Lot 328
Francois I (1515-1547). Gold Ecu d'or de Bretagne, undated. Nantes mint. Crowned arms flanked by an F and an ermine. Rev. Two F's and two ermines in angles of cross (Fr 364; Ciani 1088). In NGC holder graded MS 62, with brilliant mint luster. Value $1,500 - UP
The custom of including the crowned initial of the reigning king within or flanking the reverse cross design of the French gold écu goes back to the reign of François I's predecessor, Louis XII (1498-1515). However, under François I the royal initial also began to appear on the obverse as well, as on these écus from the respective mints of Rennes and Nantes. Due to the mint locations in the Duchy of Brittany, such écu varieties are generally known as écus d'or de Bretagne. The crowned ermine that also appears in conjunction with the crowned initial of François I on écus d'or de Bretagne serves not only as a symbol of kingship (the French royal coronation mantle was trimmed with ermine fur) but also to signal the origin of the coins in Brittany and to advertise its connection to France. Since the 1380s the primary seat of the semi-independent Dukes of Brittany was the Château de l'Hermine (Ermine Castle). In 1532, François I stayed at this castle during a vote by the estates of Brittany that began the process of fully annexing the duchy to the Kingdom of France. Ironically, once Brittany had become united with France Château de l'Hermine lost its purpose and soon fell into disrepair. Brittany had also previously played a crucial role in François' succession to Louis XII. When the latter fell ill in 1505, he feared disaster for France upon his death since he was childless. In order to guarantee a smooth succession and preserve the kingdom from potential civil war, Louis XII immediately commanded his cousin François to be betrothed to Claude, his daughter by Anne of Brittany. The two were married in 1514, at which time François I became Duke of Brittany jure uxoris and in the following year became King of France.
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