Vicariate coins (Palatinate and Bavaria)

Vicariate coins of the Electoral Palatinate are commemorative coins of the Electors of the Palatinate , which they had minted as the emperor's deputy during the execution of the imperial throne. The imprints give knowledge of their function as vicars of the emperors in pictures and writing . From 1657, Bavarian vicariate coins were also minted.

history

The imperial dignity of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation was not hereditary. 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 Rhineland Count Palatinate shared the Imperial Vicariate with the Electors of Saxony . When the emperor died, the elector of the Palatinate exercised the office of imperial administrator for Swabia , Franconia and the Rhineland, 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 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.

Elector Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz with his wife Anna Maria Luisa de 'Medici (painting by Jan Frans van Douven from 1708). The imperial crown in the picture indicates the title of imperial vicar. It was a special honor for Johann Wilhelm to lead the imperial vicariate after the death of Emperor Joseph I in 1711.

The count palatine lost the electoral dignity to the dukes of Bavaria in 1623 . In the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, the Palatinate was compensated for this loss by setting up an eighth cure . However, this did not clarify who is entitled to exercise the vicariate. The Bavarian Elector had taken the old place of the Elector of the Palatinate. The Palatinate resigned from the eighth cure could refer to his rights evidenced by the Golden Bull. At the death of Emperor Ferdinand III. in 1657 there was consequently a dispute between Bavaria and the Palatinate over the imperial vicariate. The problem did not come into play after the death of Emperor Joseph I in 1711 because Elector Maximilian II Emanuel of Bavaria, who fought on the side of France in the War of the Spanish Succession , had been expelled from his country since 1704, imposed an imperial ban on him in 1706 and he was declared forfeit of his land and the cure. The Emperor transferred both of these to the Palatinate Elector Johann Wilhelm . After the Peace of Rastatt Maximilian Emmanuel got Bavaria back in 1714. In 1724, the so-called Wittelsbach House Union , the contract of May 15, came to a settlement in the vicariate question. 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 electors Karl Albrecht and Karl Philipp announced on October 30, 1740 that they were taking over the imperial vicariate, which led to the protest of the evangelical 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 came to an agreement on January 18, 1741 with the Saxon Elector Friedrich August II. , Who insisted on his certified participation in the imperial vicariate, as their vicar, the disputes could be ended. The unity of the two Wittelsbach electors is expressed through vicariate coins depicting their two half-length portraits.

After the death of Emperor Charles VII on January 20, 1745, Elector Maximilian III. Joseph, after consultation with Karl Theodor von der Pfalz, took over the imperial vicariate from February 1745 and ended the War of the Austrian Succession by renouncing all claims in the Peace of Füssen on April 22, 1745 . In 1750, in order to avoid vicariate disputes, the so-called alternative contract stipulated that Bavaria and the Palatinate should exercise the imperial vicariate alternately.

When the Bavarian Wittelsbach family died out in 1777, the eighth cure coincided with the old one.

The coins

The Palatinate and Bavarian vicariate coins are much rarer compared to the Saxon vicariate coins . The silver-rich electors of Saxony could afford to have the commemorative coins minted in larger numbers.

The vicariate coins were minted from 1612 to 1792 in different denominations in gold and silver. On the reverse they usually show the imperial eagle with the breastplate of the vicarious prince and the title PROVISOR ET VICARIUS or similar.

These are the following imperial vicars, deaths of emperors and years of vicariate coins:

Vicaring Electors	Deaths of the emperors	Years of Coins	comment
Johann von Pfalz-Zweibrücken	Rudolf II.	1612	as administrator of the Electoral Palatinate
Friedrich V of the Palatinate	Matthias	1619	No vicariate coins from the Palatinate (only vicariate coins from Johann Georg I of Saxony)
Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria, Karl Ludwig of the Palatinate	Ferdinand III.	1657, 1658	Vicariate coins Bavaria (1657) and Rheinpfalz (1657, 1658)
Johann Wilhelm of the Palatinate	Joseph I.	1711
Karl Albrecht of Bavaria, Karl Philipp of the Palatinate	Charles VI	1740	Vicariate coins Bavaria and Rhine Palatinate, also joint coins
Maximilian III Joseph of Bavaria, Karl Theodor of the Palatinate	Charles VII	1745	Vicariate coins Bavaria and Rheinpfalz
Karl-Theodor of Palatinate-Bavaria	Joseph II	1790	Vicariate coins Bavaria and Rheinpfalz
Karl Theodor of Palatinate Bavaria	Leopold II.	1792	Vicariate coins Bavaria and Rheinpfalz

Vicariate coins 1612 (death of Rudolf II.)

