Prince's Palace of Monaco Prince's Palace of Monaco The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Sovereign 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 Grimaldi family who first captured it in 1297. The Grimaldi ruled the area first as feudal lords, and from the 17th century as sovereign princes, but their power was often derived from fragile agreements with their larger and stronger neighbours. Thus
Jacques I, Prince of Monaco Jacques I, Prince of Monaco Jacques Goÿon de Matignon (Jacques François Léonor; 21 November 1689 – 23 April 1751) was Count of Thorigny, Prince of Monaco as Jacques I, and the fourth Duke of Valentinois from 1731 until 1733. Jacques came from an ancient Norman family. "Thorigny" is now called Torigni-sur-Vire, where the "Mairie" is the former family chateau. His uncle was Marshal Charles Auguste de Goÿon de Matignon. He was a son of Jacques Goÿon de Matignon, "jure uxoris" Comte de Thorigny, and Charlotte Goyon de Matignon, Comtesse de Thorigny "suo jure". When Antonio I of Monaco and his