Graphic novel retells 1506 siege of the Rock
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
A new 120-page graphic novel, Assiégés - Monaco, published by Delcourt, goes on sale in French and Monegasque bookshops on 8 October 2026.
The book reconstructs one of the defining episodes in the Principality's history, the 1506 siege of the Rock by Genoese forces. Laurent Vissière, co-writer of the project and a professor of medieval history specialising in military history, has spent years researching the period to bring accuracy to the story of how Monaco held out against its attackers.
For residents who pass the ramparts of the Rock daily, the siege is often reduced to a footnote in guided tours. Vissière's involvement signals an attempt to give the episode proper historical weight, grounding the drama in verified sources rather than legend.
The graphic novel arrives in bookshops across Monaco and France on Thursday 8 October, published by Delcourt, a house known for historical and literary works in the format. It offers a fresh entry point into the Principality's medieval past for residents, and a reminder of how precarious the Grimaldi hold on the Rock once was.