Papal Coinage

Clement VI - 7 May 1342 to 6 Dec. 1352

Pope Clement VI (1291 – December 6, 1352), born Pierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death.

Clement was born in the village of Maumont, today part of the commune of Rosiers-d'Égletons, in Limousin, the son of the wealthy lord of Rosiers-d'Égletons.

He entered the Benedictine order as a boy, studied at Paris, and became successively prior of St. Baudil, abbot of Fécamp, bishop of Arras, chancellor of France, archbishop of Sens and archbishop of Rouen. He was made cardinal-priest of Santi Nereo e Achilleo and administrator of the bishopric of Avignon by Benedict XII in 1338, and four years later succeeded him as pope.

Like his immediate predecessors, he was devoted to France, and he demonstrated his French sympathies by refusing a solemn invitation to return to Rome from the city's people, as well as from the poet Petrarch. He however threw a sop to the Romans by reducing the Jubilee term from one hundred years to fifty. He also purchased the sovereignty of Avignon from Queen Joan I of Naples, for 80,000 crowns. The money was never paid, but Clement VI may have deemed that he gave the queen a full equivalent by absolving her from the murder of her husband.

Clement VI issued the Bull Unigenitus, January 27, 1343, in order to justify the power of the pope and the use of indulgences. This document was also used in the defence of indulgences after Martin Luther pinned his 95 Theses to a church in Wittenburg on October 31, 1517.

Clement VI reigned during the Black Death. This pandemic swept through Europe (as well as Asia and the Middle East) between 1347–1350, and is believed to have killed between a third and two thirds of Europe's population. During the plague, he sought the insight of astronomers for explanation. Jehan de Murs was among the team "of three who drew up a treatise explaining the plague of 1348 by the conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars in 1341" (Tomasello, 15). Clement VI's physicians advised him that surrounding himself with torches would block the plague. However, he soon became skeptical of this recommendation and stayed in Avignon supervising sick care, burials, and the pastoral care of the dying (Duffy, 167). He never contracted the disease. One of his physicians, Gui de Chauliac, later wrote the Chirurgia magna.

Pope Clement VI cameo.Popular opinion blamed the Jews for the plague, and pogroms erupted throughout Europe. Clement issued two papal bulls in 1348 (one on July 6) which condemned the violence and said those who blamed the plague on the Jews had been "seduced by that liar, the Devil." He urged clergy to take action to protect Jews, but the orders appeared to have little effect, and the destruction of whole Jewish communities continued until 1349[1].

Clement continued the struggle of his predecessors with the Emperor Louis IV. He excommunicated him after protracted negotiations on April 13, 1346, and directed the election of Charles IV, who received general recognition after the death of Louis in October 1347, putting an end to the schism which had long divided Germany. Clement proclaimed a crusade in 1343, but nothing was accomplished beyond a naval attack on Smyrna (29 October 1344).

The other chief incidents of his pontificate were his disputes with Edward III of England on account of the latter's encroachments on ecclesiastical jurisdiction, as well as with the kings of Castile and Aragon; his fruitless negotiations for reunion with the Armenians and with the Byzantine emperor, John VI Kantakouzenos; and the commencement of Cola di Rienzo's agitation at Rome. He had appointed Cola to a civil position at Rome, and, although at first approving the establishment of the tribunate, he later sent a legate who excommunicated him and, with the help of the aristocratic faction, drove him from the city in December 1347. Clement also excommunicated Casimir III of Poland and made Prague an archbishopric in 1344.

Clement VI died in December 1352, leaving the reputation of "a fine gentleman, a prince munificent to profusion, a patron of the arts and learning, but no saint" (Gregorovius; see also Gibbon, chap. 66).

