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Pistole - Charles III crosses of Lorraine
| Issuer | Lorraine, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1566-1588 |
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| Composition | Gold |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing armored bust of Duke Charles III, draped in elaborately ornamented cuirass with a decorative clasp at the shoulder and a ruffled collar visible at the neck. The effigy displays the duke with short curly hair and a trimmed beard, rendered in high relief in a Renaissance portrait style. A circular Latin legend runs along the toothed border, reading CAROL · D · G · CAL · LOTH · B · GEL · DVX, identifying the ruler and his titles. The portrait fills the majority of the field and is executed with fine detail characteristic of late sixteenth-century Lorraine coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | DA MIHI VIRTV CONTRA HOST TVOS 88 (Translation: Give me strength against your enemy.) |
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| Additional information |
Charles III ruled Lorraine under effective regency until 1573, when he came of age and assumed direct control of the duchy — but his coinage policy was shaped well before that by his mother Christine of Denmark and the ducal council. The crosses of Lorraine on this pistole carry deliberate dynastic weight: the double-barred cross had been associated with the duchy since René II's victory over Charles the Bold at Nancy in 1477, and its prominent use here reasserted Lorraine's independence at a moment when both France and the Holy Roman Empire pressed hard on ducal autonomy.