Johann II, Duke of Pfalz-Zweibrücken, Administrator of the Electoral Palatinate: Reichstaler, Heidelberg Mint

After the death of Emperor Rudolf II on January 12, 1612, Duke Johann II, as administrator of the Palatinate, was subject to imperial administration in the area of Franconian law because of the underage Prince Elector Friedrich von der Pfalz.

Philipp Ludwig von Neuburg was also entitled to the administration of the Electoral Palatinate. This led to a feud between the two Count Palatine. Johann II solved the problem by exercising his office as representative of the Palatinate Elector, going to Frankfurt with Prince Elector Friedrich for the election of Emperor , taking part in the official acts of the electoral surrender and, on June 13, the eldest brother of Rudolf II, Matthias, as Emperor chose.

Vicariate coins 1657, 1658 (death of Ferdinand III)

Karl Ludwig, Elector Palatinate: ½ Batzen 1657, Reichstaler 1657 (two versions), ½ ducats 1658, ducats 1657.

The elector is depicted on a vicariate thaler with an armored bust. The reverse shows three coats of arms under a helmet. The other version shows three coats of arms under a helmet and the explanatory inscription on the back.

Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria: ⅙ Taler 1657, ¹ ⁄ ₉ Taler 1657, Reichstaler 1657, Ducat 1657

For Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria from 1651 to 1679, after the death of his father Maximilian I under the tutelage of his mother from 1651 to 1654, exercising the imperial vicariate after the death of Emperor Ferdinand III. a highlight.

The elector is depicted praying in front of a Madonna on the vicariate thaler.

Vicariate coins 1711 (death of Joseph I)

Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatinate, ducats 1711 for the vicariate, death of Joseph I.

Johann Wilhelm , Elector Palatinate: ⅙ thalers, ⅔ thalers, thalers, ¼ ducats, ducats, 2, 3, 4, 5 ducats

It was a special honor for Johann Wilhelm to lead the imperial vicariate after the death of Joseph I. He celebrated this office with several coins and medals.

After the death of Emperor Joseph I on April 17, 1711, in addition to Johann Wilhelm, Elector Friedrich August I (August the Strong) of Saxony until Charles VI was crowned emperor. on December 22, 1711 in Frankfurt am Main held the office of imperial vicar. His very extensive vicariate coinage may have inspired Johann Wilhelm to make several commemorative coins .

The vicariate coins show the head of Johann Wilhelm and on the reverse the double-headed eagle with two heraldic shields under an electoral hat.

Vicariate coins 1740 (death of Charles VI.)

Karl Philipp Elector of the Palatinate: ¼ thaler, ½ thaler, thaler in two variants: with staggered half-length portraits of Karl Philipps and Karl Albrechts, and thaler with half-length portrait of Karl Philipps, 1½ thaler, ducats

Karl Albrecht Elector of Bavaria: 3 Kreuzer, 6 Kreuzer, thaler in two variants: with staggered half-length portraits of Karl Philipps and Karl Albrechts and thalers with half-length portrait of Karl Albrechts, ducats, gold gulden, double gold gulden

The two electors from Wittelsbach, Karl Albrecht and Karl Philipp, expressed their unity by having a few vicariate impressions with their two half-length portraits. The reverse of the communal embossing shows the double-headed eagle with the two oval coats of arms of Bavaria and the Palatinate covered with spa hats on its chest.

Vicariate coins 1745 (death of Charles VII.)

Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria, 6 Kreuzer 1745 on the vicariate, death of Charles VII.

