Country of Origin: France
KINGDOM OF FRANCE
REIGN OF JOHN II "THE GOOD" (JEAN le BON) (1350-1364) - CAPETIAN DYNASTY, HOUSE OF VALOIS
ECU d'OR GOLD COIN
CERTIFIED BY PCGS VERY FINE 35
OBV: WITHIN BEADED CIRCLE THE FULL SEATED CROWNED FIGURE OF JOHN II FACING ON GOTHIC THRONE HOLDING SWORD IN HIS RIGHT HAND WITH HIS LEFT HAND RESTING ON SHIELD WITH THE ARMS OF FRANCE (ANCIENT) WITH GOTHIC LOBED ORNAMENTED FRAME SURROUNDING; PARTIAL SURROUNDING OUTER LEGEND WITH CROSS DIVIDING LEGEND AT TOP.
REV: WITHIN BEADED CIRCLE CROSS FLORIATE CENTER WITHIN QUADRILOBE AND FIELDS ADORNED WITH TREFOILS; SURROUNDING OUTER LEGEND.
FR # 276
JOHN II, CALLED "THE GOOD" (1319-1364), INHERITED THE THRONE OF FRANCE DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE EDWARDIAN ERA OF THE HUNDRED YEARS' WAR (1337-1453) WITH ENGLAND. JOHN'S FATHER, PHILIP VI (REIGNED 1328-1450), HAD BEEN SOUNDLY DEFEATED BY EDWARD III AT CRÉCY IN 1346. WHEN JOHN BECAME KING, FRANCE WAS IN THE GRIP OF THE GREAT PLAGUE, THE BLACK DEATH, WHICH WOULD KILL OFF HALF THE POPULATION OF THE KINGDOM. IN ADDITION, ROVING BANDS OF ROUTIERS, MERCENARIES OF THE FREE COMPANIES, RAVAGED AND PLUNDERED THE COUNTRYSIDE. EDWARD OF WOODSTOCK, PRINCE OF WALES AND ELDEST SON OF EDWARD III OF ENGLAND WHO IS KNOWN TODAY AS "THE BLACK PRINCE", LED A GREAT CHEVAUCHÉE (RAID), ACROSS FRANCE IN 1356, SCORCHING THE EARTH AS HE WENT. JOHN GAVE CHASE, AND THE TWO ARMIES MET AT POITIER ON SEPTEMBER 19th. ALTHOUGH THE FRENCH OUTNUMBERED THE INVADER, THE BATTLE WAS A DECISIVE ENGLISH VICTORY. THE ENGLISH LOST ONLY A FEW HUNDRED MEN, AND THE FRENCH SUFFERED 2,500 KILLED OR WOUNDED AND 2,000 CAPTURED, INCLUDING KING JEAN le BON AND HIS YOUNGEST SON, PRINCE PHILIP.
AS A PRISONER IN ENGLAND, JOHN II WAS ACCORDED A ROYAL LIFESTYLE IN KEEPING WITH HIS RANK. HE WAS ALLOWED TO RETURN TO FRANCE AFTER A TIME, LEAVING ANOTHER SON AS HOSTAGE, TO HELP RAISE HIS OWN RANSOM WHICH HAD BEEN AGREED TO A SUM OF 3 MILLION CROWNS. HIS SON, LOUIS OF ANJOU, ESCAPED FROM CAPTIVITY. THE DISHONER FELT BY JOHN, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT HE COULD NOT PAY THE RANSOM, LED JOHN TO VOLUNTEER TO RETURN HIMSELF TO ENGLAND. HE SAILED FOR ENGLAND AGAIN IN 1363, A WILLING CAPTIVE, BUT FELL ILL A FEW MONTHS LATER AND DIED AT THE SAVOY PALACE. HIS BODY WAS RETURNED TO FRANCE. AT HIS DEATH, FRANCE WAS LEFT BANKRUPT, DEVASTED BY WAR AND PLAGUE AND AT THE MERCY OF ROBBER NOBLES AND ROGUE SOLDIERY.
CONTAINS GOLD
27 MM IN DIAMETER
