Double Tournois - Charles I 18th type

Charleville was the creation of Charles de Gonzague, Duke of Nevers, who founded the planned city in 1606 on his sovereign territory along the Meuse and promptly exercised his minting rights to produce coinage that closely mimicked royal French types — close enough to circulate freely, distinct enough to assert independence. By 1636, France was deep into the Thirty Years' War and royal finances were under severe strain, creating conditions in which semi-independent princelings like the Gonzague could mint prolifically with minimal interference from Paris. The 18th type designation reflects just how many successive punch and die variations Charleville pushed through in this period.