Nomos 11

ITALY, Carmagnola. Margherita di Foix, Marquise of Saluzzo and regent, 1492-1504-1521/1528-1536. Tallero of 40 Grossi (Silver, 45mm, 38.70 g 6), struck from dies by Benedetto da Briosco, a close friend of the da Clivate brothers, mintmasters at Carmagnola from 19 January 1515, 1516. +MARGARITA’DE’FVXO’MARCHIONISA’SALVCIARxT’C,’1516 Veiled and draped bust of Margherita to left. Rev. +DEVS’PROTECTOR’ET’REFVGIVM’MEVM’I IC’ Jousting shield, divided per pale between the arms of Saluzzo, Foix and Bearn, hanging on an uprooted and leafless tree; in the branches, a dove standing to left. CNI 1. Currency of Fame 34. Hill, Corpus, 711. MIR 137. Pollard, Bargello, 145 (cast). RM III, p. 107, 1. Extremely rare. An impressively and masterfully designed coin of medallic nature. Beautifully toned and very well struck. Holed and very carefully plugged above Margherita’s head and within the roots of the tree, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From a Swiss collection.

Marguerite de Foix was the daughter of a prominent Gascon noble, the Count of Benauges (also known as the Count of Kendal - for part of his life he was a supporter of the English during the Hundred Years War); when she was 19 she married the 52 year old Ludovico II of Saluzzo, whose first wife had died two years previously leaving him a single daughter. The wedding contract was signed in December 1492 and the marriage was celebrated in Carmagnola the following year. The marriage seems to have been a happy one: they had four sons and the strong-willed Marguerite ruled as regent during Ludovico’s frequent absences campaigning for the French. After her husband’s sudden death at 65 in 1504 Marguerite resolved to remain a widow for the rest of her life and devote herself to her husband’s memory and to rule her husband’s territories as regent during the minority of her sons. This coin was made to celebrate Marguerite’s position as regent, even though her eldest son Michele Antonio was already 21 at the time (he apparently was not interested in administration: only in military affairs - he was killed by a cannonball in 1528). It shows her in her widow’s attire on the obverse, while on the reverse the dead tree refers to her dead husband, but with a dove signifying renewal perched in the branches.