Louis IV (immobilized) Counts of Angouleme

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William Sanche, Comte de Bordeaux (977-997)

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AR denier, 20mm, 1.19gr. Obv: SANCHIVS, central cross. Rev: BVDEGAL, central degenerate monogram. Mint is Bordeaux. R4053; Boud 456 (10 as the rarity estimate); PdA 2711+; Dep 1006.

Comte de Saintes: Immobilized in the name of Louis IV
Fin de Xeme, debut de XIeme S.

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AR denier, 22mm, 1.45gr. Obv: +LODOICVS, central cross. Rev: +SITCINAS, three central crosses. Mint is Saintes. R - ; Boud 450v; PdA 2704-5 LVIII-10 as the end of the 10th C. PdA cites two of these 10th C coins with weights of 1.57 and 1.52 grams. He also cites three early 11th C coins with weights of 1.19, 1.14 and .71 grams respectively. Given ths coin's weight of 1.45, I place it with the earlier, 10th century version of the coin. Dup 989 as end of the 10th, start of the 11th. 

Bernard William (984-1010)

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Bill. denier, 21mm, 1.11gr. Obv: +GIVILIIMO, four central crosses. Rev: +BVRDEGIILA, central cross. Mint is Bordeaux. R4303v as BW; Boud 464 (as William X and common. He cites nothing close under BW); PdA 2735 as BW (closest match to legend); Dup 1020v (as William IX and X). The size (21mm) argues for BW whose coins are larger than W IX and X (16mm).


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Bill denier, 19mm, 1.01gr. As above. 

Raymond Bernard (-1074)

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AR denier, 19mm, 1.27gr. Obv: +RAMVDN, central cross. Rev: +ALBIE CI, VICOC in the field. Mint is Albi. R4251; Boud 772 (2 as the rarity estimate); PdA 3894; Dep 1177v.

Raymond Bernard Successors (1074+)

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AR denier, 18mm, .94gr. Obv: Degenerate legend derived from +RAMVND, central monogram. Rev: Degenerate legend derived from ALBIECI, central cross. Mint is Albi. R4253; Boud 774; PdA 3899v (not clearly matched); Dup 1180.

William IX of Aquitaine (1086-1126 dates vary)

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AR denier, 1.3gr., 19mm. Obv: VVIELMO COME, central cross with 'S' in the second quadrant. Rev: +TOLOSA CIVI, central monogram. Mint is Toulouse. R4225; Dup -; Boud -, PdA 3676 as William IV of Toulouse (1060-88); Pierfitte 49. Attribution is confusing because Raymond IV (1088-1105), Bertrand (1105-12) and Alphonse Jourdain (1122-48) all had Toulouse coinage, overlapping with William IX. Pierfitte (RN 1935 pp55-6) makes the argument for William IX. He argues "le comte Bertrand aurait eu recours a Alphonse roi d'Aragon pour reconquerir ses etats qui, pendant son sejour en Terre Sainte, avaient ete envahis par Guillaume, comte de Poitiers et duc d'Aquitaine." So it is likely that Toulouse changed hands during Bertrand reign and while he kept the title, he didn't hold the land (or the mint). So in this case, the coin dates from whatever years William held Toulouse. If the argument is correct, the coin dates between 1105-12) A question for future research.

William X of Aquitaine (1127-1137)

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AR denier, 16mm, .57gr. Obv: +GVILELMO, four croisettes. Rev: +BVRGEGALA, central cross. Not clearly in R (see R4300s), Boudeau 464, Bel 803.

William X had a troubled reign as duke of Aquitaine, and was ultimately unsuccessful, in that he did not succeed in securing succession for his line. He faced dissention within his realm and fought an alliance of Hugh VII of Lusignan and the lord of Parthenay, only solved, in the short run, by the destruction of Parthenay, but at the cost of a long term foe. He picked the locally unpopular side in the schism of 1130 by siding with Roman Anacletus against local bishops of Limoges, Poitiers and other locales. His marriage to the Aenor, daughter of the viscount of Chatellerault resulted in two daughters, no sons. The oldest, Eleanor, married Louis VII but this marriage was ultimately annulled, on the grounds of consanguinity. Eleanor, in turn, married Henry II of England. Henry was welcomed in Aquitaine and their son, Richard, came ultimately to have control of Aquitaine. The duchy moved out of French hands into Angevin control. William died in 1137 while on a pilgrimage to Compostela in Spain. Source: Dunbabin, 341-2

