Vicariate coins (Saxony)
Saxon vicariate coins are commemorative coins of the Electors of Saxony , which they had minted as deputies of the emperor in rich parts under Saxon law during the execution of the imperial throne. The imprints give knowledge of their function as vicars of the emperors in pictures and writing .
history
The imperial dignity of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation was not hereditary. As arch marshals , the Saxon princes owned one of the seven electoral votes of the empire, which entitles them to vote for the emperor . For the period from the death of the emperor to the coronation of his successor, the golden bull of Emperor Charles IV from 1356 awarded the imperial vicariate to two electors. The Electors of Saxony shared the Imperial Vicariate with the Rhineland Count Palatine . When the emperor died, the Saxon princes exercised the office of imperial administrator in the parts of the empire with Saxon law, as long as no successor was designated. The imperial vicars had all imperial rights except for the granting of flag loans and the sale of imperial property .
According to an old custom, the imperial vicars used this event as an opportunity to have vicariate coins minted. Vicariate coins are those coins that were struck during the execution of the imperial throne by the Electors of Saxony for Northern Germany and the Electors of the Palatinate for Southern Germany as deputies (vicars) of the Emperor and made this recognizable through pictures and writing.
On the so-called Locumtenenstalern Elector Friedrich III. of Saxony was first named as imperial vicar between 1507 and 1519 during the lifetime of Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V. "Imperique lokumtenens generalis" (Latin = Reichsgeneralstatthalter) referred to the long absence of the emperor or was only an indication of the dignity that the elector was entitled to. On August 8, 1507, Frederick was made governor- general by King Maximilian I at the Reichstag in Constance . After Maximilian returned from his election as Roman Emperor in Trento on February 4, 1508 , his office as permanent representative of the Emperor expired. However, he was granted honorary permission to continue to use the title of governor general.
The vicariate coins from 1612 onwards had the Saxon electors minted as imperial vicars in the event of the emperor's death until the new emperor was coronated.
| Vicaring Electors | Deaths of the emperors | Years of Coins |
|---|---|---|
| Johann Georg I. | Rudolf II. | 1612 |
| Johann Georg I. | Matthias | 1619 |
| Johann Georg II. | Ferdinand III. | 1657, 1658 |
| Friedrich August I. | Joseph I. | 1711 |
| Friedrich August II. | Charles VI | 1740, 1741, 1742 |
| Friedrich August II. | Charles VII | 1745 |
| Friedrich August III. | Joseph II | 1790 |
| Friedrich August III. | Leopold II. | 1792 |
The coins
The Saxon vicariate coins were minted from 1612 to 1792 in eight vicariate cases in different denominations from the vicariate groschen to the thaler and double thaler and gold coins to the multiple ducat. They show the elector on horseback and the explanatory inscription or the empty imperial throne or the imperial eagle with the Saxon heart shield. In addition, the title of the Imperial Vicar is given as PROVISOR ET VICARIUS or similar. Vicariate coins with the mint master's mark were minted in the Dresden mint . Ducats from 1711 to the Vicariate of August the Strong without Mmz. could also come from the Leipzig mint .
The silver-rich electors of Saxony could afford to have larger numbers of Saxon vicariate coins minted. The Bavarian and Palatinate vicariate coins have a much smaller issue.
Johann Georg I.
Vicariate Coins 1612
After the death of Emperor Rudolf on January 20, 1612, Johann Georg I was appointed to exercise the imperial vicariate for the first time alongside the then administrator of the Electoral Palatinate, Count Palatine Johann von Zweibrücken . The election of King Matthias of Hungary and Bohemia as Roman Emperor was on June 13, 1612 in Frankfurt am Main.
- Denominations: double ducats, ducats, Reichstaler, 1 ⁄ 2 -, 1 ⁄ 4 -, 1 ⁄ 8 Reichstaler, Groschen, also thick thaler from the stamp of the half and quarter thaler.
