1600 BINDING GRIMALDI OF MONTECARLO, WITH THEIR COATS

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gorgeous and scarce XVIIth century binding with the Coats of Arms of Royal Family of Monaco-Montecarlo Grimaldi Binding. [Notebook conceived as Liber Amicorum in a Baroque binding made about 1650]. Large 8vo, XVIIIth century elaborated binding with rich decorations at covers and spine, triple gilt borders, the innermost decorated with gilt flowers, olive’s leaves and animals (heads of dolphins and head of dogs); in the center an oval border with gilt armorial shield on both covers with the crowned coats of arms of the Royal Family of Montecarlo surrounded by flowers and putti with cornucopias, spine decorated with gilt diamonds and gilt geometric patterns, leather ties, art decò flyleaves (renewed), 80 unnumbered blank leaves (=pp. 160). outstanding and extremely scarce Baroque binding made for the Royal Family of Monaco-Montecarlo and later used as a ‘Liber Amicorum’ («Book of Friends»), according to the vogue of the end of 1800 and the biginning of the new century. The Liber Amicorum was used by gentlemen and ladies as a memorial notebook in which important friends or guest wrote their thought and left their signature. This use is more ancient, but became very trendy specially in the Belle Epoque period. Infact, the flyleaves belong to this period, decorated with violet tulips and grapes. The coat of arms of the House of Grimaldi are simply described as fusily argent and gules: a pattern of red diamonds on a white background. All the bindings belonged the Monaco’s Royal Family are extremely rare to find on the market. The House of Grimaldi is associated with the history of the Republic of Genoa and of the Principality of Monaco . The Grimaldi family descends from Grimaldo, a Genoese statesman at the time of the early Crusades. He was the son of Otto Canella, a Consul of the Republic of Genoa in 1133, and in turn Grimaldo became a Consul in 1160, 1170 and again in 1184. His numerous grandsons and their children led maritime expeditions throughout the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and soon the North Sea, and quickly became one of the most powerful families of Genoa. The Grimaldis feared that the head of a rival Genoese family could break the fragile balance of power in a political coup and become lord of Genoa, as had happened in other Italian cities. They entered into a Guelphic alliance with the Fieschi family and defended their interests with the sword. The Guelfs however were banned from the City in 1271, and found refuge in their castles of Liguria and in Provence. They signed a treaty with Charles of Anjou, King of Naples and Count of Provence, to retake control of Genoa, and generally to provide mutual assistance. In 1276, they accepted a peace under the auspices of the Pope, which however did not put an end to the civil war. Not all the Grimaldis chose to return to Genoa, as they preferred to settle in their fiefdoms, where they could raise armies. In 1299, the Grimaldis and their allies launched a few galleys to attack the port of Genoa before taking refuge on the Western Riviera. During the following years, the Grimaldis were going to enter into different alliances that would allow them to come back in force. This time, it was the turn of their rivals, the Spinola family, to be banned from the City. During all that period, both Guelfs and Ghibellines took and abandoned the castle of Monaco , which was ideally located to launch political and military operations against Genoa. Therefore, the story of Francis Grimaldi and his faction—who conquered the castle of Monaco under the disguise of friars in 1297—is largely anecdotal . In the early 14th century, the Catalans from Spain raided the shores of Provence and Liguria, challenging Genoa and King Robert of Provence. In 1353, the combined fleet of eighty Venetian and Catalonian galleys gathered in Sardinia to meet the fleet of sixty galleys under the command of Anthony Grimaldi. Only nineteen G... read more

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