Unlike the Cistercian Benedict XII, Clement VI was devoted to lavish living, and the treasury which he inherited made that lifestyle possible. He claimed to have "lived as a sinner among sinners", in his own words. During his pontificate, he added a new chapel to the Papal Palace and dedicated it to St. Peter. He commissioned the artist Matteo Giovanetti de Viterbo to paint common hunting and fishing scenes on the walls of the existing papal chapels, and purchased enormous tapestries to decorate the stone walls. In order to bring good music to the celebrations, he recruited musicians from northern France, especially from Liège and of the Ars Nova style. He liked music so much that he kept composers and theorists close to him throughout his entire pontificate, Philippe de Vitry being among the more famous. The first two payments he made after his coronation were to musicians (Tomasello, 12-20).

PAPAL COINS

Clement VI., 1342-1352.

Grosso clementino da 24 denari, AR Avignon mint. 26 mm 2,47 g.

Obv.: CLEMENS – PP – SEXTVS Il Pope enthroned facing.

Rev.: SANTVS PETRVS Crossed keys. Crossed-keys legend dividers.

Reference: Muntoni 1. Berman 182. VF++

Estimate: EUR 300. Price realized: 660 EUR (approx. 979 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

PAPAL COINS

Clement VI., 1342-1352.

Grosso tornese. Pont de Sorgues mint. 4,08 g.

Obv.: Pope enthroned with mire, right hand raised in blessing, and cross staff.

Ornamental border at rim of quatrefoils in circles. CLEMES PP SEXTx

Rev.: Cross in circle, double line of writing around. +COMES VENESI

Reference: Muntoni 2. Very rare, beautiful patina. VF-XF.

Estimate: 400.00 EUR. Price realized: 1,500 EUR (approx. 1,801 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

PAPAL COINS

Clement VI., 1342-1352.

Grosso. Pont de Sorgues mint.

Obv.: Pope facing holding cross, hand held in benediction, within circles of legend and quatrefoils, CLEMES PP SEXTREV.

Rev.: cross, +COMES VENESI with keys in saltire, within circle of legend.

Reference: (Ber.183; Munt.2; P.A.4151), very fine, rare

Estimate £ 400-500. Price realized: 550 GBP (approx. 913 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

PAPAL COINS

Clement VI., 1342-1352.

Grosso. Pont de Sorgues mint. 4.07 g.

Obv.: Pope facing holding cross, hand held in benediction, within circles of legend and quatrefoils, CLEMES PP SEXTREV.

Rev.: cross, +COMES VENESI with keys in saltire, within circle of legend. In outer legend: ONIPOTE instead of ONIPOTES variety, DEU instead of DEUS. Rare, undocumented.

Reference: - Ber. manque cf. 183 var. de légende. Munt. manque cf. 2 Beautful condition!

Estimate: 2.000 / 2.500. Price realized: 3,200 EUR (approx. 4,070 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

PAPAL COINS

Clement VI., 1342-1352.

Denier. Pont de Sorgues mint. 1.22 g.

Obv.: Mitred bust of pope facing, rosette each side of head.

Rev.: Cross, crossed keys in 2nd and 4th angles. Legend variety: The second N in VENESINI is retrograde. Rare, unpublished.

Reference: - Ber. manque cf. 186 - Munt. manque cf. 5

Estimate: 1.000 / 1.200. Price realized: 1,400 EUR (approx. 1,780 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

Innocent VI - 18 Dec. 1352 to 12 Sept. 1362

Pope Innocent VI (1282 or 1295 – September 12, 1362), born ÉtienneAubert, Pope at Avignon from 1352 to 1362, the successor of Pope Clement VI (1342–52), was a native of the hamlet of Les Monts, diocese of Limoges (today part of the commune of Beyssac, département of Corrèze), and, after having taught civil law at Toulouse, became successively bishop of Noyon and bishop of Clermont.

In 1342, he was raised to the position of cardinal. On the death of Clement VI, after the cardinals had each bound themselves to a particular line of policy should he be elected, Aubert was chosen (December 18, 1352), taking the name of Innocent VI; one of the first acts of his pontificate was to declare the pact to have been illegal and null.

His subsequent policy compares favourably with that of the other Avignon Popes. He brought about many needed reforms in the administration of church affairs, and by his legate, Cardinal Albornoz, who was accompanied by Rienzi, he sought to restore order in Rome, where, in 1355, Charles IV (1346–78) was with his permission crowned, after previously having come under an oath that he would quit the city on the day of the ceremony.

