The Liberes of Navarre under the Good King Henry III

In this blog dedicated to Basque coinage, we haven't yet talked about Henry III. Today, we'll talk about Henry's coinage, or rather, about a brief period of his coinage.

There is much to say about Henry's life; after being King of Navarre from 1572 to 1589, he became King of France and Navarre from that year. But as a Huguenot, he had to win the French crown through conflict after conflict and treaty after treaty.

He was no mean king, considering that the French still call him “Le bon roi Henri”. He is said to have said (although this is not proven) that “Paris deserves a mass” and has gone down in history, but for me, the following political motto shows us the soul of Henry: “Let every Frenchman enjoy a chicken in his casserole on Sundays”. I have not heard this from many kings.

Today, we will talk about the Navarrese livres of Henry III. In all bibliographies and indexes, these coins are called francs, as this was the name they received in the Kingdom of France. However, in the small Kingdom of Navarre, these coins were called the Navarrese livre.

King Henry III of France (1574-1589), by ordinance of May 31, 1575, created a new coin called the silver franc. This coin had a value of twenty seulements, and since twenty seulements constituted one livre, it was called the Navarrese livre. In the same decree, he set the value of the gold shield at sixty seulements (three livres).

The new French twenty-soulet coin had the same value as the medieval gold franc, which people still remembered, and for this reason it was called FRANC d'ARGENT (silver franc).

Silver Franc minted in 1578 at the Bayonne mint – 14.05gr – 34mm diameter

Found: HENRICVS.III.DGFRAN.ET.POL.REX.L. 1578 (O Angle Within C Angle)

Obverse: SIT.NOMEN.DOMINI.BENEDICTVM.(Rose)(Anchor)

Rose – Bertrand de la Lande, Mintmaster (1573-1582)

O Izkia C Inside the Izkia – Arnault de Carriere, engraver and rehearser (1568-1590)

INUMIS, MAIL BID SALE 14, LOT 646      25.03.2011

The silver franc had a silver content of 833 thousandths, and a nominal weight of 14.188 grams. It initially replaced the French testons minted in the Kingdom of France for many decades. It allowed for easy re-minting of the half-thaler coins from the Spanish Netherlands, which were of equal silver fineness (although they weighed about three grams less).

Half silver thaler minted in Antwerp in 1563 – approximately 16.68 grams – 833 thousandths of silver

Found: PHS.DGHISP Z REX.DVX.BRAB. 15(Hand)63

Ifrentzua: DOMINVS.MIHI.ADIVTOR.

The silver franc was worth one-third of a gold escudo, the half-franc was worth one-sixth, and the quarter-franc was worth one-twelfth.

Later, from 1578, silver quarter escudos were adopted, with a fineness of 917 thousandths and a nominal weight of 9.712 grams. These facilitated the minting of silver coins imported from the southern Spanish kingdoms and also had similar weights and legality to the previous testos.

As a result, the silver quarter escudos were much more successful. The public was not accustomed to silver francs, coinage became a constant problem, and an order of October 13, 1586, prohibited the minting of francs. The minting of half and quarter francs, however, continued until 1642 (but not in Lower Navarre or Bearn).

Since the time of his grandfather, the silver and gold coinage of Henry's Navarrese and Bearn kingdoms had been comparable to that of the French kingdom. Accordingly, Henry himself began to mint silver francs, or rather Bearn livres, in 1578 at the mints of Morlaas and Pau. The mint of Donapaleu reopened in 1579 and began to mint Navarrese livres as its first mint.

I absolutely love these free specimens, they are incredibly beautiful and fascinating; they usually have a diameter of between 34 and 37mm, and in terms of weight, they are usually under fourteen grams; in some cases, as we will see, they show a noticeable wrinkle and specimens weighing under twelve grams can be found.

Half-pound coins were also minted, in this case weighing less than seven grams and measuring between 27 and 31 mm in diameter. The number of half-pound coins minted is thought to have been much smaller than the whole pound. Unfortunately, the minting accounts that have come down to us only give the combined number of pounds and half-pound coins minted each year, without indicating the separate number of each type.

