Amadeus VII — the "Red Count" — ruled Savoy from 1383 until his death in 1391 under circumstances that remain disputed. Contemporary accounts suggested poison; his own mother, Bonne de Bourbon, was implicated. He died at 30 after a hunting injury that may or may not have been allowed to fester deliberately. The florin issued under his brief rule reflects Savoy's persistent effort to maintain monetary credibility alongside the dominant Florentine florin, weight-matched to compete in transalpine trade networks crossing the Mont Cenis and Great St. Bernard passes.
The crosslet variant distinguished Savoyard issues from Florentine prototypes at a glance — a functional differentiator in markets where both circulated freely.
Amadeus VII — the "Red Count" — ruled Savoy from 1383 until his death in 1391 under circumstances that remain disputed. Contemporary accounts suggested poison; his own mother, Bonne de Bourbon, was implicated. He died at 30 after a hunting injury that may or may not have been allowed to fester deliberately. The florin issued under his brief rule reflects Savoy's persistent effort to maintain monetary credibility alongside the dominant Florentine florin, weight-matched to compete in transalpine trade networks crossing the Mont Cenis and Great St. Bernard passes.
The crosslet variant distinguished Savoyard issues from Florentine prototypes at a glance — a functional differentiator in markets where both circulated freely.