Historical Overview

The memory of this rebel branch has become legendary in the Var valley of Southern France. The branch of Boglio [pronounce bo-lee-o] was indeed impetuous and revolted against any form of authority, similar to the image we may keep of James Dean. Its influence collapsed after the public execution of the head of its clan, who took away with him the dreams of independence he had for the County of Nice. His branch disappeared rapidly thereafter.

In the early 14th century, the kingdom of Provence was largely unsafe, with thieves cutting off its roads and pirates raiding its coasts. Carried by galleys returning from the Near East, the plague ravaged the region in the middle of the century. For instance, Puget-Théniers lost about one-third of its population, Nice probably two-fifths, and Antibes three-fifths.

It is in this context that a branch of the House of Grimaldi came to settle down in Boglio. Wedged in the Alps between strong powers (e.g., Savoy, Provence, Milan and Genoa), the fiefdom of Boglio was led by a strong lord who left only one heiress, Astruge. The fiefdom — known as Beuil, in French — had a strategic significance that called for the support of a strong marriage. As the Grimaldi Family fit that description, the Genoese patrician Andaro Grimaldi came to marry Astruge of Boglio and quickly endeavored to expand his new fiefdom.

Andaro's grandson, John, is among the most colorful and ambitious figures of this line, and is still the subject of scholarly study to this day. John saw a political opportunity in the troubles that the succession of queen Jeanne of Provence caused. Appointed governor of Provence by the king of Naples, he lacked the armed forces to protect Nice and its large alpine valleys. With the king's approval, he sought the necessary alliances and offered the count of Savoy to let his army enter into Nice and its vicinity (1388). Most of those hamlets quickly welcomed the sovereignty of the new protector, and the Grimaldis received several additional fiefdoms in the process.

The access to a fortified seaport such as Nice opened new horizons and trade routes for the landlocked states of Savoy and Piedmont. Moreover, the event exacerbated the strategic importance of Monaco and Antibes — which were also in the hands of the Grimaldis — and flanked Nice on both sides. Thus, the counts of Savoy heavily reinforced Nice and rarely missed an opportunity to weaken Monaco and Antibes.

By 1400, John and his brother had put together a "small kingdom" that included about 20 fiefdoms, including Puget-Théniers, which later went to the counts Grimaldi de Puget, as well as Beuil, Péone, Roubion, Roure, Ilonse, Marie, Bairols, Thiéry, Pierlas, Touët, Lieuche, Rigaud, Massoins, Villars, Malaussène, Tournefort, Sauze, Levens, Rimplas, Tourrette, Revest, Roquette-sur-Var, Ascros, Roquesteron and Aiglun.

The two brothers also managed to enter Monaco's fortress at the tip of their swords and were recognized as lords of Monaco for a couple of years until France claimed the town and sent the Grimaldis of Boglio away. In 1581, the barony of Boglio was elevated to county, following a general movement of title inflation. The counts of Boglio being Grand Vassals of the House of Savoy were also traditionally governors of the County of Nice. That is, when they were not in political conflicts with their lord, the duke of Savoy.

In the 17th century, Annibal Grimaldi of Boglio secretly negotiated with the king of France to secure the independence of his land. When the duke of Savoy heard of the political maneuvering of his vassal, he arranged for Annibal to be publicly judged and executed. His possessions were dispersed, and his son Andrew had to flee to avoid the same end as his father.

The lords of Boves and of Levens, two collateral branches, still thrived in the States of Savoy after those difficult events. According to independent genealogists, however, all those branches are now extinct.