The vicariate coins show the image of the elector in the elector's vestments with a sword shouldered. The multi-part Saxon coat of arms is on the back. In the inscription VICARIVS refers to his office as imperial vicar. The penny bears a coat of arms on both sides.
Based on this vicariate thaler , his son Johann Georg II had thalers minted in 1658 for normal payment transactions, the so-called Erbländic thalers .
Vicariate Coins 1619
After the death of Emperor Matthias on March 20, 1619, Johan Georg again became imperial vicar alongside Elector Friedrich V of the Palatinate . Frederick V accepted the Bohemian royal crown in August 1619. He could not prevent Ferdinand II's election as emperor. Ferdinand II, who was crowned King of Bohemia in Prague in 1617, was elected Roman Emperor on August 28 in Frankfurt. The imperial vicariate of George I ended with the imperial coronation.
- Denominations: double ducats, ducats, Reichstaler, 1 ⁄ 2 -, 1 ⁄ 4 -, 1 ⁄ 8 Reichstaler.
The vicariate coins show the elector in the elector's regalia on horseback above the coat of arms of Electoral Saxony and the inscription PRO LEGE ET GREGE (for law and people). On the back there is the explanatory inscription in 12 lines of text.
Johann Georg II.
Vicariate coins 1657 and 1658
After the death of Emperor Ferdinand III. on April 2, 1657, Johann Georg II took over the imperial vicariate. The election of Archduke Leopold , King of Hungary and Bohemia, was in Frankfurt am Main on July 18, 1657. Georg led the imperial vicariate until July 22, 1658 alongside the Elector of Bavaria, Ferdinand Maria . The count palatine lost the electoral dignity to the dukes of Bavaria in 1623. In 1648 an eighth cure was set up for the Palatinate. As imperial vicar, Karl Ludwig von der Pfalz also had vicariate coins minted.
- Nominal 1657: 10-, 8-, 6-, 5-, 4-, 3-, 2-fold ducats, ducats, 4-fold, 2-fold wide Reichstaler, Taler, 1 ⁄ 2 -, 1 ⁄ 4 -, 1 ⁄ 8 Reichstaler, also thick thaler and half thick thaler.
- Face values 1658: 20, 5, 4, 3-fold ducats, Reichstaler, 1 ⁄ 2 Reichstaler, also thick and half thick talers.
The vicariate coins from 1657 and 1658 are made similar to Johann-Georgs I. Instead of the inscription PRO LEGE ET GREGE DEO ET PATRIAE (for God and Fatherland) was imprinted.
There are two types of coins minted in 1657, which are distinguished by the beginning of the inscription DEO ET PATRIAE. It begins either with the rear of the riding horse or next to the head of the elector. The first version with the inscription beginning at the rear of the horse was intolerable for the Orthodox theologians and had to be changed to the second.
Friedrich August I. (August the Strong)
Vicariate Coins 1711
After the death of Emperor Joseph I on April 17, 1711, Elector Friedrich August I took over until Charles VI was coronated as emperor . on December 22, 1711 in Frankfurt am Main next to Johann Wilhelm Elector Palatinate, he held the office of imperial vicar.
- Denominations: 4, 2- fold ducats, ducats, Speciesreichstaler, 1 ⁄ 2 -, 1 ⁄ 4 -, 1 ⁄ 8 Speciesreichstaler.
The vicariate thalers from 1711 show the elector on horseback above the Saxon-Polish-Lithuanian coat of arms, on the back two tables with coronation insignia above a table with writing as a reference to his office as imperial administrator. The taler pieces and ducats also show the elector on horseback, but two tables on the back and an altar with insignia is stamped on the multiple ducats.
August also had vicariate coins minted for the Kingdom of Poland .
Friedrich August II.