The combined amounts of pounds and half pounds minted at the Donapaleus mint were as follows:

	Number of pounds and half pounds worked – Donapaleu
1578	–
1579	3.139
1580	32.017
1581	45.980
1582	128.510
1583	94.875
1584	45.802
1585	–

Number of pounds and half pounds minted at the Donapaleu mint between 1579 and 1584

Although the minting of Bearn livres began in 1578 at the mints of Pau and Morlaas, the mint of Donapeleu had been closed since the last years of the reign of King Charles II (end of the 14th century). The mintmasters of Pau and Morlaas, Jerond Le Normand and Auger de la Garde, obtained a contract for another six years on 1 September 1579. Among the terms of the contract, they undertook to rebuild and renovate the mint of Donapeleu, after the payment of a monetary reward.

The promise was quickly fulfilled, as by the end of 1579, 3,139 Navarrese livres had been minted in Donapaleu. Thus, after a hiatus of about two hundred years, the most productive period of the Donapaleu mint began. Over the next 93 years, until its closure in 1672, millions of coins came out of Donapaleu, first struck by hammers, and then until the construction of a flywheel press in 1652. If you want to know more about the Donapaleu mint link.

But Jerond and Auger soon passed away and by the end of 1580, Roger de Vergez was the head of the mint in Donapaleu. He would be the one who would be responsible for the production of the remaining franc coins that we will see today. Unfortunately, as for the engraver, we do not have the name of the artisan engraver who worked at the Donapaleu mint during these years.

Jerond Le Normand used the acorn feature. He was an engraver by nature, he worked with the mintmasters Pierre Nyert and Auger de la Garde in the production of testons, but after Nyert's death and with the beginning of the production of livres, I would say that he took over the management of the Pau mint.

The following wonderful specimen, the only one preserved in the Paris medal cabinet, illustrates the character of the acorn. It was probably one of the first small trials made at the new mint of Donapaleu, under the direction of Jerond:

In the Paris Medal Cabinet – Proof of the Navarrese pound kept in the French National Library – Only one specimen is known – 14.12gr 35gr – The acorn is characteristic of Jerond Le Normand, and the irregular shape of the coin could indicate one of the first specimens hammered in Donapaleu

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. 1579 (Acorn 9 under the Izkia)

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.QVD.SVM.

The only known specimen of this subsequent trial bears the same design that would later be used in Donapalaeu, but in this case it appears to have been made at the Pau mill, as is clearly shown by the DB mark (Dominus Bearni) and the Bearn cow. This design was not established in the Bearn factories, but rather found its place on coins minted in Donapalaeu.

A proof of a pound struck at the Pau mill mint in 1579 – The design of this proof is the basis for the one found on the pounds and half pounds of Navarre

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE.DB (Under the Bust of the Cow of Biarnó)

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.QVD.SVM.1579

All the elements of the coat of arms shown on the reverse of this design can be seen on the following 1582 pound:

Components of the coat of arms that appear on the Navarrese lira and half lira

After examining the Navarrese livres, I must first say that, when compared with the Béarn livres minted at the Morlaas or Pau mints, the Donapaleu mint presents stronger stylistic axes. We can highlight the following:

• When separating words, dots were always used in Donapaleu. In Bearn, dots, clovers, four-leaf clovers, or a mixed mixture of these were common.
• Find the words “HENRICVS.II.DGREX.”NAVARRE"They were always, in some way or another, NAVARRE (in half pounds, in one case NAVARRE). After the words, a four-leafed flower at the end and the coat of arms of Navarre below the bust. In the case of the half-libra, only the coat of arms of Navarre appears after the words.
• Ifrentzu's words in favor of “GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM (year)” (although the only known coin from 1579 shows QD). Above the crown is a moon and a lily (the lily sometimes on one side of the crown), at least in coins that show the whole of that side. On a whole pound from 1583 GRAT appears instead of GRATIA.
• Both whole and half pounds were minted in each year of minting, between 1580 and 1584. In the case of 1579, only one specimen is known, and this specimen is a whole pound.
• Although the preserved accounts state that 3,139 pounds and a half pounds were minted in 1579, after much research, I have been able to find only one pound to date. I have not found any trace of a half pound from this year.
• The whole libres changed from a long bust to a large bust in 1583. This large bust was completely different from that used at the mints of Morlaas and Pau.
• The half-pounds of 1583 and 1584 continued to have a long bust.
• Although some experts argue that there are complete libres with long busts from 1584 and 1585, I have not found any such specimens or traces.
• The accounts for 1585 make it clear that no pound coins were minted that year, only quarter escudos. To date, the coins described in auction house archives as 1585 are actually coins from 1583 with the year incorrectly interpreted.

The following are the different types and varieties of Navarrese livres that I have found. I have drawn in color the characteristics of the different coin varieties, or the distinguishing features that distinguish them from the Morlaas and Pau coins that we will see in another section.

