Monaco Honore II écu 1653

Large silver écu of Monaco struck under Honoré II in 1653 in Monaco. Obverse features a right-facing bust of Honoré; reverse shows the crowned coat of arms of Monaco.

Honoré II of Monaco (1597–1662) was the first sovereign prince of Monaco, transforming the lordship into a principality in 1612. He strengthened Monaco’s independence by freeing it from Spanish control and forging an alliance with France through the Treaty of Péronne in 1641. A great builder, he renovated the princely palace in the Baroque style. His reign marks the beginning of the modern Grimaldi dynasty.