European Kingdoms

Lordship of Roquebrune (Monaco) (Western Europe)
AD 1355 - 1861

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In sixth century BC Europe, Phocaeans from Massalia (modern Marseille) founded a city at Monaco, naming it Monoikos. Eventual Roman control in the region sorted it into the province of the Maritime Alps, but barbarian tribes ravaged the region as the later Roman empire faded. Land which would become today's principality of Monaco was acquired by the republic of Genoa in 1191. The early foundations of the 'Lordship of Monaco' would be laid during that Genoese colonial period.

One Otto Cannella was consul of Genoa in 1131. His son, Grimaldo, founded the dynasty which seized the Monaco colony in 1297. For the most part they governed from then onwards, making them Europe's longest-serving dynasty. From 1612 they used the title 'sovereign prince' to underline their independence while also holding the lordships of Menton and Roquebrune.

The tiny Roquebrune area is referred to as Rocabrüna in the Mentonasc dialect and Roccabruna in Italian. The medieval lordship was centred around the town of the same name, located on the French Riviera, just to the west of the modern border between France and Italy.

Ligurians established settlements in the area before the Romans were able to establish their own controls by the first century BC. In fact, traces of Ligurian language are to be found in the local dialect (Mentonasc). Conrad I, count of Ventimiglia, established the commune of Roquebrune in 971 as part of his western defences. Monaco acquired the castle of Roquebrune in 1355, after having secured control of Menton in 1346, and held the territory until 1860.

Then under the terms of the Treaty of Turin, Sardinia, the official protector of Monaco, ceded Menton and Roquebrune to imperial France. The French paid a four-million-franc indemnity to the prince of Monaco for the two territories and recognised Monaco's independence. Monaco was unhappy with the terms but could do nothing about them and was vastly reduced in size.

Roquebrune today is known as Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, a commune in the Alpes-Maritime department of France. It consists of several villages, and is a popular tourist destination. Its population is quite small though, just 12,966 as of 2020, made up mainly of French-speakers.

(Information by John De Cleene and the John De Cleene Archive, with additional information from Hammond's Historical Atlas (C S Hammond & Co, 1963), from Historical Atlas of the World, R R Palmer (Ed, Rand McNally & Company, 1963), from Oxford Atlas of World History, Patrick K O'Brien (Ed, Oxford University Press, 1999), and from External Links: Menton (Encyclopaedia Britannica), and Monaco (Flags of the World), and Monaco, (Heraldica.org), and Monaco (Rulers.org), and Monaco (Monaco.mc, no longer online but available via the Internet Archive), and Monaco (World Statesmen), and TravelTill.)

1355

Charles Grimaldi has been able to occupy the rock of Monaco in 1331. In 1346, he had been able to purchase the lordship of Menton before, in 1355, also purchasing the lordship of Roquebrune. Both will be held by Monaco until the nineteenth century.

1427 - ?

Brother of Jean I of Monaco. Also held Menton.

1448

Jean I of Monaco cedes half of Menton and Roquebrune to the duke of Savoy (although they are returned in 1477 as fiefs for which Monaco's rulers pay homage through into the nineteenth century). Ninety-one percent of Menton becomes a fief of the dukes of Savoy, while only half of Roquebrune does so.

Today's Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is located directly to the east of Monaco, and was a holding of the lords and princes of Monaco until the nineteenth century

1583

Charles II of Monaco refuses to pay homage to the dukes of Savoy for the fiefs of Menton and Roquebrune. Savoy declares him to have forfeited the cities, but Monaco retains possession of them.

1793 - 1814

Revolutionary France takes Roquebrune, and it is at this time that the lordship's name generally changes from the Italian 'Roccabruna' to the French 'Roquebrune'. Following the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte and his French 'First Empire', Roquebrune is returned to Monaco.

1847 - 1848

The revolutionary fervour which spreads throughout Europe also affects Florestan I, prince of Monaco, who proposes a new constitution. The proposal is not liberal enough for Menton and Roquebrune, however.

Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, Sardinia's new, liberal minister from 1852, was a leading figure in the move towards Italian unification, an aim which was achieved in 1861 after two years of war against Austria

They declare independence in order to be absorbed into the district of Nice within the kingdom of Sardinia. Monaco does not recognise their declaration but, at the same time, Florestan is overthrown and imprisoned, and a 'Monegasque Republic' is declared. Sardinia begins the process of taking control of Menton and Roquebrune.

1848 - 1849

'Sardinian Extraordinary Commissioner'.

1847 - 1848

As a reward for help by Napoleon III during the reunification of Italy, Sardinia cedes the county of Nice and Savoy to France under the Treaty of Turin. This action includes the transfer of Menton and Roquebrune. Charles III of Monaco finally - and formally - surrenders his claim to the two cities in 1861.

Monaco is reduced to a fraction of its former extent, but France does pays an indemnity of four million francs as compensation while also recognising the independence of Monaco itself.

The early flag of Monaco included two figures in monks habits, mimicking the initial seizure of the rock by François Grimaldi and Rainier I