Florestan I, Prince of Monaco

Florestan I
Prince of Monaco
Reign 2 October 1841 – 20 June 1856
Predecessor Honoré V
Successor Charles III
Born (1785-10-10)10 October 1785
Paris, France
Died 20 June 1856(1856-06-20) (aged 70)
Paris, French Empire
Burial Saint Nicholas Cathedral
Spouse Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz
Issue Charles III, Prince of Monaco
Florestine, Duchess of Urach
Full name
Tancrède Florestan Roger Louis Grimaldi
House Grimaldi
Father Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco
Mother Louise d'Aumont

Florestan I, Prince of Monaco (10 October 1785 in Paris – 20 June 1856) was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 2 October 1841 until his death. He was born Tancrède Florestan Roger Louis Grimaldi the second son of Prince Honoré IV and Louise d'Aumont Mazarin, and succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother, Honoré V.

Life and reign

Royal Monogram of Prince Florestan I of Monaco

Florestan was never prepared to assume the role of prince—he had been an actor in the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique—and the real power during his reign lay in the hands of his wife, also an actress, Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz, whom he married in Commercy on 27 November 1816. For some time, she was able to alleviate the difficult economic situation stemming from Monaco's new position as a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia, then a regional power, rather than of France. The princely couple also attempted to meet local demands for greater democracy and offered two constitutions to the local population, but these were rejected, particularly by the people of Menton. When they saw that their efforts were doomed to failure, they handed over power to their son Charles (later Prince Charles III).

This was, however, too little, too late. Encouraged by the events of 1848, the towns of Menton and Roquebrune revolted, and declared themselves independent. They had hoped to be annexed by Sardinia, but this did not occur, and the towns remained in a state of political limbo until they were finally ceded to France in 1861, under Charles III.

Death and succession, 1856

Despite his good intentions, by the time of Florestan's death in Paris in 1856, Monaco was a country divided with few prospects for financial prosperity. It remained for his heir to remedy the situation.

Children

Ancestry

Preceded by
Honoré V		 Sovereign Prince of Monaco
Duke of Valentinois
1841–1856 		Succeeded by
Charles III
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