Vicariate coins 1740, 1741 and 1742
The following problem arose when the Saxon Elector Friedrich August II took over the vicariate:
In 1724 a comparison was made in the vicariate question within the framework of the so-called Wittelsbach House Union . According to this, the Palatine and Bavarian Electors from the House of Wittelsbach were to jointly exercise the imperial vicariate in future . When after the surprising death of Emperor Charles VI. The Wittelsbacher Karl Albrecht , Elector of Bavaria and Karl Philipp , Elector of the Palatinate, announced on October 30, 1740 that they were taking over the imperial vicariate, which led to the protest of the Protestant imperial estates . The Wittelsbach house contract of 1724 was neither recognized by the emperor nor by the imperial estates. Only when Karl Albrecht and Karl Philipp reached an agreement on January 18, 1741 with Friedrich August II, who insisted on his certified participation in the imperial vicariate, as their vicar, the disputes could be ended.
The imperial vicariate ended with the controversial election of Karl Albrecht of Bavaria as emperor and the subsequent coronation as emperor Charles VII.
The commemorative coins of Friedrich August II on his first imperial vicariate after the death of Emperor Charles VI. on October 20, 1740 up to Charles VII's coronation on February 12, 1742 in Frankfurt am Main were minted in three years and in two versions.
- Face values 1740: Ducats, Speciesreichstaler, Groschen.
The armored bust of Friedrich August is embossed on the front and the double-headed eagle with the crowned Polish-Saxon breastplate on the back. The inscription on the reverse shows the office of the Reichsverweser IN PROVINCIS IUR. SAXON. PROVISOR ET VICARIUS (Imperial Vicar in provinces under Saxon law).
- Denominations 1741 and 1742: Ducats, Kuranttaler, 1 ⁄ 2 Taler, Doppelgroschen, Groschen.
The commemorative coins of both years show the elector on horseback on the obverse and the empty imperial throne with imperial insignia on the reverse. In the inscription the office of the imperial administrator is given as in 1740.
Vicariate Coins 1745
After the death of Emperor Charles VII on January 20, 1745, Friedrich August was next to Maximilian III. Joseph , Elector of Bavaria and Karl Theodor , Elector of the Palatinate, again Imperial Vicar. With the coronation of Emperor Franz I on October 4, 1745 in Frankfurt am Main, his office expired.
- Denominations: Ducats, Speciesreichstaler, 2 ⁄ 3 -, 1 ⁄ 3 -, 1 ⁄ 6 Taler, Doppelgroschen, Groschen.
The coins show the armored bust of the Elector on the obverse and on the reverse the Polish-Lithuanian and Electoral-Saxon coats of arms under a crown. The inscription on the reverse contains the office of Reich Administrator with VICARIUS. Another version corresponds to the coin image of the vicariate thaler from 1740.
The ducat from 1745 shows the elector on horseback and on the reverse the flying eagle or on the obverse the armored bust and on the reverse the two coats of arms under a crown.
Friedrich August III.
Vicariate coins 1790
After the death of Emperor Joseph II on February 20, 1790, Elector Friedrich August III. next to Elector Karl Theodor of Palatinate-Bavaria for the first time imperial vicar. His term of office as Reichsverwesers ended with Leopold II's coronation as emperor in Frankfurt am Main on October 9, 1790.
- Denominations: Convention special thaler , 2 ⁄ 3 thaler, 1 ⁄ 3 thaler, double groschen.
The commemorative coins have a uniform coinage. On the front is the youthful bust of the elector, in the legend the extended title VICARIVS. The double-headed imperial eagle with the Electorate of Saxony breastplate is embossed under the electoral hat on the back.
Vicariate Coins 1792
After the death of Emperor Leopold II on March 1, 1792, the Elector was again imperial vicar alongside Karl Theodor von Pfalz-Bayern.
- Denominations: Ducats, Convention special thaler , 2 ⁄ 3 thaler, 1 ⁄ 3 thaler, double groschen.
The commemorative coins of the elector on his second imperial vicariate up to the coronation of Francis II on July 14, 1792 in Frankfurt am Main also show a uniform mint.
