Florestan I, Prince of Monaco
Encyclopedia
Florestan I, Prince of Monaco (Paris
, 10 October 1785 – 20 June 1856) was Prince of Monaco
and Duke of Valentinois
from 2 October 1841 until his death. He was born Tancrède Florestan Roger Louis Grimaldi the second son of Prince Honoré IV
and Louise d'Aumont Mazarin
, and succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother, Honoré V.
in the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique
— and the real power during his reign lay in the hands of his wife, also an actress, Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz
, whom he married in Commercy
on 27 November 1816. For some time, she was able to alleviate the difficult economic situation stemming from Monaco's new position as a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia
, then a regional power, rather than of France
. The royal couple also attempted to meet local demands for greater democracy
and offered two constitutions to the local population, but these were rejected, particularly by the people of Menton. When they saw that their efforts were doomed to failure, they handed over power to their son Charles (later Prince Charles III
).
This was, however, too little, too late. Encouraged by the events of 1848, the towns of Menton
and Roquebrune
revolted, and declared themselves independent. They had hoped to be annexed by Sardinia, but this did not occur, and the towns remained in a state of political limbo until they were finally ceded to France in 1861, under Charles III.
in 1856, Monaco was a country divided with few prospects for financial prosperity. It remained for his heir to remedy the situation.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 10 October 1785 – 20 June 1856) was Prince of Monaco
Prince of Monaco
The Reigning Prince or Princess of Monaco is the sovereign monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All Princes or Princesses thus far have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, but have belonged to various other houses in male line...
and Duke of Valentinois
Duke of Valentinois
Duke of Valentinois , formerly Count of Valentinois, is a title of nobility, originally in the French peerage. It is currently one of the many hereditary titles claimed by the Prince of Monaco despite its extinction in French law in 1949...
from 2 October 1841 until his death. He was born Tancrède Florestan Roger Louis Grimaldi the second son of Prince Honoré IV
Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco
Honoré IV was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 12 March 1795 to 16 February 1819. He was the son of Prince Honoré III by his wife, Maria Caterina Brignole, a Genoese noblewoman...
and Louise d'Aumont Mazarin
Louise d'Aumont Mazarin
Louise d'Aumont, duchesse d'Aumont, duchesse Mazarin et de La Meilleraye was the only child and daughter of Louis Marie d'Aumont, duc d'Aumont , and his wife, Louise Jeanne de Durfort, duchesse Mazarin et de La Meilleraye .She married...
, and succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother, Honoré V.
Biography
Florestan was never prepared to assume the role of prince — he had been an actorActor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
in the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique
Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique
The theatre was rebuilt to plans by the architects Jacques Ignace Hittorff and Jean-François-Joseph Lecointe on the boulevard Saint-Martin, at the corner of rue de Bondy...
— and the real power during his reign lay in the hands of his wife, also an actress, Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz
Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz
Marie Caroline Gibert de Lametz, , was a French stage actress and later Princess Consort and regent de facto of Monaco, the spouse of Florestan I, Prince of Monaco...
, whom he married in Commercy
Commercy
Commercy is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is the home of the madeleines referred to by Marcel Proust in A la Recherche du Temps Perdu.-History:...
on 27 November 1816. For some time, she was able to alleviate the difficult economic situation stemming from Monaco's new position as a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
, then a regional power, rather than of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The royal couple also attempted to meet local demands for greater democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and offered two constitutions to the local population, but these were rejected, particularly by the people of Menton. When they saw that their efforts were doomed to failure, they handed over power to their son Charles (later Prince Charles III
Charles III, Prince of Monaco
Charles III was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 20 June 1856 to his death. He was the founder of the famous casino in Monte Carlo, as his title in Monegasque and Italian was Carlo III.-Birth:...
).
This was, however, too little, too late. Encouraged by the events of 1848, the towns of Menton
Menton
Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ....
and Roquebrune
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France between Monaco and Menton. The name was changed from Roquebrune to differentiate the town from Roquebrune-sur-Argens in the neighboring Var Department.-History:In pre-Roman times the area was settled by the...
revolted, and declared themselves independent. They had hoped to be annexed by Sardinia, but this did not occur, and the towns remained in a state of political limbo until they were finally ceded to France in 1861, under Charles III.
Death and succession, 1856
Despite his good intentions, by the time of Florestan's death in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1856, Monaco was a country divided with few prospects for financial prosperity. It remained for his heir to remedy the situation.
Children
- Prince Charles IIICharles III, Prince of MonacoCharles III was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 20 June 1856 to his death. He was the founder of the famous casino in Monte Carlo, as his title in Monegasque and Italian was Carlo III.-Birth:...
(1818–1889) - Florestine Gabrielle Antoinette Grimaldi, Princess of MonacoPrincess Florestine of MonacoPrincess Florestine Gabrielle Antoinette of Monaco was the youngest child and only daughter of Florestan I, Prince of Monaco and his wife Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz...
(FontenayFontenayFontenay can refer to:a person*Charles L. Fontenay, journalist and science-fiction writer*Jean-Baptiste Belin de Fontenay I, French paintera battle* Battle of Fontenay , during the Carolingian civil war...
, 2 October/22 October 1833 - StuttgartStuttgartStuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, 4 April/24 April 1897), married in MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
on 15 February 1863 as his second wife Wilhelm, 1st Duke of UrachWilhelm, 1st Duke of UrachCount Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander Ferdinand of Württemberg, 1st Duke of Urach , was the son of Duke Wilhelm of Württemberg , younger brother of King Frederick I of Württemberg, by his morganatic wife, Baroness Wilhelmine von Tunderfeldt-Rhodis , who had married in 1800...
, and was the mother of Wilhelm, who was a Presumptive Heir to the Throne of Monaco and reigned for a few months as King Mindaugas II of LithuaniaMindaugas II of LithuaniaPrince Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 2nd Duke of Urach was a German prince who was elected King of Lithuania with the regnal name Mindaugas II on 11 July 1918...
.