1423-1483

The first écu was a gold coin (the écu d'or) minted during the reign of Louis IX of France, in 1266. The value of the écu varied considerably over time, and silver coins (known as écu d'argent) were also introduced. Écu (from Latin scutum) means shield, and the coin was so called because its design included the coat of arms of France. The word is related to Catalan escut, Italian scudo or Portuguese Castilian escudo. In English, the écu was often referred to as a Crown.
Louis XI, called "Louis the Prudent", was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII. His taste for intrigue and his intense diplomatic activity earned him the nicknames "the Cunning" and "the Universal Spider" as his enemies accused him of spinning webs of plots and conspiracies. Louis signed the Treaty of Picquigny which formally ended the Hundred Years' War.