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1/8 Ecu of Bearn - Henry IV
| Issuer | France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1589-1610 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A quartered coat of arms surmounted by a royal crown occupies the central field. The shield displays the arms of France (semé of fleurs-de-lis) in the first and fourth quarters, the chains of Navarre in the second quarter, and the cow of Béarn passant in the third quarter, clearly visible as a bovine figure in the lower right canton. The irregular hammered flan and bold relief of the heraldic devices are typical of provincial Béarnais coinage of the period. A circular Latin legend encircles the shield, bearing the devotional motto of Henry IV along with the date of issue. |
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| Additional information |
Henry IV struck coins at Pau — the mint of Béarn — under a separate monetary authority from the French royal mint system, a consequence of Béarn's status as a sovereign viscountcy theoretically independent of the French crown. This jurisdictional ambiguity persisted even after Henry inherited the French throne in 1589, meaning Béarn issues from his reign exist simultaneously as French royal coinage and as the output of a technically distinct polity.
The years 1589–1610 bracket Henry's entire French reign, ended by Ravaillac's knife on the Rue de la Ferronnerie.