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Augustin Grimaldi
Bishop of Grasse and Lord of Monaco from 1523 to 1532
Augustin Grimaldi succeeded his brothers, Jean and Lucien. The former was assassinated by the latter, probably in order to put a stop to his temptation to yield Monaco to Venice, and also because of political impatience. Control over Monaco was in fact coveted intra muros as well as by foreign powers. Consequently, the powerful Genoese admiral, Andrea Doria, sought to gain something from the assassination of Lucien Grimaldi, through his own nephew, son of Françoise Grimaldi.
Due to the fact that Augustin was a cleric, Pope Clement VII gave him canonical dispensation to govern the lordship, thus granting Monaco its independence in 1524.
In spite of the instructions given by the king of France, Francois I, the assassins of Lucien Grimaldi remained unpunished due to the power of admiral Doria at court. Augustin Grimaldi’s entourage encouraged him to draw closer to Emperor Charles Quint, king of Spain and the most powerful sovereign in Europe, thus making him the most suitable person to secure Monaco’s independence.
This rapprochement gave rise to the signing, on 7 June 1524, of the treaty of Burgos, then the declaration of Tordesillas, which ensured Monaco’s independence while guaranteeing the Spanish protectorate. The Sardinian archdiocese of Oristono was granted to Augustin.
Dies in 1532