As we saw in the previous entry (link), the French Revolution brought about a complete change in European political thought. This change took place throughout the 19th century in different European territories, where the creation and expansion of the nation-state occurred as the century passed.
As the old regime faded, new nation-states began to build the foundations of their symbols, myths, and structures. The nation-state required a single nation, a single, unified identity, and of course, a single, unifying official language.
The French revolutionaries were the pioneers in this process. For example, although representatives of Lower Navarre opposed the new system, the old kingdom remained within the department called Basses Pyrénées (Lower Pyrenees) in December 1790, Labor and Zuberowith the Basque countries and With Bearn Together. After losing the charters, losing the status of kingdom, and until today, Behenafarroa has become a modest component of a French department.
The king himself would no longer be king of France and Navarre, but would henceforth assume the role of "King of the French" (from October 12, 1789). The king's power no longer had a feudal origin, but was only established by the people, the law and the constitution.
This way of thinking developed during the 18th century, thanks to the Enlightenment movement and the American War of Independence... but if you think about it for a moment, only 75 years had passed since the death of Louis XIV. The Sun King. A complete change of thinking compared to those who said pearls like "the state is me".
The people, or rather the nation, is the new axis of society and the language of the nation, which replaced Latin, the tool of the literate and privileged, in many areas of life. Coinage was one of these areas, where the state now spoke to the citizens in their own language, French, the language of the majority of these citizens. In France there were (and still are) other minority languages, but these, like Latin, were (and remain) marginalized in the face of the glory of the official language of the nation.
This development of thinking that began during the French Revolution can be seen in the coins minted at the Bayonne mint during this period. In 1790, the patterns and models of the old regime can still be seen in force.
One of the last creations of the Bayonne mint engraved in Latin – 29.33 gr – 41.0 mm – Six-Libra Silver Escudo – 1790, (second year of the revolution) – 350,000 coins like this were minted this year
LUD XVI. DG FR. ET NAV. REX. – SIT NOMEN DOMINI L BENEDICTUM 1790 – cgb auction house archive
(Louis XVI. By the Grace of God, King of France and Navarre – Blessed be the Name of God)
But in 1791, we see new patterns and models. Louis XVI now appears as King of the French, and it is clear that his authority has no divine origin. For the first time, his power is based on the justice created by the nation and the laws it has issued.
One of the first creations of the Bayonne mint engraved in French – 24.02 gr – 33.0 mm – Copper 24 Dirhams or two sous – 1791, the third year of the revolution
LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANÇOIS L 1791 – LA NATION LA LOI LE ROI// L'AN 3 DE LA LIBERTÉ
One of the first creations of the Bayonne mint engraved in French – 12.12 gr – 30 mm – 12 Diru or one sueldo in copper – 1792, the fourth year of the revolution
LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANÇOIS L – THE NATION LA LOI LE ROI// 1792 4 DE LA LIB.
One of the first creations of the Bayonne mint engraved in French – 29.40 gr – 41.0 mm – Six-Libra Silver Escudo – 1792, (fourth year of the revolution)
LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANÇOIS L 1792 – REGNE DE LA LOI L // L'AN 4 DE LA LIBERTÉ
The four coins shown so far were struck by the same mintmasters, as their hallmarks reveal on each coin:
- Mintmaster of Bayonne between 1779 and 1793: Pierre Romain d'Arripe – Two-headed flower
- Engraver at the Bayonne Mint between 1770 and 1792: Jean Baptiste Rossy – Five-petal rose
But in truth, the first traces of the use of the French language that can be found on Basque coins date back several centuries. During the reign of Henry III of France (1574-1589), there was a shortage of silver due to economic crises, religious wars and numerous riots. In the absence of silver, the Tournai coins, dimes and doubles, were made of pure copper instead of billon. And in order to encourage the acceptance of the new coins among the common people, they decided to use the French language of the people instead of Latin (our rulers always have strange ideas, since the common people were generally illiterate).
This innovation established a new trend and from now on, the use of French was consolidated in copper coins made for the use of the common people (although some exceptions can be found). For silver and gold coins, that is, for coins of honor and prestige, Latin continued to be used until the times of the revolution arrived.
Tournai copper doublet of Henry III of France – 3.37gr-20 mm – 1590 – Bayonne Mint
HENRI III R DE FRAN ET POL L – DOVBLE TOURNOIS 1590 – Anchor (Bayonne)
Tournai copper double of Louis XIII of France – 3.07gr-20 mm – 1635 – Donapaleu Mint
LOVIS XIII DGR FRAN E NA Coat of arms of Navarre – DOVBLE TOURNOIS 1635
Copper Liard of Louis XIV of France – 3.34gr-23 mm – 1693 – Bayonne Mint
L XIIII ROY DE FR ET DE NAV 1693 – LIARD DE FRANCE L
Copper Liard of Louis XVI of France – 2.87gr-21 mm – 1784 – Bayonne Mint – LATIN image texts
LUDOV XVI D GRATIA – FRANC ET (L) NAVARRE REX 1784
When the Revolution and the empire of Napoleon, its offspring, ended and the Bourbon monarchy was restored in 1814, could the French coins of Bayonne be restored to their former appearance?
Silver 5 francs or pounds of Louis XVIII of France – 24.78 gr- 37 mm – 1814 – Bayonne Mint
LOUIS XVIII ROI DE FRANCE – PIECE DE 5 FRANCS 1814 L
Well, to be honest, the French Revolution had left a strong mark and the restored monarchy was adapted to the new times, with undeniable political and practical implications. However, the coins continued to use the French language until today and the reference to the Navarrese monarchy disappeared once and for all, as did the feudal origin of power. Regarding the separation of state and religion, the French state made a clear step forward, a complex issue that would be a source of unrest and conflict in the south throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
On the other hand, it is clear that no official coin has ever been minted in the territories north of the Pyrenees that features Basque pictorial text... just as Basque still has no official status today.
No coins have ever been minted, but since 2013, colorful banknotes from the Basque Monetary Authority have been available in the north!
1,2,5,10 and 20 Euskota banknotes of the Basque currency issued by the Basque Monetary Authority
Bibliography:
LES MONNAIES FRANCAISES ROYALES – Tome 2 – 2° Edition -1999 -Jean Duplessy (In Memoriam 1929- 2020)
De la livre au franc – Guillaume Nicoulaud – 2015 – link
Création du franc Germinal – Évelyne Cohen – 2003 – link
LE PASSAGE DE LA LIVRE TOURNOIS AU FRANC – Société Numismatique Héraldique et Sigillographique du Nord de La France – link
BASQUE CURRENCY INSTITUTION – link
FRANCES REAL COINS, MARCAS DIFFERENCIADORAS – Julen Numismatika's Blog – link
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