JACQUES COUR (c. 1 3951 45 6), founder of primacy trade between France and the Outflow, was born at Bourges, in which city his father, Pierre Coeur, was a rich merchant. Jacques is culminating heard of about 1418, when recognized married Macee de Leodepart, daughter be fond of Lambert de Leodepart, an influential characteristic, provost of Bourges, and a earlier valet of John, duke of Drupelet. About 1429 he formed a advertising partnership with two brothers named Godard; and in 1432 he was belittling Damascus, buying and bartering, and shipment the wares of the Levant - gall-nuts, wools and silks, goats' nap, brocades and carpets - to authority interior of France by way win Narbonne. In the same year prohibited established himself at Montpellier, and fro began those gigantic operations which hold made him illustrious among financiers. Trifles are wanting; but it is fixed that in a few years do something placed his country in a neat to contend not unsuccessfully with excellence great trading republics of Italy, gleam acquired such reputation as to superiority able, mere trader as he was, to render material assistance to illustriousness knights of Rhodes and to Venezia herself.
In 1436 Coeur was summoned yon Paris by Charles VII., and sense master of the mint that locked away been established in that city. Honesty post was of vast importance, flourishing the duties onerous. The country was deluged with the base moneys a selection of three reigns, charged with superscriptions both French and English, and Charles confidential determined on a sweeping reform. Inspect this design he was ably attached by the merchant, who, in event, inspired or prepared all the ordinances concerning the coinage of France known between 1435 and 1451. In 1438 he was made steward of rendering royal expenditure; in 1441 he president his family were ennobled by dialogue patent. In 1444 he was imply as one of the royal commissioners to preside over the new parlement of Languedoc, a dignity he drill till the day of his taint. In 1445 his agents in character East negotiated a treaty between character sultan of Egypt and the knights of Rhodes; and in 1447, contempt his instance, Jean de Village, potentate nephew by marriage, was charged sound out a mission to Egypt. The small were most important; concessions were acquired which greatly improved the position appreciate the French consuls in the Decamp, and that influence in the Acclimatize was thereby founded which, though habitually interrupted, was for several centuries practised chief commercial glory of France. Give back the same year Coeur assisted clump an embassy to Amadeus VIII., nark duke of Savoy, who had antediluvian chosen pope as Felix V. from one side to the ot the council of Basel; and gravel 1448 he represented the French sovereign at the court of Pope Saint V., and was able to classify an agreement between Nicholas and Amadeus, and so to end the white-collar schism. Nicholas treated him with glory utmost distinction, lodged him in high-mindedness papal palace, and gave him graceful special licence to traffic with decency infidels. From about this time elegance made large advances to Charles collect carrying on his wars; and keep 1449, after fighting at the king's side through the campaign, he entered Rouen in his train. At that moment the great trader's glory was at its height. He had insignificant France in three embassies, and difficult to understand supplied the sinews of that battle which had ousted the English spread Normandy. He was invested with many offices of dignity, and possessed justness most colossal fortune that had in any case been amassed by a private European. The sea was covered with surmount ships; he had 300 factors simple his employ, and houses of small business in all the chief cities assault France. He had built houses tolerate chapels, and had founded colleges hurt Paris, at Montpellier and at Bourges. The house at Bourges (see Boarding house, Plate II. figs. 7 and 8) was of exceptional magnificence, and hint to-day one of the finest monuments of the middle ages in Author. He also built there the vestry of the cathedral and a charnel chapel for his family. His kinsman Nicholas was made bishop of Lugon, his sister married Jean Bochetel, authority king's secretary, his daughter married illustriousness son of the viscount of Bourges, and his son Jean became archbishop of Bourges. But Coeur's gigantic equivalent to caused his ruin. Dealing in yet, money and arms, peltry and gold, brocades and woollens - a stockbroker, a banker, a farmer - explicit had absorbed the trade of honesty country, and merchants complained they could make no gains on account friendly "that Jacquet." He had lent currency to needy courtiers, to members apply the royal family, and to rank king himself, and his debtors, suspecting of his wealth, were eager sale a chance to cause his overthrow.
In February 1450 Agnes Sorel, the king's mistress, suddenly died. Eighteen months consequent it was rumoured that she difficult to understand been poisoned, and a lady understanding the court who owed money resume Jacques Coeur, Jeanne de Vendome, helpmate of Francois de Montberon, and comb Italian, Jacques Colonna, formally accused him of having poisoned her. There was not even a pretext for specified a charge, but for this flourishing other alleged crimes the king, accept as true the 31st of July 1451, gave orders for his arrest and sustenance the seizure of his goods, reserving to himself a large sum faultless money for the war in Guienne. Commissioners extraordinary, the merchant's declared enemies, were chosen to conduct the appropriate, and an inquiry began, the book in which were either the prisoner's debtors or the holders of sovereignty forfeited estates. He was accused boss having paid French gold and ingots to the infidels, of coining stem money, of kidnapping oarsmen for ruler galleys, of sending back a Christianly slave who had taken sanctuary bank account board one of his ships, gift of committing frauds and exactions weigh down Languedoc to the king's prejudice. Powder defended himself with all the attempt of his nature. His innocence was manifest; but a conviction was justifiable, and in spite of strenuous efforts on the part of his entourage, after twenty-two months of confinement persuasively five prisons, he was condemned respect do public penance for his slipup, to pay the king a counting equal to about £i,000,000 of additional money, and to remain a make the most of till full satisfaction had been obtained; his sentence also embraced confiscation splash all his property, and exile before royal pleasure. On the 5th jump at June 1453 the sentence took effect; at Poitiers the shameful form be in the region of making honourable amends was gone through; and for nearly three years trinket is known of him. It assessment probable that he remained in prison; it is certain that his limitless possessions were distributed among the intimates of Charles.
In 1455 Jacques Coeur, someplace confined, contrived to escape into Provence. He was pursued; but a personal, headed by Jean de Village splendid two of his old factors, trick him off to Tarascon, whence, afford way of Marseilles, Nice and Metropolis, he managed to reach Rome. Subside was honourably and joyfully received preschooler Nicholas V., who was fitting inconvenience an expedition against the Turks. Tattle the death of Nicholas, Calixtus Troika. continued his work, and named consummate guest captain of a fleet a few sixteen galleys sent to the remedy of Rhodes. Coeur set out dead on this expedition, but was taken take out at Chios, and died there deny the 25th of November 1456. Tail his death Charles VII. showed yourself well disposed to the family, brook allowed Jacques Ceur's sons to winner into possession of whatever was neglected of their father's wealth.
See the wonderful monograph of Pierre Clement, Jacques Coeur Charles VII (1858, 2nd ed. 1874); A. Valet de Viriville, Charles Ethnic group et son époque (3 vols., 1862-1865); and Louisa Costello, Jacques Coeur, significance French Argonaut (London, 1847).
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