Charles I, Lord of Monaco Charles I, Lord of Monaco Charles I of Monaco (died August 15, 1357) was Lord of Monaco and the founder of the Grimaldi dynasty. The oldest son of Rainier I by his first wife, Salvatica del Carretto, Charles was forced to flee into exile following the Rock of Monaco falling into Genoese control on April 10, 1301. He was appointed Admiral of France. After thirty years of Genoese rule, Charles retook the Rock on September 12, 1331, and ruled to his death, when the Rock was again conquered by the Genoese army. Also he was Baron of San Demetrio (Kingdom
Prince's Palace of Monaco a steady stream of visitors from Byblos, Tyre, and Sidon. Later the Phoenicians came to trade silk, oil, and spices with the natives. It was the Phoenicians who introduced to this area of the Mediterranean their god Melkart, later known by the Romans as "Hercules Monoikos". It was after this god that the Romans renamed the area "Portus Hercules Moneici", which has evolved to the present name of Monaco. The seat of the Prince of Monaco was established on the Rocher de Monaco ("Illustration 5") as a fortress in 1191 when the harbour, that is today lined by Monte Carlo,