.

Perhaps the moral here is simple: pick your battles wisely, charm your allies, and never underestimate the value of marrying Grace Kelly.

Photo by Mark de Jong on Unsplash

1. Most famous for this, but tbh the whole Guelphs and Ghibellines (and White and Black Guelphs—poor Dante) thing could be a post by itself

2. But if a charismatic leader taking a valuable costal port once were enough to establish independence centuries later, El Cid’s Valencia would probably be number 1 on my list of “micro-states to make a substack post about”

3. Wouldn’t be France without a few riots and revolts (and strikes)

4. They had bigger issues at the time