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Louis II Honoré Charles Antoine Grimaldi of Monaco was born 12 July 1870 in Baden-Baden, Germany to Albert I of Monaco (1848-1922) and Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton (1850-1922) and died 9 May 1949 Monaco of unspecified causes. He married Ghislaine Dommanget (1900-1991) July 1946 in Monaco.

Biography

Prince Louis II of Monaco was the sovereign Prince of Monaco from 1922 until his death.

Prince Louis II was the son of Prince Albert I of Monaco and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton, a British noblewoman. He belonged to the House of Grimaldi, which has ruled Monaco since the 13th century. As a young man, he pursued a military career and served in the French Army, reaching the rank of Brigadier General.

In 1911, Prince Louis II married Ghislaine Dommanget (1900-1991), a French actress, but they had no children. After their divorce, Prince Louis II had a longtime companion, Marie-Juliette Louvet, with whom he had a daughter named Charlotte, who later became Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois, although she was not officially recognized as his child until much later, during "The Succession Crisis of 1918".

Prince Louis II succeeded his father, Prince Albert I, upon his death in 1922. During his reign, Prince Louis II focused on modernizing Monaco and diversifying its economy. He promoted the development of tourism, infrastructure, and cultural activities. He also supported the arts and sciences and was known for his patronage of the ballet and opera.

Prince Louis II was deeply interested in sports, particularly athletics and motor racing. He participated in various sports events himself, and Monaco hosted numerous international sports competitions during his reign. In fact, the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most famous Formula One races, was established during his time as Prince.

Despite his achievements, Prince Louis II faced several challenges during his reign, including financial difficulties caused by the Great Depression and the political tensions of World War II. Monaco was occupied by Italian forces during the war, and Prince Louis II was taken to Germany as a prisoner. After his release, he returned to Monaco and resumed his duties as Prince.

Prince Louis II abdicated the throne on September 16, 1949, just months before his death, due to his declining health. He was succeeded by his grandson, Prince Rainier III, who went on to become one of the longest-reigning monarchs in European history.

Prince Louis II of Monaco is remembered as a progressive and modernizing ruler who made significant contributions to the principality's development. His legacy includes the transformation of Monaco into a thriving tourist destination and his passion for sports, which still resonate in the principality today.

House of Grimaldi

Great coat of arms of the 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:

Death and succession, 1949

Prince Louis II died in 1949 in the Prince's Palace and is buried at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monte Carlo, Monaco. His daughter, Hereditary Princess Charlotte had ceded her succession rights to her son, Rainier, in 1944, at which time he became Hereditary Prince.[1] Thus when Louis died five years later, he was succeeded by his grandson, Prince Rainier III.[1][2]

Louis' widow, Ghislaine, Dowager Princess of Monaco, died on 30 April 1991 in Paris, where she was interred in the Passy Cemetery.



Children


Offspring of Louis II of Monaco and Marie Juliette Louvet (1867-1930)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Charlotte of Monaco (1898-1977) 30 September 1898 Constantine, Algeria 15 September 1977 Paris, France Pierre de Polignac (1895-1964)



Siblings


Offspring of Albert I of Monaco (1848-1922) and Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton (1850-1922)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Louis II of Monaco (1870-1949) 12 July 1870 Baden-Baden, Germany 9 May 1949 Monaco Marie Juliette Louvet (1867-1930)
Ghislaine Dommanget (1900-1991)


See Also


External Links

Titles and Honors

  • Flag of Monaco Monaco: Sovereign of the Order of Saint-Charles
  • Flag of France France:
    • Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour[3]
    • Medal of the Order of the Francisque
    • Badge of the Brigadier General
    • Badge of the French Foreign Legion
  • Flagge Großherzogtum Baden (1891-1918) Baden: Grand Cross of the Military Merit Order of Karl-Friedrich
  • Flag of Denmark Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant, 23 March 1929[4]
  • Italy:
    • Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned Kingdom of Italy:
      • Knight with Collar of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
      • Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
    • Italy Italian Republic: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
  • Flag of the Vatican City Holy See: Knight of the Order of Pius IX
  • Flag of Portugal Portugal: 298th Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry
  • Flag of San Marino San Marino: Grand Cross of the Order of San Marino, 30 March 1935[5]
  • Flag of Sweden Sweden:[6]
    • Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star, 1906
    • Knight of the Order of the Seraphim, 9 April 1923
  • Flagge Königreich Württemberg Württemberg: Grand Cross of the Order of the Württemberg Crown, 1889[7]

Rainier III of Monaco (1923-2005)

Royal Succession Charts

Louis II of Monaco (1870-1949)
Born: 12 July 1870 Died: 9 May 1949
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Albert I
Prince of Monaco
1922–1949
Succeeded by
Rainier III
Monegasque royaltyWp globe tiny
Preceded by
Albert I
Hereditary Prince of Monaco
1889–1922
Succeeded by
Princess Charlotte
Marquis of Baux
1889–1944

{{s-aft|after=[[Rainier}}

French nobility
Preceded by
Albert I
Duke of Estouteville
Duke of Valentinois

1922–1949
Extinct

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :0
  2. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :2
  3. ^ "Une histoire passionnante" (in fr). http://www.villacharlotte.fr/a-propos. 
  4. ^ Pedersen, Jørgen (2009) (in da). Riddere af Elefantordenen, 1559–2009. Syddansk Universitetsforlag. p. 466. ISBN 978-87-7674-434-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=glw-AQAAIAAJ. 
  5. ^ "The Equestrian Order of San Marino". https://www.consolatosanmarino.uk/en/the-equestrian-order-of-san-marino/. 
  6. ^ "Sveriges statskalender (1940), II, pp. 7, 75" (in sv). http://runeberg.org/statskal/1940bih/0007.html. 
  7. ^ Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Württemberg (1907), "Königliche Orden" p. 28


Footnotes (including sources)

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