History of Monaco Grimaldis, descended from Otto Canella and taking their name from his son Grimaldo, were an ancient and prominent Guelphic Genoese family. Members of this family, in the course of the civil strife in Genoa between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, took refuge in Monaco, accompanied by various other Guelphic families, most notably the Fieschis. Francesco Grimaldi seized the Rock of Monaco in 1297, starting the Grimaldi dynasty, under the sovereignty of the Republic of Genoa. The Grimaldis acquired Menton in 1346 and Roquebrune in 1355, enlarging their possessions. In 1338 Monegasque ships under the command of Carlo Grimaldi participated, along with
Crown Council of Monaco legislative power, the Prince must consult it before signing international treaties, dissolving the National Council, naturalizing citizens, or making certain other executive decisions. At the end of March 2005, the Crown Council carried out what may have been one of its most far-reaching acts. Prince Rainier, the Sovereign since 1949, had for some weeks been seriously ill in hospital in Monaco and the Crown Council established that Rainier was temporarily incapable of ruling. (During the period of Rainier III's incapacity, his doctors in Monaco were agreed that his ill health showed little signs of improving and, agreeing with eminent Parisian