De Utrechtse munten ten tijde van bisschop David van Bourgondië

50 H. ENNO VAN GELDER
SUMMARY
The Utrecht Coinage during the Reign of Bishop David of Burgundy. Under strong pressure of
Philip Duke of Burgundy, his natural son David was appointed bishop of Utrecht in 1456.
At first David's position was weak, but he was able to strengthen it gradually. Around 1470 he
could pursue a vigorous and independent policy, also in monetary affairs. This situation was
abruptly changed by the death of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, in 1477, when a revolt
broke out in the Burgundian Netherlands. Also David's temporal domains rebelled against
him, which resulted in a civil war between the town of Utrecht and the bishop in 1482-1483.
His authority could only be restored when Archduke Maximilian came to his assistance with
troops. In his later regnal years till his death in 1496 bishop David was greaily dependent
on Burgundian support.
Analysis of the rates of the Rhenish guilder in Utrecht and Deventer accounts shows that
the development of the value of the bishop's coins runs practically parallel to that of the coins
struck in the Burgundian Netherlands. At first a light, very gradual, decrease in value of the
silver coins can be observed, but after 1474 the debasement develops at a rapid rate, until in
1490, a few weeks after the Burgundian revaluation, the coinage of Utrecht is considerably
strengthened again.
Details about weight and fineness of the coins struck by the bishop have been extracted
from a series of unpublished instructions to moneyers in the episcopal archives. A reconstruction
of the coin series struck at Rhenen and Wijk-bij-Duurstede by order of bishop David is
here made on the basis of the above data, which are supported by facts derived from the study
of hoards, from rates of exchange recorded in municipal tariffs, and comparison of coin types.
In addition a survey is given of the coins struck by order of the town of Utrecht in the same
period. Since the 14th century the town had had the right to strike coins of small denominations.
During the war of 1482-1483 it also struck larger denominations, partly in its own name,
partly in the name of Engelbert of Cleves whom the rebels had appointed regent of the bishop's
domains.