Karl Theodor, Elector Palatinate: Vicariate thaler (Reichstaler) 1745 - see picture above (edition of only 12 pieces)

The extremely rare Reichstaler minted in Mannheim with the armored bust of the Elector shows the double-headed eagle with the Palatinate coat of arms on the chest, above the electoral hat.

Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria: Kreuzer, 3 Kreuzer, 6 Kreuzer, ducats

From February 1745, after consultation with Karl Theodor von der Pfalz, the elector led the imperial vicariate. The vicariate coins minted in Munich show the bust of the elector and the double-headed eagle with the Bavarian coat of arms on the reverse.

Vicariate coins 1790 (death of Joseph II)

Karl-Theodor, Elector Palatinate-Bavaria:
- For Bavaria: 10 convention cruisers, 20 convention cruisers, ½ convention thaler, convention thaler (three variants), ducats, 2 ducats, 3 ducats
- For the Rheinpfalz: 10 convention cruisers, 20 convention cruisers, ½ convention thaler, convention thaler

Karl Theodor, Elector Palatinate and Duke of Jülich-Berg and Neuburg since 1743, took over the imperial vicariate in the lands of the Rhine, Swabia and Franconian law for the time of the interregnum after Emperor Joseph II died on February 20, 1790 . He set up the Imperial Vicariate Court in Munich on March 1, 1790 and worked as the Imperial Administrator up to the coronation of Leopold II on October 9, 1790. Karl Theodor was very keen on these offices and, like his predecessors, had vicariate coins minted from both Kur lines (Palatinate and Bavaria).

Vicariate coins 1792 (death of Leopold II)

Karl-Theodor, Elector Palatinate-Bavaria:
- For Bavaria: 10 convention cruisers, 20 convention cruisers, ½ convention thaler, convention thaler (three variants), ducats, 2 ducats, 3 ducats
- For the Rheinpfalz: 10 convention cruisers, 20 convention cruisers, ½ convention thaler, convention thaler

After the death of Emperor Leopold II on March 1, 1792, Karl Theodor took over the imperial vicariate for the second time and exercised it until July 14, 1792. The elector, who wanted to realize his dream of Bavarian kingship, used the occasion for a new series of vicariate coins struck in Mannheim and Munich.

literature

Gerhard Schön: German coin catalog 18th century. Munich 1984.
N. Douglas Nicol: Standard Catalog of German Coins 1601 to Present. 1995.
Heinz Fengler, Gerd Gierow, Willy Unger: transpress Lexicon Numismatics. Berlin 1976.
Friedrich von Schrötter et al. (Ed.): Dictionary of coinage. de Gruyter, Berlin 1970, DNB 458690163 . (Reprint of the original edition from 1930)
Fritz Rudolf Künker: Bavaria and the House of Wittelsbach, an important special collection. Osnabrück 2006.

Web links

Main State Archives Dresden : Authorities and institutions of the Holy Roman Empire / Imperial Vicariate Commission and Imperial Vicariate Court

