Antonio I of Monaco
| Antonio I | |
|---|---|
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Portrait by Hyacinthe Rigaud, c. 1706
| |
| Prince of Monaco | |
| Reign | 3 January 1701 – 20 February 1731 |
| Predecessor | Louis I |
| Successor | Louise Hippolyte |
| Born | 25 January 1661 |
| Died | 20 February 1731 (aged 70) |
| Spouse | Marie of Lorraine (m. 1688; died 1724) |
| Issue Detail |
Antoine, Governor-General of Monaco Louise Hippolyte, Princess of Monaco |
| House | Grimaldi |
| Father | Louis I, Prince of Monaco |
| Mother | Catherine Charlotte de Gramont |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Antonio I (French: Antoine[1] 25 January 1661 – 20 February 1731) was the sovereign Prince of Monaco from 1701 to 1731.
Early life
Antonio was the elder son of Louis I of Monaco and Catherine Charlotte de Gramont.
Career
In 1683, Antonio was named lieutenant in the Régiment du Roi Infanterie. In 1684, he was named colonel of the regiment of Soissonois.[2] During the Nine Years War he was present at the Battle of Philippsburg (1688), the Battle of Fleurus (1690), the Siege of Mons (1691), and the Siege of Namur (1692).
On 21 August 1702, Antonio took the oath to King Louis XIV of France in the Parlement on account of being Duke of Valentinois and a Peer of France. He was made a knight of the French royal orders in 1724.
He "completed the fortifications of the Rock of Monaco, constructed the Oreillon and the Fort Antoine."[2] Finally, he formed a "brilliant Court in his palace."[2] He constructed the Rampe Major in 1714; this was an improved road connecting La Condamine to the "platform of the peninsula."[2] The Oreillon tower commanding the ramp leading to the Palais Princier[3] was constructed between 1707 and 1708.[2]
Personal life
On 13 June 1688, Antonio married Marie de Lorraine, "Mademoiselle d'Armagnac" (1674–1724), a daughter of Louis, Count of Armagnac.[4] Together, they had six daughters, of whom only three survived infancy:
- Caterina Charlotte (1691–1696), "Mademoiselle de Monaco", died in early childhood.
- Louise Hippolyte (1697–1731), successor of her father.
- Elisabetta Charlotte (1698–1702), "Mademoiselle de Valentinois", died in childhood.
- Margherita Camilla (1700–1758), "Mademoiselle de Carlades"; who married Louis de Gand-Vilain, Prince of Isenghien and Marshal of France, in 1720.
- Maria Devota (1702–1703), "Mademoiselle des Baux", died in infancy.
- Maria Paolina Theresa Devota (1708–1726), "Mademoiselle de Chabreuil", who died unmarried at 18.
Antonio also had a number of illegitimate children:
- with Elisabeth Durfort (a dancer)
- Antoine Grimaldi (1697–1784), known as the Chevalier de Grimaldi
- with Victoire Vertu (dancer at the Paris opera)
- Antoinette Grimaldi (1699–?), called mademoiselle de Saint-Rémy
- with an unidentified Provençal lady
- Louise Marie Thérèse Grimaldi (1705–1723)
Ancestors
- Ancestors of Antonio I of Monaco
- 8. Honoré II, Prince of Monaco
- 4. Ercole of Monaco
- 9. Ippolita Trivulzio
- 2. Louis I, Prince of Monaco
- 10. Luca Spinola, signore di Molfetta
- 5. Maria Aurelia Spinola
- 11. Pellina Spinola
- 1. Antonio I, Prince of Monaco
- 12. Antoine, Duke de Gramont
- 6. Antoine, Duke of Gramont
- 13. Louise de Roquelaure
- 3. Catherine Charlotte de Gramont
- 14. Hector de Chivré, seigneur du Plessis
- 7. Françoise Marguerite du Plessis de Chivré
- 15. Marie de Connan
References
- Back to citation "Antoine I". www.gouv.mc. Official website of the Principality of Monaco [Monaco Government Official website]. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- Back to citation occurrence 2.0 Back to citation occurrence 2.1 Back to citation occurrence 2.2 Back to citation occurrence 2.3 Back to citation occurrence 2.4 Chiavassa, Henri (1964). The History of the Principality of Monaco as Seen Through its Postage Stamps. Monaco: Postage Stamps Issuing Office. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- Back to citation Christiaan Klieger, P (2012). The Microstates of Europe: Designer Nations in a Post-Modern World. Lexington Books. ISBN 9780739174272. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- Back to citation Rabutin, Roger de, Correspondance de Roger de Rabutin, Comte de Bussy avec sa Famille et ses Amis, p. 134
Further reading
- Pemberton, H. The History of Monaco: Past and Present. Tinsley Brothers. London: 1867. URL: https://archive.org/details/historyofmonacop00pemb
- Schwennicke, Detlev (Ed.) Europäische Stammtafeln, J.A. Stargardt Verlag, Marburg, volume II, table 201.