Robert of Anjou 1309 - 1343
Count of Provence (but not Anjou)

Details below

Provence
Coinage of People and Places

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County of Melgueil, Bishop de Maguelonne (11th - 13th C)

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Bill denier, 17mm, .94gr. Obv: illegible inscription, distinctive central design. Rev: illegible, four circles with central besant. This is in Provence. R4336, Boudeau 753 (which describes it with "legendes barbares"), Bel 928.

Billon denier, 18mm, 1.04gr. Obv:  illegible inscription, distinctive central design. Rev: illegible, four circles with central besant. This is in Provence. R4336, Boudeau 753 (which describes it with "legendes barbares"), Bel 928; Dup 1578 (as 12th-13thC) PdA 3843.

By the 12th century this was among the most popular coinages in the south of France. It was used as far south as Catalonia and overshadowed neighboring coinage from Narbonne. Its minting was a source of wealth for the count and it attracted the interest of the papacy. It remained stylistically unchanged for decades, although its weight and quality varied. It was a coinage that was 'confirmed' a number of times by whoever controlled it. For example, in 1125 count Bernard IV confirmed "'to God and all faithful Christians by an oath in the hand of the bishop of Maguelone' that he would maintain the coinage in its designated weight and alloy." (Bisson 66) Bernard issued other confirmations in which he said any change in value (mutation) would be made in conjunction with the consent of his leading vassals. Bisson interprets this as reflecting a broad interest in the stabilization of the currency.

By the same token, Bernard's vassal in Montpelier committed not introduce his own currency, and not to clip or counterfeit the coinage of Megueil. The first of the Megueil coins above appears to have been clipped at some point. One way creditors addressed this clipping problem was to set repayment terms for debt and contractual obligations in terms of silver weight  rather than coin count. Contracts specifying silver weight terms would reflect the fact that debasement was a concern.

Pope Honorius II also weighted in on this and sometime between 1125-29 wrote to Bernard telling him it was his obligation to maintain the stability of his currency. This is one of the first papal interventions in the issue of monetary stability. Honorius' interest was because the Bernard was a papal vassal.

Not surprisingly, the currency was debased over time, as was not uncommon. When Raymond V of Toulouse married into Megueil in 1172 and took control of the county, he also took direct control of the currency, set its quality with the moneyers rather than leading men of the county and debased the currency. His successor, Raymond VI, appears to have limited interest in these minting rights and regardless, lost his title to Megueil when the pope took it away in 1212, a byproduct of the Albigensian crusade. Earlier, Alphonse Jourdain had also confirmed the currency in 1132. Bisson (74) observes "So it happened that public and sworn confirmation of coinage, reaching an early climax at Megueil, lapses after 1125 into more conventional and perhaps less solemn forms. The observance of these promises was little more than deflected under the relatively strong dynasty of Toulouse. Neither rural vassals nor burghers gained much influence over the coinage, still thoroughly seigneurial, that was too popular for its proprietors to risk abusing."

Bill denier, 15mm, .64gr. Obv: +R.COMES (horizontal S), center sun and two points, thin crescent. Rev: +D/V/X/M, central double cross, center besant. R4356v (as Raymond VII); Boud 785 as Raymond V and VI; PdA 272.

AR denier, 18mm, .93gr. Obv: REX ARAGONE, central miter. Rev: PRO-VI-NC-IA, long cross. R4559 (as Raymond Berenger IV 1172-81 He notes RB as comte of Provence was a vassal of Alphonse I); Boud 805 as AI (2 as rarity estimate); PdA 3393 (image LXXXVIII-1 as A II); Dep?

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Billon obole, .49gr., 13mm. Obv: +REX ARAGONE, central bust left. Rev: PO-VI-NC-IA, central cross. Mint is Marseille. R5021; Dup -; Boud 808 who notes that this type was minted until the death of Alphonse XII in 1243; PdA 3931.

Raymond VII of Provence (1222-49)

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Billon (?) denier, 17mm, .73gr. Obv: +R COMES PALACI, cross surrounded by dots. Rev: +DVX MARCHIO:PV, center crescent and star burst. Mint from the old Marquisate of the Counts of Toulouse. R4351(? - images matches coin but id'd as Raymond V of Toulouse, but doesn't fit Boud. rev text), Boud 787. CGB Monnaies V #778 as Raymond VII. CGB cites R4355.

Life: Raymond was the son of Raymond VI and  Jeanne Plantagenet (daughter of Henry II Plantagenet). His paternal grandparents were Raymond V of Toulouse and Constance of France. He was born at Beaucaire. He married Sancha de Aragon and they had one child, who became his heir as Countess Jeanne of Toulouse. He died September 27 1249 at Millau.