The front shows the armored bust of the elector, the back shows the double-headed imperial eagle with the Electoral Saxon breastplate under the electoral hat in a different drawing and the extended title PROVISOR (Reichsverweser) in the inscription.
See also
literature
- Walther Haupt: Sächsische Münzkunde , Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin 1974
- Lienhard Buck: The coins of the Electorate of Saxony 1763 to 1806 , Berlin 1981
- Julius Erbstein , Albert Erbstein : Discussions in the field of the Saxon coin and medal history when listing the Hofrath Engelhardt'schen collection , Dresden 1888
- Gerhard Schön: German coin catalog 18th century , Munich 1984
- Christian A. Kohl: Tal parts of the Electorate of Saxony / Albertinische Linie 1547–1763 , Leipzig 1994
- N. Douglas Nicol: Standard Catalog of German Coins 1601 to Present , 1995
- Heinz Fengler, Gerd Gierow, Willy Unger: transpress Lexikon Numismatics , Umschau, Berlin 1976
- Friedrich von Schrötter (ed.), With N. Bauer, K. Regling, A. Suhle, R. Vasmer , J. Wilcke: Dictionary of Coin Studies , de Gruyter, Berlin 1970 (reprint of the original edition from 1930)
Web links
- coinarchives: Elector Johann Georg I, 1 ⁄ 8 vicariate thaler ( 1 ⁄ 8 Reichstaler) 1612, death of Rudolf II.
- coinarchives: Elector Friedrich August II., Vicariate thaler (Speciesreichstaler) 1740, death of Karl VI.
- coinarchives: Elector Friedrich August II., Vicariate thaler (Speciesreichstaler) 1745, death of Charles VII.
Individual evidence
- ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 , in: Swiss Numismatic Rundschau, Volume 59, 1980, p. 50
- ^ Lienhard Buck: The coins of the Electorate of Saxony 1763 to 1806 , Berlin 1981, p. 200
- ^ Walther Haupt: Sächsische Münzkunde , Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin 1974, p. 167
- ^ Friedrich von Schrötter, N. Bauer, K. Regling, A. Suhle, R. Vasmer, J. Wilcke: Dictionary of Coin Studies , Berlin 1970 (reprint of the original edition from 1930)
- ↑ mcsearch.info: Friedrich III. the wise. Broad guldengroschen no year (after 1507), with the title of Maximilian I, on the title of general governor.
- ↑ Julius and Albert Erbstein: Discussions in the field of the Saxon coin and medal history with reference to the Hofrath Engelhardt'schen collection , Dresden 1888, p. 112
- ^ FA Brockhaus (ed.): Brockhaus' Kleines Konversations-Lexikon , Second Volume, Leipzig: 1911, p. 147
- ↑ Christian A. Kohl: Taler sections of the Electorate of Saxony / Albertinische line 1547-1763 , Leipzig 1994, p 65
- ↑ Julius and Albert Erbstein: Discussions in the field of the Saxon coin and medal history with reference to the Hofrath Engelhardt's collection , Dresden 1888, p. 113
- ^ Julius and Albert Erbstein: Discussions in the field of the Saxon coin and medal history with the listing of the Hofrath Engelhardt'schen collection , Dresden 1888, p. 200
- ^ Fritz Rudolf Künker: Bavaria and the House of Wittelsbach, an important special collection, Osnabrück 2006, p. 66
- ^ Fritz Rudolf Künker: Bavaria and the House of Wittelsbach, an important special collection, Osnabrück 2006, p. 66
- ↑ mcsearch.info: Elector Maximilian III. Joseph (1745–1777) from Bavaria, 6 Kreuzer 1745, to the vicariate
- ↑ mcsearch.info: elector Karl Theodor of the Pfalz (1743-1799), Vicariate crowns (Reichstaler) 1745 Edition 12 pieces.