LOUISE HIPPOLYTE
MONACO 1942

There is a long history of Princely rule over the Principality of Monaco. Beginning at the time that “François Grimaldi seized the Rock of Monaco in 1297, starting the Grimaldi dynasty, under the sovereignty of the Republic of Genoa,” not including the French Occupation between 1793 and 1914, there have been thirty-two prince’s including princesses that have governed Monaco. (wikipedia.org/rulers).

According to the family lines, “The Sovereign Prince (French: Prince de Monaco) or Princess of Monaco (French: princesse de Monaco) is the reigning monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All reigning princes and princesses have officially taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, although some have belonged to other families.” (wikipedia.org/monarchy).

During that history, “Louise Hippolyte (10 November 1697 – 29 December 1731) was one of only two women to reign over the Principality of Monaco.” (wikipedia.org/Louise). She was the second child of six and the first to survive infancy. Her parents were Antoni I, Sovereign Prince of Monaco 1701-1731 and Marie de Larraine-Armagnac.

It is mentioned that “On 20 October 1715, at the age of eighteen, she married Jacques François Goyon, Count de Matignon after his family had proposed him as a candidate.” “Louise Hippolyte and Jacques had nine children. Her husband preferred to stay in Versailles instead of Monaco…” “At the end of 1731, Louise Hippolyte died of smallpox.” (wikipedia.org/Louise).

Unfortunately, it wasn’t until sixty-five years later a British doctor realized a cure for that time in history. “The smallpox vaccine was the first vaccine to be developed against a contagious disease. In 1796, the British doctor Edward Jenner demonstrated that an infection with the relatively mild cowpox virus conferred immunity against the deadly smallpox virus. Cowpox served as a natural vaccine until the modern smallpox vaccine emerged in the 19th century.” (wikipedia.org/smallpox).

The artist of the stamp as well as the artist of a painted image presented Louise as a beautiful woman, possibly demure in her public personality, but with a slight smile and a look in her eyes that could indicate there was a silently strong woman that was well aware of her duties of the House of Grimaldi. It is unfortunate that she succumbed to the deadly disease at such a young age in her life.

On the bottom left of the stamp is the name COURVOISIER S.A. In searching for this name, I was able to find a brand of Cognac. The only association with the name on the stamp is that the cognac was “Originally established in Paris, in the French suburb of Bercy in 1809, Emmanuel Courvoisier started a wine and spirit company with Louis Gallois, then the mayor of Bercy.” (wikipedia.org). As far as any link to Louise Hippolyte or the House of Grimaldi it has not become clear.

On the bottom right of the stamp is the name BARLANGUE SC. On stampcommunity.org it’s mentioned that “Gabriel-Antoine Barlangue (1874-1956) designed and engraved recess and typographic stamps issued by France between 1929 and 1953. He also worked on various stamps of French colonies & other countries over the years. Barlangue's first steel engraved stamp was issued in 1937 to honour Jean Mermoz, French aviator who disappeared at sea in 1936.” With many stamps that do not indicate the name of the artist, I wonder if this name will become more noticeable as other searches of stamps go on.

An interesting note, that one of Louise’s sisters was named Maria Devote (1702-1703). The dates indicate that she did not survive past infancy. I also wondered if her parents named her after the patron saint of Corsica and Monaco, who is depicted on another 1951 stamp for Monaco. The article attached to that stamp is titled “Jugement De Sainte Devote.” In reference to Sainte Devote it is said that, “Tradition holds that she was a Corsican woman born around 283 AD at Mariana.” (wikipedia.org).

This is a 1942 stamp which could be a reminder of the time in history when "…Prince Louis II's sympathies were strongly pro-French, he tried to keep Monaco neutral during World War II but supported the Vichy French government of his old army colleague, Marshal Philippe Pétain. In November 1942, the Italian Army invaded and occupied Monaco. Soon after in September 1943, following Mussolini's fall in Italy, the German Army occupied Monaco…” (wikipedia.org/history). Whether they are subtle or a bold display, stamps are a way to present the political changes that have occurred in history.

When discovering the information about the ruling families of the past and how they were bound together through marriages and alliances, it paints a picture of intrigue, sadness for some whose choices were limited by protocol and a glimpse at the life of privilege that they led.

If the soft red color and the design of the interwoven ribbons with flowers wrapped around the border of the stamp portrays the personality of Louise Hippolyte, then it would seem likely that she was a pleasant person that others would have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to know during her short life on earth.


Referenced Articles

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rulers_of_Monaco

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Monaco

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Hippolyte,_Princess_of_Monaco

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox_vaccine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courvoisier

https://www.stampcommunity.org/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=61297

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devota

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Monaco