Lamberto, Lord of Monaco Lamberto, Lord of Monaco Lamberto Grimaldi (c. 1420 – March 1494) was Lord of Monaco from 16 March 1458. He was married to his cousin Claudine Grimaldi in 1465 to secure the Grimaldi inheritance of Monaco that by the small state's constitution could only pass to male heirs. Lamberto was of the branch of the Grimaldi family which had settled in Antibes while Claudine was of the more powerful Monaco branch. Lamberto assumed the reins of power in Monaco at a difficult time in its often vulnerable history. Lamberto fought to preserve Monaco's independence, and is said to have "handled
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,