Charles V le Sage – King of France 1364-1380 AD Contemporary bust of Charles le Sage Reading the history of French king Charles V «Le Sage», I can’t help feeling a bit impressed. Here’s a young man that had to grow up early: First as husband to his cousin Jeanne de Bourbon; they married in 1350, both 12 years old, and were to have 11 children together, before Jeanne died at 40 in 1378. No small feat in itself! Prior to the wedding, Charles had bought the Dauphinè, a province in Southern France encompassing the départements of Isère, Hautes-Alpes, and Drôme. He bore the title of dauphin until his coronation in 1364, and the heir of the French throne would carry on to hold this title until 1830. The Hundred Years’ War was only 1 year old when Charles was born in 1338. When his father, John II «The Good», was captured by the English at Poitiers in 1356, Charles’ responsibilities soon grew beyond the Dauphinè. At 18, with his father and brother in English imprisonment, and the enemy at the gates of Paris, the French crown relied on Charles to step up. (At this age, I was still complaining about too much homework at school.) Jean II le Bon In order to raise the outrageous ransom of 4 million Ecu, Charles tried to convene a rather hostile States General, led by Etienne Marcel, provost of the Paris merchants. Etienne Marcel had already made his name as leader of the Paris revolution of 1355-58, a movement that had forced the government into reforms. With Charles V in a weak position, Marcel wanted to remove several of John IIs officials that he considerd to be corrupt. He also wanted to place Charles under the tutelage of the States Assembly. Marcel even went as far as to have two of Charles’ marshals assasinated in front of him, frightening the young Dauphin into believing that Marcel was the true head of government. In order to strenghten his position previous to this, Marcel had helped Charles the Bad, King of Navarre, escape from imprisonment in the castle of Arleux. Marcel was successful in driving Charles V out of Paris in February 1358, but after this he was out of luck. With his popularity collapsing, he sought help from both the Flemish and the English; the enemy, but to no avail. He was assassinated in July 1358. Meanwhile, our young Charles had been busy raising an army, with which he reentered Paris in August 1358. Having to fight both the King of Navarre and the English, his position was still precarious, and this is reflected in the treaties of Bretigny and Calais (1360), where he granted Endward III most of Southwestern France and 3 000 000 Ecu for John IIs ransom. In order to pay the ransom, a new form of gold coins were introduced under Johns reign: The Franc d’Or, having as its type the king charging into battle on horseback. The name itself was applied because of its use to make the king free (franc). Apart from the gold coinage, the French coin had been suffering debasement ever since the expensive ambitions of Philip the Fair, and this had continued during the reign of John II. The silver Gros had become a billon Blanc, and a variety of new denominations and devalued old ones contributed to the downfall of the solid foundation created by Louis IX. Charles ascended to the throne following Johns death in 1364. He proceeded to take back what had been given up during the crisis years of 1357-60, first challenging the King of Navarre over Burgundy and winning a grand victory at Cocherel, just a month into his reign. War with the English broke out again in 1369, and by 1375 Charles had had so many victories over the English, that the settlement of 1360 was practically nullified. In addition to his achievements of conquest, Charles was remembered for important cultural reform, building a great library, expanding the Louvre, and for stabilizing the economy through tax reform and monetary reform, returning to more sound gros tournois, although lighter than the one issued by St. Louis. The new Franc gold coin remained, but not with the king on horseback. The Franc struck during the reign of Charles V depicted a standing king “a Pied” (on foot.) This is not any Franc a Pied, this is MY NEW Franc a Pied! Charles V survived his wife Jeanne by only two years, and died in 1380, leaving the throne to his 11 year old son Charles VI, first nicknamed “le Bien-Aime” (the Beloved), but later “le Fou” (the Mad), and debasement, devaluation and inflation was soon back in style. Significant advisors: Although obviously resourceful, the young Charles V must have had good counsel. Two of his significant advisors were: Bertrand du Guesclin, "the Black Dog of Brocéliande", (born c. 1320, La Motte, near Dinan, France—died July 13, 1380, Châteauneuf-de-Randon), national French hero, an outstanding military leader during the early part of the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453). After attaining the highest military position as constable of France in 1370, he brilliantly used the strategy of avoiding set battles with the English until the French had sufficient advantage to defeat them soundly. (Britannica) "Bureau de la Rivière, (died Aug. 16, 1400, Paris, France), one of the trusted counselors, known as Marmousets, of two French kings, Charles V and his son Charles VI. Made a squire in 1358 to the dauphin—the future king Charles V—Bureau was the closest companion of the king from 1360 until Charles V’s death in 1380. Bureau also served as provost of Paris and as premier chamberlain of France. In October 1374 Charles designated him custodian of the treasure and member of the council of guardians for Charles’s son. In 1376 Bureau acted as one of the French representatives at peace talks between England and France." (Britannica) Sources: «Coins of Medieval Europe», P. Grierson Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Charles V". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Jan. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-V-king-of-France. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Charles V". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Jan. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-V-king-of-France. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Bertrand du Guesclin". Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Jul. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bertrand-du-Guesclin. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Bureau de la Rivière". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Aug. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bureau-de-la-Riviere. Wikipedia Photos: Wikimedia commons Please post any coins related to this part of history!
