- 1581-1604: Lord of Monaco
- 1604: Assassination
Lord Ercole I of Grimaldi was born 24 September 1562 in Monaco, Monaco to Honore of Monaco (1522-1581) and Isabelle Grimaldi (1525-1583) and died 29 November 1604 Monaco, Monaco of unspecified causes. He married Maria Landi (1562-1599) 11 October 1595 in Paris, Seine, France.
Ercole (24 September 1562 – 29 November 1604) was Lord of Monaco from 17 May 1589 until his death on 29 November 1604 aged 42.
Ercole was the youngest of four sons of Honoré I (1522–1581) and Isabella Grimaldi. His eldest brother Charles II became Lord of Monaco on the death of their father in 1581. Ercole's two elder brothers Francois (1557–1586) and Horace (1558–1559) died in childhood, thus leaving Ercole as heir to his brother Charles II, who died without issue in 1589 at the age of 34. Ercole was 27 years old.
He married Maria Landi on 15 September 1595;[1]:54 the marriage produced three children;
- Giovanna Maria Grimaldi (1596-1620), married Gian Giacomo Teodoro Trivulzio, Conte di Melzo, Principe di Musocco.
- Jeanne Grimaldi (1597-1620)
- Honore II of Monaco (1597-1662) married Ippolita Trivulzio. Successor to Father as Lord of Monaco.
- Maria Claudia Grimaldi (1599-1668) - Carmelite nun in Genoa (1 January 1599 – 1668).
Ercole was murdered in 1604 and his six-year-old son Honoré became Lord of Monaco under the regency of Ercole's brother-in-law, Frederico Landi, 4th Prince of Val di Taro. Honoré was the first Lord of Monaco to be called Prince of Monaco.
House of Grimaldi

Great coat of arms of the House of Grimaldi.
The Grimaldi Family, with few exceptions for enemy occupations, have been primary rulers of Monaco since the 13th Century. Their family ancestry can be easily traced to many of the great noble families of Europe. See Also:
Children
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Giovanna Maria Grimaldi (1596-1620) | |||
Jeanne Grimaldi (1597-1620) | |||
Honore II of Monaco (1597-1662) | 24 December 1597 Monaco, Monaco | 10 January 1662 Monaco, Monaco | Ippolita Trivulzio (1600-1638) |
Maria Claudia Grimaldi (1599-1668) |
Siblings
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Virginie Grimaldi (1546-) | |||
Genevra Grimaldi (1548-) | |||
Bennedetta Claudia Grimaldi (1550-) | |||
Carlo II of Monaco (1555-1589) | |||
Elenore Grimaldi (1556-) | |||
Francois Grimaldi (1557-1586) | |||
Aurelie Grimaldi (1558-) | |||
Horace Grimaldi (1558-1559) | |||
Hippolyte Grimaldi (1559-) | |||
Ercole I of Monaco (1562-1604) | 24 September 1562 Monaco, Monaco | 29 November 1604 Monaco, Monaco | Maria Landi (1562-1599) |
Francis Grimaldi (c1563-1581) |
Residences
See Also
Bibliography
- 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.
External Links
- wikipedia:en:Ercole, Lord of Monaco
- Ercole, Lord of Monaco at thePeerage
- Ercole, Lord of Monaco, Geni.com, https://www.geni.com/people/Ercole-I-Grimaldi-signore-di-Monaco/5294809788890132187, retrieved 01 May 2023
- Princes of Monaco, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/provnice.htm#_Toc31542623, retrieved 01 May 2023
- 700 Years of Grimaldis- Archive.ph.
Royal Succession Chart
Preceded by Charles II |
Lord of Monaco 1589–1604 |
Succeeded by Honoré II |
References
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