Let's start with a single copy from 1579:

1579:

Silver Navarrese Pound minted in 1579 at the Donapaleu mint – Points both in front and behind

Found: HE(I?)NRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE(A?). (Four-leafed Flower) Coat of Arms of Navarre

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.QD.SVM.1579

1580:

Silver Navarrese Pound minted in 1580 at the Donapaleu Mint – 13.59gr 35.0mm Diameter – Points both in front and behind – Another Issue Video

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. (Four-leafed Flower) Coat of Arms of Navarre

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1580

Half Pound of Navarre, silver, minted in 1580 at the Donapaleu mint – 6.39gr 31.0mm Diameter – Dots on both obverse and reverse – David Navarre Collection – Video

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. Coat of Arms of Navarre (Without four-leaf clover)

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1580

1581:

Silver Navarrese Pound minted in 1581 at the Donapaleu mint – 13.84gr 34.0mm Diameter – Dots on both obverse and reverse – Video of another issue

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. (Four-leafed Flower) Coat of Arms of Navarre

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1581

Half Pound of Navarre, silver, minted in 1581 at the Donapaleu mint – 6.72gr 30.0mm Diameter – David Navarre Collection – Dots on both obverse and reverse – Long bust – Video

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARE. Coat of Arms of Navarre (Without four-leaf clover)

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1581

1582:

Silver Navarrese Pound minted in 1582 at the Donapaleu mint – 13.69gr 34.0mm Diameter – Dots on both obverse and reverse – Video of another issue

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. (Four-leafed Flower) Coat of Arms of Navarre

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.158Z

Half Pound of Navarre, silver, minted in 1582 at the Donapaleu mint – 6.77gr – Dots on both obverse and reverse

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARE. Coat of Arms of Navarre (Without four-leaf clover)

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.158Z

1583:

Silver Navarrese Pound minted in 1583 at the Donapaleu Mint – 13.82gr 36.0mm Diameter – Dotted word border – Long Bust – Another Video

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. (Four-leafed Flower) Coat of Arms of Navarre

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1583

A variant of the 1583 long-bust pound coin is known in which the inner border of the words does not show a dotted border. In fact, this dotted border is prevalent from 1583 onwards, but I have also seen it on some of the previous years.

Silver Navarrese Pound minted in 1583 at the Donapaleu Mint – 13.72gr 35.0mm Diameter – No inside pages made of dots are found.– Long Bust

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. (Four-leafed Flower) Coat of Arms of Navarre

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1583

Half Pound of Navarre, silver, minted in 1583 at the Donapaleu mint – 6.99gr 28mm Diameter – David Navarre Collection – Points both in front and behind – Long Bust – Video

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. Coat of Arms of Navarre (Without four-leaf clover)

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1583

Silver Navarrese Pound minted in 1583 at the Donapaleu mint – 13.59gr – Points both in front and behind – Big bust – Another Issue Video

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. (Four-leafed Flower) Coat of Arms of Navarre

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1583

1584:

Silver Navarrese Pound minted in 1584 at the Donapaleu Mint – 13.69gr, 34mm Diameter – Cgb Auction House – Dots on both sides – Large bust

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. (Four-leafed Flower) Coat of Arms of Navarre

Hell: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1584

Half-Libra of Navarre, silver, minted in 1584 at the Donapaleu mint – Dots both front and back – Long bust

Found: HENRICVS.II.DGREX.NAVARRE. Coat of Arms of Navarre (Without four-leaf clover)

Ifrentzu: GRATIA.DEI.SVM.ID.Q.SVM.1584

Bibliography:

MINT OF NAVARRE AND BEARN – WIKIPEDIA – link

Histoire monétaire du Béarn – Jules Adrien Blanchet – 1893 – link

MONNAIES DE FRANCE, DE NAVARRE ET DU BÈARN – Jean Claude Ungar – 2010

Les frappes monétaires en Béarn et Basse-Navarre d'après les comptes conservées aux Archives départementales des Basses Pyrénées - Françoise Dumas - 1959 - link

LES MONNAIES FRANCAISES ROYALES – Tome 1 et 2 – 2° Edition -1999 -Jean Duplessy (In Memoriam 1929- 2020)

Le livre des monnaies feodales de Béarn et de Navarre – Henri II (III de Navarre) 1572-1589 – Club Numismatique Palois – Serge Salles – link

COLLECTION DAVID NAVARRE–Youtube Videos – link

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