Here is Edward III, King of England during the Battle of Poitiers (although not present, I believe. Correct? I think that was all the Black Prince): England Edward III, r. 1327-1377 (1356) London Mint, AR Fourth Coinage, Type F Groat, 26.23 mm x 4.18 grams Obv.: ♚EDWARD D G REX ANGL Z FRANC D HYB. Crowned bust facing within a treasure of arches Rev.: ♚POSVI | DEVMºA | DIVTOR | EMºMEV outside, CIVI | TAS | LON | DON inside, long cross pattée dividing the legends, three pellets in each angle; Ref.: North 1174, SCBC 1569 Ex. TheRed on CoinTalk
Fantastic writeup, coins, and related graphics, @svessien. I'm pretty sure the painting of Jean is contemporaneous --if I'm not making that up, it's a pretty good demonstration of how 14th-c. 'International Gothic' was already wandering within range of the early Renaissance. @FitzNigel, I think you nailed it about Edward III not being at Poitiers. As you know, he was at Crecy almost a decade before; quoted by Froissart as saying, at one point when the Black Prince was hemmed in a little by the French, and his lieutenants were suggesting a relief effort, 'Let him win his spurs.' One guy who was at both, serving as a kind of military advisor to the Black Prince at Poitiers, was William X de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. He went on to participate in some of the more brutal chevauchees against the French, with the Black Prince's brother, John of Gaunt (/Ghent, where he was born). William went on to succumb to the Black Death in 1369; a little poetic justice.
Charles V created a Royal Library, with 917 manuscripts. All his successors added new books, François I in the 16th c. ordered that all printers should provide the Royal Library with 2 copies of each book printed in the kingdom (this law is still valid). Later the Royal Library became National Library, Imperial Library, Royal, National, Imperial again, National since 1871. It was first hosted in a tower of the medieval Louvre castle, then moved to Ambroise and Blois, came back to Paris in the Latin Quarter, moved in 1666 rue Vivienne, now has been settled in 4 huge towers overlooking the Seine by president Mitterrand. It has more than 15 Million books, not counting newspapers, magazines, reviews. All that history was started by Charles V !!!
That is an amazing Franc a Pied @svessien congrats on adding it to your collection. I have no royal French coins but would love to add a gros a la couronne of John II. Since you mentioned the treaty of Bretigny I'll add a coin that was struck as a direct result of it. This is my groat of Edward III struck in Calais between 1360 and 1369. After the treaty Edward III renounced his claim to the French throne and removed it from the obverse legends of his cons. I also love the coins of his son, Edward the Black Prince. Here is my nicest hardi d'argent.
That is one beautiful groat, @TheRed ! And quite a nice hardi d’argent. The Franc a Pied was purchased at the last Leu web auction, and to get one of the nice ones offered was my prime goal of the auction. It prompted an immediate silent victory dance through the living room. I would like to expand the area with coins like the ones you have showed here, and perhaps a silver gros of Charles V too. I also love the Mouton d’Or of John II, but it will probably not make the budget for a couple of years.
