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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Billon denier, 22mm, 1.45gr. Obv: +LODOICVS, central cross. Rev: +SITCINAS, three central crosses. Mint is Saintes. R - ; Boud 450v; PdA 2704-5; Dup 989.

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); Dep 1020v (as William IX and X). The difficulty is that the size (21mm) argues for BW whose coins are larger than W IX and X (16mm) but those clearly identified as BW have a central besant.


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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 936-954 ( immobilized - 12th C)

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AR denier, 18mm, .57 gr. Obv: +LODOICVS, horizontal S, central cross. Rev: EGOLISSIME, horizontal S's, very small central cross with four pellets. Mint: Angouleme. If 10th C, the coin was issued by the Comte' de Angouleme, Hugues le Noir (937-952), who controlled an area influenced by Louis IV, but over which he did not rule. Roberts 1804 (who indicates this coin as both contemporary with Louis IV and also as an immobilized coin). Roberts' image has a verical S on the obverse and his book does not show a 12th C immobilized version. MG 1646 as Louis IV or V (which shows a vertical S on the obverse, reverse image unclear); Dep 22 C1, 50 (6 examples) who also says it might be IV (but offers no image). Belaubre 821(who cites Poey d'Avant (1858-62) as an immobilized version from the second half of the 12th century). His image has the obverse and reverse S's horizontal.
     Yves Debroyer helpfully raised questions about this coin and its classification as a 10th C coin. The difficulty in identifying an immobilized coin is illustrated by these two similar, but different, coins from the CGB Monnaies V sale; items 781 and 782. The first is a denier from “COMTÉS D'ANGOULËME ET DE LA MARCHE - ANONYMES - (XIIème s.)” described “781. Denier anonyme, (XIIème-XIIIème siècles), c. 1180-1240, Angoulême, (Ar, 20 mm., 6 h., 0,98 g.). A/ +LODOICVS, S couchée. Croix. R/ + EGOLISSIME, S couchées, croix en forme de O cruciforme. Quatre annelets autour d'une croisette. Bd.446 - PA.2649 (57/3).” In this case Boudeau 446 pictures the coin with vertical S’s. CGB draws the connection to Louis IV. “Le type du droit est directement inspiré du monnayage de Louis IV d'Outremer. E. Caron faisait remarquer (op. cit., p. 147) que le type s'altère (became impaired) au XIIème siècle. Le poids descend sous le gramme. Le flan est parfois (sometimes) si mince (slim) que les annelets du revers donnent l'impression que la croix du droit est cantonnée de quatre besants comme sur notre exemplaire. Nous avons certainement affaire à un type de transition de la fin du XIIème siècle ou du début du XIIIème siècle au moment où les comtés d'Angoulème et de la Marche sont réunis." CGB notes the impression of the reverse is reflected on the obverse on the CGB coin but is not on mine. Note also the size differences between this coin and the coin on ths site. It is not clear if mine is later or earlier. The CGB explanation would probably be later, given the smaller size.
     The second coin is an obol, described “COMTÉS D'ANGOULÊME ET DE LA MARCHE - ANONYMES - (XIIème s.)  782. Obole, (XIIème-XIIIème siècles), c. 1180-1220, Angoulême, (Ar, 15,5 mm., 9 h., 0,46 g.). A/ + LODOICVS, S couchée. Croix.. R/ + EGOLISSIME, S couchées. Quatre annelets autour d'une croisette. Bd.447 (2f.) - PA. cf.2662 (57/5), les S au revers ne sont pas couches. Bd. 447 also has a vertical S on the obverse, making both citations inconsistent with the ‘S couchee,’ lying down, on the coin.
    So where does this stand? This coin has S’s on their side, similar to the CGB coins. However, the citations for the CGB coin, Boudeau and d’Avant indicate vertical S’s, even while classifying the CGB coins as immobilized. The MG image of Louis IV has a vertical S. Roberts identifies this as Louis IV, but immobilized to an uncertain timeframe. His image also has a vertical S on the obverse. At 18mm, this would be the smallest Carolingian denier on the site, smaller than the slightly larger but still small 19mm coin of Lothaire (see below). Size argues for a later coin than the CGB denier. Conclusion, strongly influenced by the low weight - immobilized.

Louis was son of Charles III by his second wife. He fled to England with his mother after his father was imprisoned by Herbert II of Vermandois. He married Gerberga of Saxony and they had two sons. He was succeeded by Lothar IV and his grandson Louis V was the last Carolingian.

When Raoul died without an heir, Hugh the Great, father of Hugh Capet, was instrumental is the restoration of the Carolingians, in the person of Louis d'Outremer (from across the sea). The territory over which Louis had direct rule was limited but the nobility initially pledged fealty to him. He subsequently fell out with his advocate Hugh the Great and they engaged in civil war. He was captured by Hugh and subsequently released, under papal pressure. He succeeded in reasserting control in Normandy. He died from injuries sustained in a hunting accident, at age 34. He was succeeded by his son Lothar IV, who ruled under the protection of Hugh the Great. (Source: Riche' 255-64.)

Louis IV (immobilized) 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.