It was largely through the exertions of Innocent VI that the Treaty of Brétigny (1360) between France and England was brought about. During his pontificate, John V Palaeologus (1341–47, 1354–76, 1379–90, 1390–91) offered to submit the Greek church to the Roman See on condition of assistance being rendered against John VI Cantacuzenus (1347–54). The resources at the disposal of the Pope, however, were all required for exigencies nearer home, and the offer was declined.

He survived the black death by sitting in between two fires on his own so his air was not impure.

Most of the wealth accumulated by John XXII and Benedict XII had been lost during the extravagant pontificate of Clement VI. Innocent VI economised by cutting the chapel staff or the "capellani capelle" from twelve to eight. Works of art were sold rather than commissioned. His pontificate was dominated by the war in Italy and by Avignon's recovery from the plague, both of which made draining demands on his treasury. By 1357, he was complaining of poverty.

Innocent VI was a liberal patron of letters, and, if the extreme severity of his measures against the Fraticelli are ignored, he retains a high reputation for justice and mercy. He died on September 12, 1362, and his successor was Pope Urban V (1362–70). Today his tomb can be found in the Carthusian monastery of Villeneuve-les-Avignon.

PAPAL COINS

Innocent VI., 1352-1362.

1/2 Grosso. Avignon mint. 1.33 g.

Obv.: Pope enthroned on chair with lions heads; right had raised in blessing, holding cross staff in other hand. INNOCEN PP SEXTVS

Rev.: Long cross, in each angle crossed keys. +SANTVS PETRUS

Reference: Muntoni 3. Fine Patina, VF +

Estimate: 200.00 EUR. Price realized: 750 EUR (approx. 900 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

PAPAL COINS

Innocent VI., 1352-1362.

1/2 Grosso. Avignon mint. 1.34 g.

Obv.: Pope enthroned on chair with lions heads; right had raised in blessing, holding cross staff in other hand. INNOCEN PP SEXTVS

Rev.: Long cross, in each angle crossed keys. +SANTVS PETRUS

Reference: Ber. 192 - Munt. 3. Very rare. Superb condition!

Estimate: 1.000 / 1.200. Price realized: 2,900 EUR (approx. 3,688 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

PAPAL COINS

Innocent VI., 1352-1362.

1/2 Grosso. Avignon mint. 1.32 g.

Obv.: Pope enthroned on chair with lions heads; right had raised in blessing, holding cross staff in other hand. INNOCEN PP SEXTVS

Rev.: Long cross, in each angle crossed keys. +SANTVS PETRUS

Reference: Muntoni 3. VF.

Estimate: 200 EUR. Price realized: 525 EUR (approx. 805 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

Urban V - 28 Sept. 1362 to 19 Dec. 1370

Blessed Pope Urban V (1310 – December 19, 1370), born Guillaume Grimoard, was

Pope from 1362 to 1370.

He was a native of Grizac in Languedoc (today part of the commune of Le Pont-de- Montvert, département of Lozère). He became a Benedictine and a doctor in Canon Law, teaching at Montpellier and Avignon. He held the office of abbot of Saint-Victor in Marseille; and at Avignon, on his way back from Naples, whither he had been sent as papal legate, he was elected Pope Urban V (September 28, 1362) in succession to Pope Innocent VI (1352–62).

As Pope he was a severe disciplinarian, discountenanced the pomp and luxury of the cardinals, introduced considerable reforms in the administration of justice, and liberally patronised learning. He founded the University of Hungary. In Toulouse, he saved the university of music. In Montpellier, he restored the school of medicine and founded the college of Saint Benoit whose church became a cathedral decorated with numerous

works of art. He founded a college in Quézac and Bédouès, and a church and library in Ispagnac. He supported more than 1,000 students of all classes with food and lodging. Even during war they were nourished well. He provided them with books and the best professors.

