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1 Carolin - Charles Alexander
| Issuer | Württemberg, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1734-1736 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Carolin (4.5) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The quartered arms of Württemberg displayed on a large heraldic shield, surmounted by an elaborate ducal crown and enclosed within a draped ceremonial mantle or pavilion supported by two lion supporters, the whole composition forming an imposing baroque coat of arms. The date appears in the exergue. The divided Latin motto legend PER ARDUA - VIRTUS (Virtue through hardship) is distributed to left and right around the upper field. The entire device is rendered in the high-relief baroque engraving style characteristic of early 18th-century German gold coinage. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Charles Alexander of Württemberg was a Catholic convert ruling a predominantly Protestant duchy, a tension that defined his brief reign from 1733 until his sudden death in 1737. His gold coinage was partly a statement of dynastic ambition — he harbored expansionist designs and maintained expensive military commitments as an Imperial field marshal. The Carolin denomination itself was a south German gold unit tied to the 9-guilder convention, intended to compete with the French louis d'or in regional commerce.
Charles Alexander died unexpectedly in March 1737, mid-conspiracy — his death interrupted a plot by his adviser Joseph Süß Oppenheimer to convert Württemberg to Catholicism by force. Oppenheimer was arrested the same day and executed the following year.