Emanuele Filiberto Lira - Circa(1550-1580)

Denomination: ¼ Soldo - Lira   

Date:  Circa 1553-1580

Reign: Duchy of Savoy – Italian States.                                                        

Mint: Borg

Weight: 1.18 gm                                                                                   

Mount:  Sterling Silver Bracelet with garnet accents                                                                                                                                                            

Description: Bullion ¼ Sold type. Obverse: type of Florenzada cross. Reverse: Lettering *E*F*.

History: Emanuele Filiberto, the Duke of Savoy from 1553 to 1580, was known as “Testa di Ferro”, (Ironhead in English) because of his military accomplishments.  At the battle of St. Quentin, he recovered the Savoy state from France, moving its capital to Turin.  He spent his reign regaining lost lands. A skilled strategist, he exploited European political squabbles to expand his dominions. He replaced Latin with French as the official language of Savoy, and with Italian in Piedmont and Nice.  He died in 1580.

RB11-FIL