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Ecu - Louis XIII Prince of Catalonia
| Issuer | France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1642 |
| Type | Coin pattern |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A crowned quartered coat of arms occupies the central field, displaying the fleurs-de-lis of France and the bars of Aragon — reflecting Louis XIII's newly claimed title as Prince of Catalonia following the Catalan Revolt of 1640. The royal crown surmounts the shield prominently. The date 1642 appears to the left of the crown, and a circular Latin legend reading CATALONIÆ PRINCEPS encircles the composition. A beaded rim frames the entire design. |
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| Additional information |
Louis XIII was proclaimed Prince of Catalonia in January 1641 after the Catalan Revolt — the Guerra dels Segadors — drove the Catalans to renounce Philip IV of Spain and seek French protection. This ecu was struck to assert that claim in the most tangible way possible: hard currency bearing his new title. The arrangement proved fragile; French control over Catalonia eroded steadily after Louis died in 1643, and the region was formally returned to Spain by the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659.
Louis XIII died just one year after this issue, making the "Prince of Catalonia" title one of the shortest-lived on any French royal coinage.