DYNASTY
HERCULE ’ S DOCTORATE IN LAW WOULD OVER 400 YEARS LATER BE ONE OF THE TREASURES OF THE ARCHIVES OF THE PRINCE ’ S PALACE .
© Reprod . G . Moufflet - Archives du Palais Princier de Monaco
Doctorate diploma from the University of Pavia awarded to Hercule Grimaldi , July 30 , 1584
their uncle Federico Landi , the 4th Prince of Val di Taro , arrived to rule as regent and ensure the Grimaldi dynasty would be preserved .
DAMNATION OF A GLORIOUS NAME
Heracles ( known as Hercules by the Romans )
is one of the most respected heroes in Greek mythology , a symbol of strength , power and bravery . Sadly , bearing this revered name neither protected Hercule I from his fate and neither did it provide immunity from disaster to his progeny .
The next princely Hercule was the son and heir of Honoré II , proudly named after his grandfather , and father of the Prince who would ultimately reign in his stead , Louis I . The young Hercule , wouldbe heir with his new title Marquis de Baux , was also to meet an untimely end . It happened , on August 1 , 1651 when he and his wife , Aurelia Spinola , and their children were making an expedition to the convent of Carnoles in Menton . After the sojourn was over the young Marquis Hercule took a walk in some gardens that were close by , target shooting with some soldiers of the guard with a relatively new rifle called an arquebuse . Suddenly , Hercule ordered one of the soldiers to shoot at a target to see how proficient he was . The soldier , eager to
Resin cast of Prince Hercule I
obey , turned rapidly and , while doing , caught the arquebuse in his belt . The weapon fired , and by accident , struck two others nearby and wounded Hereditary Prince Hercule in the spine . It was a mortal wound and he died the next day . On his deathbed he asked again and again that his involuntary murderer not be punished who , however , was placed in prison and there tried to commit suicide . The last will of the dying Hercule Grimaldi was respec ted , nevertheless : the soldier left the prison and then Monaco forever .
HERCULE ’ S PROGENY
Hercule I himself , Lord of
Monaco and Doctor of
Law , was buried in the St Sebastian chapel of St Nicholas Cathedral and would have been terribly saddened to learn his grandson and namesake had like himself been struck down in the prime of life . Though he also could not know it , he would have been proud that his 6-yearold son and heir would became Lord Honoré II , Seigneur of Monaco and subsequently first to carry the formal title Prince of Monaco . Neither could Hercule I know that his early achievement of earning a Doctorate in Law would over 400 years later be one of the treasures of the Archives of the Prince ’ s Palace .
© Geoffroy Moufflet - Archives du Palais Princier de Monaco
HelloMonaco magazine thanks the audio-visual archives of Monaco for the illustrations .
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