weight 1,71gr. | silver Ø 20mm.
obv. Short cross within dotted circle.
In outer circle the legend ✠ CARLVS IMP AVG
rev. Karlogram within dotted circle.
In outer circle the legend ✠ BITVRICES CIVIT
In 875, after the death of the Emperor Louis II (son of his half-brother Lothair), Charles the Bald, supported by Pope John VIII, traveled to Italy, receiving the royal crown at Pavia and the imperial insignia in Rome on 25 December. As emperor, Charles combined the mottoes that had been used by his grandfather and father into a single formula: renovatio imperii Romani et Francorum, "renewal of the empire of the Romans and Franks". These words appeared on his seal.
Since Charles the Bald died in 877, he was only emperor for a short period. However, during that period, coins bearing his imperial title took place in various mints, thirteen in total. Most of these coins are very rare, except for the ones from Bourges and Nevers. Although the coinage in Bourges and Nevers probably started under Charles the Bald, it is generally assumed that the coinage continued after 877, including under the emperor Charles the Fat (881-887) and probably afterwards. This explains that the production in Bourges and Nevers, in the name of Charles as emperor, was extensive and that these pieces are therefore not rare.
The name of the commune derives either from the Bituriges, the name of the original inhabitants, or from the Germanic word Burg (French: bourg), for "hill" or "village". The Celts called it Avaricon (Latin: Avaricum). Rome reconstructed Avaricum as a Roman town, with a monumental gate, aqueducts, thermae and an amphitheatre it reached a greater size than it would attain during the Middle Ages. Bourges functions as the seat of an archbishopric. During the 8th century Bourges lay on the northern fringes of the Duchy of Aquitaine and was therefore the first town to come under Frankish attacks when the Franks crossed the Loire. The Frankish Charles Martel captured the town in 731, but Duke Odo the Great of Aquitaine immediately re-took it. It remained under the rule of counts who pledged allegiance to the Aquitanian dukes up to the destructive siege by the Frankish King Pepin the Short in 762, when Basque troops are found defending the town along with its count. During the Middle Ages, Bourges served as the capital of the Viscounty of Bourges until 1101.
Morrison-Grunthal 1479 | cf. Prou 743-744 |
Depeyrot 198 Gariel XLII, 45var. | MEC I, 914-916
Minor weakness of strike. Attractive toning. Nice coin.
vf/xf
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