Times: These were hard times for Toulouse and the county ultimately went to royal French hands via his daughter Jeanne. Raymond VI triggered a crusade against Toulouse due to the assassination of a papal representative and his support of  the cathar heresy. He was stripped of his lands and the titles were given to his son, Raymond VII. The crusade continued against Raymond VII, driven by his support of the Albegensians as well as by Louis VIII's desire for his lands. He ultimately succumbed to royal pressure, did public penance and pledged his daughter Jeanne to Alphonse of France (brother of
Louis IX). It was Alphonse who inherited the title of count of Toulouse and on his death, the lands went to the royal family. Sources:Catholic Encyclopedia - Raymond VII, various online geneologies, CGB

Denier, 19mm. Obv: K COMES PROVINCIE, central monogram. Rev: +FIL_REGIS FRANCIE, cross with two besants, one lis and one ?. R4124, not clearly in Boudeau but obv same as 814, not in Bel. This coin appears twice on these feudal pages, here and on the Anjou page, due to his title.

By the middle of the 13th C The HRE hold over eastern Burgundy, including the county, had weakened, due to the death of the emperor and territorial distractions elsewhere. About this time Charles of Anjou, brother of Louis IX of France, married Beatrice, the youngest daughter of Raymond Berenger, count of Provence. He succeeded in his suit against a number of  other claimants for her sought after hand, since she brought with her powerful and rich lands. She was 15 and he about 20 when they married in 1246.

They jointly turned their attention to Italy, where Charles received a papal offer of the crown of Sicily. Some time later the next pope (Nicholas III) sought greater control over Italy than his predecessor had exerted. Nicholas wanted to rule Italy himself. In a negotiation with the Hapsburgs (who were papal allies and controlled lands  in Burgundy) and Charles, Charles was to relinquish Sicily in return for the kingdom of Arles and Vienne. (The crown would actually go to his heir - Charles the Lame.)

Popes propose but others contest. In Italy Charles ran into problems. He manipulated the execution of Conradin, successor to Barbarossa and Frederick II and heir of King Manfred. Conradin was seen as a proponent of Italian nationalism. His death angered the Italians, who held no love for the French. The French imposed strict controls over Italian territories, rankling the local populace. In response to an instance of French abuse, the citizens of Palermo rose against the French, slaughtering thousands. This episode is referred to as the night of the Sicilian Vespers. This slowed Charles' exit from his Italian lands.

In addition, Charles met resistance to his desire to establish control over Provence and assume the proffered crown of Arles and Vienne.

The upshot of this conflict in both Italy and Provence was that the independent kingdom of Arles and Vienne was, in fact, not established. Cope refers to this time as one of the "almosts" for Burgundy. It remained un-unified and dependent, primarily on the HRE.

Charles, being of royal blood, was entombed in St. Denis outside of Paris, burial place for the French kings. This is the effigy from his tomb.

AR Carlin, 25mm, 3.85gr. Obv: +ROBERT.DEI.GRA.IHL.ET.SICII.REX, central seated figure. Rev: +COMES.PUINCIE.ET.FORCALQERII, central ornate cross with ornate detail. Mint is Avignon. R6856; boud 832; PdA 3982 plate 89:15.

AR sol coronat, 24mm, 2.45gr. Obv: +R:IH'R:ET:SICIL:REX, central grand crown. Rev: COM - ESP - VIN - CIE, central cross with a fleur de lis in each quadrant. R5961; Boud 833; PdA 3990v.

Life and times: Robert was son of Charles II, king of Naples, and Beatrice, countess de Provence. His grandfather was Charles I of Provence and king of Sicily (whose coin is above and on the Anjou page) and his great grandfather was Louis VIII. Robert inherited the title of king of Naples from his father. Other titles include count of Provence, pretender to the throne of Sicily and titular king of Jerusalem. His father was count of Anjou and count of Maine, but Robert did not have all those titles. Robert established Naples as a major Renaissance city and was known as ‘le Sage' for the quality of his reign. While his reign extended into the period of the Hundred Years War, he was in his late fifties when it started and living in Italy, and I suspect he had limited involvement in France during these early war years.

Louis and Jeanne of Provence (1347-62)

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AR sol cournonnat or half gros, 22mm, 1.53gr. Obv: +:L:ET:I:IhR:ET:SICIL:REX, central crown surrounded by lis. Rev: +COMES:ER:COIIYS?:PVIECIE, central cross of Jerusalem. Mint is in Provence. R5981; PdA 4033, XCI 5; D1664: boud 849.

Sources

Bisson, T., Conservation of Coinage: Monetary Exploitation and its Restraint in France, Catalonia and Aragon (c. A.D. 1000 - c. 1225), Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1979.

Cope, The Lost Kingdom of Burgundy