Honoré II, Prince of Monaco
Encyclopedia
Honoré II was Sovereign Prince of Monaco. He was the first to be called Prince, but started his reign as Lord of Monaco.
He was the son of Hercule, Lord of Monaco
(24 September 1562 – 21 November 1604) and Maria Landi. His father was murdered when he was six, and he succeeded under the regency of his uncle, Frederico Landi, prince of Val di Taro. Landi was a loyal ally and friend of Spain
and allowed the country to be occupied by Spanish troops in 1605. The inhabitants of Monaco were prohibited to carry arms and the Prince and his two sisters were moved to Milan
. The Council of Monaco tried to limit Spanish power but the occupation lasted until 1614, and a strong Spanish influence remained until 1633, when it recognized Honoré as a sovereign prince.
From adulthood, Honoré started to criticize Spain and turned to France for support. Louis XIII gave him the support he needed and this resulted in the Treaty of Péronne
. This ended Spanish rule and put Monaco under French protection, recognizing and guaranteeing Monegasque sovereignty. As a consequence Honoré lost his Spanish and Italian possessions, but was compensated by King Louis XIII of France
with the marquisate Les Baux and the title of Duke of Valentinois
.
During his reign he did much to extend, rebuild and transform the Genoese fortress that was the Grimaldi's stronghold into what is today Monaco's Royal Palace
.
(d. 1638). The couple had one son.
After Hercules (Ercole) was killed in battle, Louis became Honoré's heir at the age of 9.
.
He was the son of Hercule, Lord of Monaco
Hercule, Lord of Monaco
Ercole was Lord of Monaco from May 17, 1589 to November 29, 1604.Ercole was the youngest of four sons of Honoré I and Isabella Grimaldi. His eldest brother Charles II became Lord of Monaco on the death of their father in 1581. Ercole's two elder brothers Francois and Horace died in childhood...
(24 September 1562 – 21 November 1604) and Maria Landi. His father was murdered when he was six, and he succeeded under the regency of his uncle, Frederico Landi, prince of Val di Taro. Landi was a loyal ally and friend of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and allowed the country to be occupied by Spanish troops in 1605. The inhabitants of Monaco were prohibited to carry arms and the Prince and his two sisters were moved to Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. The Council of Monaco tried to limit Spanish power but the occupation lasted until 1614, and a strong Spanish influence remained until 1633, when it recognized Honoré as a sovereign prince.
From adulthood, Honoré started to criticize Spain and turned to France for support. Louis XIII gave him the support he needed and this resulted in the Treaty of Péronne
Treaty of Péronne
There exist multiple Treaties of Péronne signed in Péronne, France:*Treaty of Péronne *Treaty of Péronne...
. This ended Spanish rule and put Monaco under French protection, recognizing and guaranteeing Monegasque sovereignty. As a consequence Honoré lost his Spanish and Italian possessions, but was compensated by King Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
with the marquisate Les Baux and the title of 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...
.
During his reign he did much to extend, rebuild and transform the Genoese fortress that was the Grimaldi's stronghold into what is today Monaco's Royal Palace
Prince's Palace of Monaco
The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the...
.
Marriage & Issue
On 13 February 1616 he married Ippolita TrivulzioIppolita Trivulzio
Ippolita Trivulzio was the wife of Honoré II of Monaco and was the first Monegasque consort to bear the title of Princess.Ippolita was the only daughter of Carlo Emanuele Teodoro Trivulzio, Count of Melzo and his wife Caterina Gonzaga. Her family originated from Milan. She married Honoré II,...
(d. 1638). The couple had one son.
- Ercole Grimaldi, Marquis of Baux (1623 - 2 August 1651); married on 4 July 1641 to Aurelia Spinola (d. 29 September 1670)
- LouisLouis I, Prince of MonacoLouis I, Prince of Monaco was Prince of Monaco from 1662 until 1701.Louis Grimaldi was the elder son of Prince Hercule of Monaco and Maria Aurelia Spinola....
(25 July 1642 – 3 January 1701) - Marie Hippolyte (8 May 1644 – 8 October 1694)
- Jeanne Marie (b. 4 June 1645)
- Thérèse Marie (4 September 1648 – 20 July 1723) ancrestress of Maria Teresa Cybo-MalaspinaMaria Teresa Cybo-MalaspinaMaria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina was the Duchess of Massa and the Princess of Carrara from 1731 until her death in 1790. She was the eldest child of her parents, Alderano I Cybo-Malaspina and his wife Ricciarda Gonzaga...
- Louis
After Hercules (Ercole) was killed in battle, Louis became Honoré's heir at the age of 9.
Burial
Honoré was interred in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas (it stood on the location of the current cathedral) in MonacoMonaco
Monaco , 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...
.