Individual evidence

^ Friedrich von Schrötter, N. Bauer, K. Regling, A. Suhle, R. Vasmer, J. Wilcke (eds.): Dictionary of Coin Studies. Berlin 1970. (Reprint of the original edition from 1930)
^ Susanne Schlösser: Interregnum, Election and Coronation of Emperors in the 18th Century: The Politics of the Arch Chancellor of Mainz 1740–1742. Institute for Historical Regional Studies at the University of Mainz eV 2001–2013, therein: The Vicariate Comparison (Note 7)
^ Susanne Schlösser: Interregnum, Election and Coronation of Emperors in the 18th Century: The Politics of the Arch Chancellor of Mainz 1740–1742. Institute for Historical Regional Studies at the University of Mainz eV 2001–2013, therein: The Vicariate Comparison (Note 8)
^ 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.
^ Fritz Rudolf Künker: Bavaria and the House of Wittelsbach, an important special collection. Osnabrück 2006, p. 74.
^ Susanne Schlösser: Interregnum, Election and Coronation of Emperors in the 18th Century: The Politics of the Arch Chancellor of Mainz 1740–1742. Institute for Historical Regional Studies at the University of Mainz eV 2001–2013, summary
↑ mcsearch.info: Pfalz-Zweibrücken, Duchy, Johann II., 1604–1635, Reichstaler 1612
^ Acsearch: Karl Ludwig, Heidelberg, Reichstaler 1657 to the vicariate of the elector after the death of Emperor Ferdinand III.
^ Fritz Rudolf Künker: Bavaria and the House of Wittelsbach, an important special collection. Osnabrück 2006, p. 42.
^ Acsearch: Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria, Vikariatstaler (Reichstaler) 1657, death of Ferdinand III.
^ Acsearch: Johann Wilhelm, Elector of the Palatinate, ducats 1711 on the vicariate, death of Joseph I.
↑ acsearch: Karl Philipp, Elector of the Palatinate with Karl Albrecht of Bavaria in the Kurrheinischen, Vicariate thaler 1740, death of Karl IV.
↑ Maximilian III. Joseph, Elector of Bavaria, 6 Kreuzer 1745 on the vicariate, death of Charles VII.
↑ mcsearch.info: Karl Theodor, Elector of Palatinate-Bavaria, Vicariate 1790, death of Joseph II.
↑ mcsearch.info: Karl Theodor, Elector of Palatinate-Bavaria, Vicariate 1792

[1] Friedrich von Schrötter, N. Bauer, K. Regling, A. Suhle, R. Vasmer, J. Wilcke (eds.): Dictionary of Coin Studies. Berlin 1970. (Reprint of the original edition from 1930)

[2] Susanne Schlösser: Interregnum, Election and Coronation of Emperors in the 18th Century: The Politics of the Arch Chancellor of Mainz 1740–1742. Institute for Historical Regional Studies at the University of Mainz eV 2001–2013, therein: The Vicariate Comparison (Note 7)

[3] Susanne Schlösser: Interregnum, Election and Coronation of Emperors in the 18th Century: The Politics of the Arch Chancellor of Mainz 1740–1742. Institute for Historical Regional Studies at the University of Mainz eV 2001–2013, therein: The Vicariate Comparison (Note 8)

[4] Fritz Rudolf Künker: Bavaria and the House of Wittelsbach, an important special collection. Osnabrück 2006, p. 66.

[5] Fritz Rudolf Künker: Bavaria and the House of Wittelsbach, an important special collection. Osnabrück 2006, p. 66.

[6] Fritz Rudolf Künker: Bavaria and the House of Wittelsbach, an important special collection. Osnabrück 2006, p. 74.

[7] Susanne Schlösser: Interregnum, Election and Coronation of Emperors in the 18th Century: The Politics of the Arch Chancellor of Mainz 1740–1742. Institute for Historical Regional Studies at the University of Mainz eV 2001–2013, summary

[8] search.info: Pfalz-Zweibrücken, Duchy, Johann II., 1604–1635, Reichstaler 1612

[9] Acsearch: Karl Ludwig, Heidelberg, Reichstaler 1657 to the vicariate of the elector after the death of Emperor Ferdinand III.

[10] Fritz Rudolf Künker: Bavaria and the House of Wittelsbach, an important special collection. Osnabrück 2006, p. 42.

[11] Acsearch: Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria, Vikariatstaler (Reichstaler) 1657, death of Ferdinand III.

[12] Acsearch: Johann Wilhelm, Elector of the Palatinate, ducats 1711 on the vicariate, death of Joseph I.

[13] search: Karl Philipp, Elector of the Palatinate with Karl Albrecht of Bavaria in the Kurrheinischen, Vicariate thaler 1740, death of Karl IV.

[14] Maximilian III. Joseph, Elector of Bavaria, 6 Kreuzer 1745 on the vicariate, death of Charles VII.

[15] search.info: Karl Theodor, Elector of Palatinate-Bavaria, Vicariate 1790, death of Joseph II.

[16] search.info: Karl Theodor, Elector of Palatinate-Bavaria, Vicariate 1792