Though it was a tiny little kingdom, Monaco had seven thousand inhabitants. Its kinglet lived like a real king in a palace with courtiers, ministers, a bishop, generals and an army of sixty men. The king managed his kingdom by collecting taxes from the people on tobacco, wine and spirits, and a poll tax. As the revenue so collected was inadequate, he permitted a gaming house to function in his kingdom. Its keeper paid a large sum to the kinglet. Since it was the only gaming house in the continent, it fetched the King of Monaco enough revenue to manage his kingdom. Thus he was able to feed himself and his people with this revenue.