Louis IV (immobilized 10th - early 11th C) Counts of Angouleme

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AR denier, 21mm, 1.33 gr. Obv: +LODOICVS, central cross, vertical S. Rev: +EGOLISSIME, small cross, four globes, retrograde Ss. Mint is Angouleme. MG 1646 legend match but their image shows a retrograde obverse S, weight cites as 1.68 gr. Dep 50 (six examples) with legend match but no weights and cites Dumas (975-80). Prou -; MEC -; Dup 942 as end of the 10th, first half of the 11th centuries but with a retrograde obverse S .Boud 445 grand denier with regular obverse S as per this coin. PdA 2644, plate LVII, weight 1.36 grams dates his coin to the first half of the 11th C. The style of the reverse cross places this as 2644, rather than the billon grand denier 2646. Dumas 8423 matches this legend exactly, with a size of 20mm and weight of 1.47gr. The other three similar  but not exact  coins Dumas cites weigh 1.4, 1.33 and 1.48 grams. Dumas notes the continuity of  this type of coinage by observing "on ne constate pas de signe d'affaiblissement avant le 11th siecle." This coin is immobilized in the name of Louis IV. It is consistent weight-wise with the Fecamp hoard. It is also possible it is later,, in the early 11th century. This specific coin can not be exactly dated but the exact legend match is consistent with 10th century coinage so I'll use it on the 'Birth of French Feudal Coinage' page.

Louis IV  ( immobilized - 12th C) Counts of Angouleme

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AR denier, 18mm, .57 gr. Obv: +LODOICVS, horizontal S, central cross. Rev: EGOLISSIME, horizontal Ss, very small central cross with four pellets. Mint: Angouleme. Roberts 1804 (as an immobilized coin); PdA 2659-60 (weight .98gr). For similar coins see  CGB Monnaies V sale; items 781 and 782. This is a denier from COMTÉS D'ANGOULËME ET DE LA MARCHE - ANONYMES - (XIIème s.) described in 781. Denier anonyme, (XIIème-XIIIème siècles), c. 1180-1240, Angoulême, (Ar, 20 mm., 6 h., 0,98 g.). Boud.446v.

Louis IV (immobilized 12th - 13th C) Counts of Angouleme

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Bill denier, 18mm, .87gr. Obv: +LODOICVS, horizontal S, central cross. Rev: +EGOLISSIME, central cross, three annulets, one crescent. Mint is Angouleme. R4361 as 12-13th C La Marche; PdA 2663, Dup 947, not in Boud.

    Alphonse of France (1249-1271)


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AR denier, 19mm, 1.22gr. Obv: +ALFVNSVS COMS, central cross. Rev: PICTAVIENTSIS, central chattel tournois. Mint is Poitou. R5201; Boud 431 as argent; PdA 2583 as billon; Dy 931.

The "of France" in his title means he was of royal descent. His father was Louis VIII and mother was Blanche of Castile. His paternal grandparents were Philip II "Auguste" and Isabelle of Hainault. His maternal grandparents were Alphonso VIII of Castile and Eleanor of Anjou. His brother ruled as Louis IX (St. Louis). He was born in Paris 11/11/1220 and was titled comte of Poitiers (an apanage from his brother), comte of  Toulouse and marguisate of Provence (inherited from his father in law) and duc d'Auvergne. He married Jeanne of Toulouse (daughter of Raymond VII) in 1249. Both died within days of each other in 1271 (he on 21 August) at Corneto Castle near Sienna, Italy. Since there was no heir his lands and titled reverted to the French crown, in the person of Philip III. Source: B. Stewart web site and CGB.

Bishops of Cahors: 12 -13th C

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Bill denier, 16mm, .91gr. Obv: +CATVRCIS, central cross. Rev: +CIVITAS, central design. Mint is Cahors. R4662v. His reverse field is similar to this but has an alpha on the bottom, whereas this has opposing arrow points. Boud 781-2v; PdA 3920v, plate 87:15, similar to Roberts, not this reverse.

Counts of Albi: 12 - 13th C

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AR denier, 19mm, .925gr. Obv: IWVIVWC, retrograde C, central cross. Rev: AM-M-CI, central monogram. Mint is Albi. R4253; Boud 774v; PdA 3898; Dup 1180.

Archbishops of Arles

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 Billon obole, 15mm, .48gr. Obv: +ARECHIEPI, central shepherd's crook. Rev: oARELATENo, cross with long leg. Mint is Arles. R4677; Boud 794; PdA 4087.