KINGDOM OF FRANCE (843-1791/2) AND NAVARRE (1620-1791)
REIGN OF LOUIS XV "THE WELL BELOVED" (1715-1774) - HOUSE OF BOURBON
ONE GOLD LOUIS D'OR CERTIFIED BY NGC MINT STATE 63
OBV. WITHIN BEADED BORDER THE PERIWIGGED AND DRAPED BUST OF LOUIS XV LEFT; MINT DIRACTOR BRAND-FIRE PRIVY MARK UNDER BUST TRUNCATION.
REV. WITHIN BEADED BORDER CROWN OVER DUAL SHIELDS OF ROYAL ARMS OF FRANCE AND NAVARRE; MINTMARK "D" BENEATH SHIELDS; "EAGLE HEAD" LOCAL ENGRAVER PRIVY MARK AT TOP; DATE WITHIN LEGEND UPPER LEFT.
KM # 489.6.
LOUIS XV (1710-1774) SUCCEEDED HIS GREAT-GRANDFATHER, LOUIS XIV "THE GREAT" "THE SUN KING", TO THE THRONES OF FRANCE AND NAVARRE AT THE AGE OF FIVE. HIS FIRST COUSIN TWICE-REMOVED, PHILIPPE II, DUKE OF ORLEANS, WAS REGENT FOR LOUIS IN HIS MINORITY, WHICH LASTED UNTIL 1723.
FRANCE TOOK PART IN MANY MILITARY CONFLICTS DURING LOUIS' REIGN. THE WAR OF THE SPANISH SUCCESSION (1701-1714) SECURED LOUIS' UNCLE, PHILIP V, ON THE THRONE OF SPAIN, BUT LOSS OF THE BATTLE OF FONTENOY IN 1745, DURING THE WAR OF THE AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION (1740-1748), SAW FRANCE CEDE THE TERRITORIES KNOWN AS THE AUSTRIAN NETHERLANDS BACK TO THE HABSBURGS. AT THE END OF THE SEVEN YEARS WAR (1754-1763) FRANCE HAD TO GIVE GREAT BRITAIN MOST OF HER TERRITORIES OF NEW FRANCE IN THE NEW WORLD. FRANCE DID, HOWEVER, INCORPARATE LORRAINE AND CORSICA INTO THE KINGDOM.
LOUIS XV WAS AN ABSOLUTE MONARCH, AND AFTER THE DEATH OF CARDINAL FLEURY, HIS CHIEF MINISTER FROM 1746-1743, THE KING RULED ALONE. MANY HISTORIANS JUDGE LOUIS AS HAVING DAMAGED THE KINGDOM WITH HIS DECISIONS AND ALSO OF WEAKENING THE TREASURY, A REIGN OF "DEBILITATING STAGNATION" WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO THE DOWNFALL OF THE ANCIEN RÉGIME BY THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. ENDLESS CLASHES WITH PARLIAMENT, LOST WARS AND RELIGIOUS FEUDING MARRED HIS REIGN, DISCREDITING THE MONARCHY AND MAKING IT VULNERABLE TO DISTRUST AND ANNIHILATION ONLY 15 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH. DESCRIBED AS A "PERPETUAL ADOLESCENT", LOUIS XV WAS CONTENT WITH SHOWS OF POMP AND GRANDEUR THAT DISPLAYED AN OUTWARD SHOW OF POWER, WITH LITTLE SUBSTANCE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT. HIS MINISTERS WERE AS CORRUPT AS MUCH THEIR MASTER WAS PROFLIGATE. A FAMOUS WOMANIZER, LOUIS SHOWED OFF HIS KINGLY VIRILITY WITH A PARADE OF MISTRESSES, INCLUDING HIS LONGTIME FAVORITES MADAME de POMPADOUR AND MADAME du BARRY, AND HE WAS RIDICULED BY THE PEOPLE FOR HIS DEBAUCHERY. AS MUCH AS HIS PRESTIGE WAS RUINED BY LOST WARS AND TERRITORIES, ECONOMIC REVERSES AND A PRIVATE LIFE ROCKED BY SCANDAL, HIS MINISTERS OVER WORKED AND OVER TAXED THE POPULACE TO DEATH. THE HIGHPOINT OF HIS INEFFECTUAL RULE WAS THE ART AND CULTURE THAT FLOURISHED DURING HIS TENURE, FRANCE WAS NEVER INVADED BY A FOREIGN ARMY AND HE WAS IN GENERAL CALLED "THE WELL BELOVED" BY THE MASSES. HE DIED OF SMALLPOX IN 1774, AND TO AVOID CONTAMINATION HE WAS BURIED IN A LATE NIGHT CEREMONY WITH ONE COURTIER AS WITNESS, HIS COFFIN SOAKED IN ALCOHOL, AND HIS BODY COVERED WITH QUICKLIME. HIS GRANDSON, LOUIS XVI, WOULD INHERIT A DOOMED THRONE.
CONTAINS 7.649 GRAMS OF .917 FINE GOLD (.2255 OZ AGW)
24 MM DIAMETER
LYON MINT
MINT DIRECTOR ANTOINE LAISNE
LOCAL ENGRAVER BERNARD JACQUEMIN (1709-1742)
