Irriberri-Olite, May 31, 1264, In Dei nomine. Sepan todos aquellos qui esta present carta veran et oyran [que nos] Thibalt, by the grace of God, king of Nauarra, de Campaynna et de Bria, conte palazin seeing and knowing and hearing [good] advice that it is our right to abater moneda et que seria [...]
The Mint Tax of Tybalt of Champagne Read More »
A few weeks ago, I presented the collection of Navarrese coins that I had seen during a visit to the Staatliche Münzsammlung coin museum in Munich. The most unique of all the specimens in the museum, probably the only one known in the world, would be the joint medal of Joan III and Henry III mentioned by Adrien Blanchet. In his book „Histoire monétaire du Béarn“, published in 1893, Adrien Blanchet used the following drawing of the medal
Examining the Navarrese Medal of Munich Read More »
For a long time, a little over eight years now, I am a Basque living in the Munich area. A year ago, I lived a little further from the Bavarian capital, but now I have moved to the outskirts of Munich and, taking advantage of the end of the pandemic, we dare to take a walk in the city center. On the third Sunday of November 2022, we got off the train at Marienplatz station and walked to the Odeonplatz area with our family.
The Navarrese Collection of the Munich Coin Museum Read More »
Reign: Louis II. King of Navarre, Louis XIII. King of France Type: Silver Quarter Shield Year: 1620 Mint: Donapaleu Mint Edge: Irregular Edge Engraving: ————– Metal: Silver, fineness of 917 thousandths or 11 ducats Diameter: 29 mm Weight: This piece weighs 9.43 gr Quantity: Unknown In 1620, 50,707 pieces were minted in 1619. Mintage: By hammer Mintmaster: Jean Pierre
Louis II – The Last Sovereign Quarter Shields Read More »
Reign: Charles VII. King of Navarre, Charles IV. King of Spain Type: Marabedia Year: 1789 Mint: Pamplona Mint Edge: Irregular, octagonal coin budin or cospel Edge Engraving: ————– Metal: copper Diameter: 19 mm Weight: This piece weighs 2.71 gr, nominally about 3.04 gr Quantity: Unknown, the courts of 1781 ordered the minting of 12,000 ducats, 4,704,000 marabedia pieces Mintage: By hammer Head of the Mint:
The only maravedi of Charles VII – The Last Hammer Dance Read More »
Reign: Joan III. Queen of Navarre, Joan I. Lady of Béarn Type: Teston Year: 1566 Mint: Pau Mint Edge: Irregular Edge Engraving: ————– Metal: Silver (about 898 thousandths) Diameter: 28 mm Weight: 9.41 gr Quantity: 292,320 testons and half testons between 1564 and 1566 Mintage: Pressed by flywheel, silver rolled by mill Mintmaster: Étienne Bergeron (Land of the Moon)
Queen Joanne's Pau Testons Read More »
“Navarre shall be the wonder of the world”… these words were uttered by the English writer Shakespeare in the play “Love's Lavour's Lost” to King Ferdinand of Navarre. Shakespeare wrote this play in the mid-1590s, and although he named the king of Navarre Ferdinand, the Navarre mentioned in it is the Navarre of Henry III, consisting of Lower Navarre and Bearn, around the end of the 16th century.
Navarre Shall Be the Wonder of the World Read More »
Conquest: Henry II of Labrit King of Navarre, Henry I Lord of Béarn Type: Douzain of Navarre (Dozen, Douzain a la Croisette) Year: No year, between 1541 and 1555 Mint: Mint of Pau or Morlaas, Amount unknown Edge: Irregular Edge Engraving: —– Metal: Billon (Silver and Copper Alloy) Diameter: 25 mm Weight: 2.35 g. Around Mintage: Hammered Mintmaster:
The Douzaines of Henry II Read More »
Another very important contribution of Henry II was his support for the creation of written Basque literature. After the priest Bernard Etxepare wrote “Linguae vasconum primitiae”, the first book to be printed in Basque, it was published in Bordeaux in 1545, after receiving financial support from Henry. The only known copy of the book Linguae Vasconum Primitiae is kept in the Bibliothèque de France in Paris. The significance of this event
Henry II and Linguae Vasconum Primitiae Read More »
Conquest: Henry II of Labrit King of Navarre, Henry I Lord of Béarn Type: Liard of Navarre – 3a Type according to A. Clairand Year: No year, between 1541 and 1555 Mint: Mint of Pau or Morlaas, Amount unknown Edge: Irregular Edge Engraving: —– Metal: Billon (Silver and Copper Alloy) Diameter: 16-17 mm Weight: 0.90 g. Around Minting: Hammered
The Liards of Henry II Read More »