His pontificate witnessed one of the last flickers of crusading zeal in the expedition of Peter I of Cyprus, who took Alexandria on (October 11, 1365), but soon afterwards abandoned it. He enforced a crusade against the Turks to take back Alexandria. He also sent many missions to Bosnia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and China.

The great feature of Urban V's reign was the effort to restore the Papacy to Italy, and to suppress its powerful rivals for the temporal sovereignty there. In 1363 he excommunicated Bernabò Visconti, the last great figure of Ghibellinism in northern Italy, which occupied the Papal city of Bologna and valiantly resisted the troops of Gil de Albornoz, the Papal vicar in Italy at the time. Urban ordered a crusade to be preached throughout Italy against him and his kindred, accused to be robbers of the church's estate; but in the march of following year he found it necessary to purchase peace: through the mediation of Emperor Charles IV, he removed his ban against Visconti, obtaining Bologna only after a grevious payment. Around Rome, he also planted vine-yards.

Continued troubles in Italy, as well as pleas from figures such as Petrarch and St. Bridget of Sweden, caused Urban V to set out for Rome, which he reached on October 16, 1367. However, although greeted by the clergy and people with joy, and despite the satisfaction of being attended by the Emperor in St. Peter's, and of placing the crown upon the head of the Empress, it soon became clear that by changing the seat of his government he had not increased its power. In Rome he was otherwise able to receive the homage of the king of Cyprus, Queen Joan I of Naples and the Byzantine emperor John V Palaeologus, and coronated Charles IV as Holy Roman Emperor.

Unable any longer to resist the urgency of the French cardinals, and with numerous cities of the Papal States in revolt, he took ship again at Corneto on September 5, 1370, arriving at Avignon on the 24th of the same month.A few days later he fell ill, and died on December 19. He was succeeded by Pope Gregory XI (1370–78).

His canonization was demanded by Valdemar IV of Denmark and promised by Pope Gregory XI as early as in 1375, but did not take place owing to the disorders of the time. Urban V's cultus was approved by Pope Pius IX (1846–78) in 1870.

PAPAL COINS

Urban V., 1362-1370.

Bolognino. Rome mint.

Obv.: Mitred bust facing. VRB’• PP• QVNTS•,

Rev.: IN ROMA and +S.PET.E.PAL around U.R.B.i.

Reference: Berman 198, 199; CNI 5, 13; Muntoni 3, 4. 2 Types. VF.

Estimation DM 100. Price realized: 225 DEM (approx. 102 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

PAPAL COINS

Urban V., 1362-1370.

Bolognino. Rome mint. 18 mm 1,17 g.

Obv.: Mitred bust facing. VRB’• PP• QVNTS•,

Rev.: +S.PET.E.PAL around U.R.B.i. in cross formation.

Reference: Muntoni 4, Berman 199, Biaggi -. Good VF.

Estimate EUR 75. Price realized: 90 EUR (approx. 109 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

PAPAL COINS

Urban V., 1362-1370.

Bolognino. 1,28 g.

Obv.: VRBAN’• PP• V•, mitred bust facing; star at neck.

Rev.: +•(head)• BONONI•, lar ge A flanked by pellets.

Reference: Muntoni 10; Serafini pg. 73, 19; cf. Berman 200. Toned, good VF. Rare.

Estimate $200. Price realized: 1,100 USD

PAPAL COINS

Urban V., 1362-1370.

Bolognino. Rome mint.

Obv.: VRB PP QNTS mitred bust facing.

Rev.: IN ROMA around U.R.B.i. in cross formation.

Reference: Muntoni 3/4, Biaggi 2131. VF.

Estimate: 100 EUR. Price realized: 80 EUR (approx. 102 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)

PAPAL COINS

Urban V., 1362-1370.

Bolognino. Rome mint.

Obv.: VRB PP QNTS mitred bust facing.

Rev.: IN ROMA around U.R.B.i. in cross formation.

Reference: Muntoni 3/4, Biaggi 2131. VF.

Estimate: 75 EUR. Price realized: 160 EUR (approx. 194 U.S. Dollars as of the auction date)