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Ducat - Louis XII of France
| Issuer | Genoa, Republic of (1139-1797) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1499-1507 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Reverse description | Central field features a bold quadrate cross with slightly expanded terminals, enclosed within a beaded inner circle. The angles of the cross are decorated with a continuous chain of small rings or annulets forming a circular wreath, a hallmark motif of Genoese genovino coinage. The outer legend, in Gothic Latin letters between two concentric borders, invokes the name and title of Conrad, King of the Romans, a longstanding fictional attribution maintained by the Genoese Republic on its gold coinage as a mark of imperial legitimacy. The flan is irregular and slightly convex, consistent with hammered production. |
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| Mintage | ND (1499-1507) |
| Additional information |
Genoa passed under French control in 1499 when Louis XII's forces took the city without serious resistance, and this ducat was struck under that occupation to maintain commercial confidence in Genoese gold — a currency trusted across Mediterranean trade routes long before the French arrived. The republic's mint continued operating largely on its own terms; Louis needed Genoese financial credibility more than Genoa needed French iconography.
The occupation ended badly. A revolt in 1507 drove the French out temporarily, and Louis returned with an army to retake the city and revoke its remaining privileges. That political rupture closes the date range on this type.