World Tour: Descendents of Grace

 America has, perhaps only in the technical sense, abandoned monarchies, but in Europe, the constitutions rarely say such things, even those that have only existed for a fraction of their countries’ history. Places like England, Sweden and Spain have thrones to pass to, that transition was not so difficult. And republics with republican roots like the Switzerland and Italy likewise found it relatively simple.


But for a few countries that had abolished monarchies, bringing them back was a little more of a process. They did come back, for most part, give or take a German burgh. We in the modern world look down at hereditary heads of state, but they do exist for a reason, and that is generally that realm that is up for grabs becomes a bloodbath. It isn’t “fair”, but it also isn’t fair when a warlord burns down your village so the rival army won’t get it. Like America, fiefdoms went to the strongest of strongmen, particularly France, the fertile hills being made for agricultural manors. So even the staunchest egalitarians (who were still alive) started to think royalty was looking good again. But how to pick one? Let another monarch conquer you? No sirens in lakes handing out swords. It became a bit of a dilemma for former republics, if monarchical rule *is* legitimate, who has the right to call themselves royalty more than the next guy?

Monaco houses one of the oldest royal houses the Grimaldi family. It has even has ties to American history, with Hollywood icon Grace Kelly marrying into it, before her own tragic demise. It’s also a ridiculous small kingdom, smaller than some shopping small. Small enough that it wasn’t going to be a huge power breaker. Small enough that in is thousand year history, it didn’t make too many enemies. There’s no stories of people suffering under the Grimaldi boot, of them being the scourge of Europe. Just that pretty lady who died and it was very sad. The Grimaldi line, therefore has become the wellspring of dynasties. Warriors marry the daughters, which mean their heirs have literal royalty, a mythic lineage, running through their veins.

This in turn, has protected Monaco from brutality and conquest. It would be like gutting a golden goose. It would almost like sacking Rome. Maybe even worse. After all, Grace Kelly never ordered someone nailed to a cross.