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écu

エキュ ／ ecu　—　Names of money

A French gold coin, and later the name of a silver one.

Écu d'or à la couronne (crowned gold écu) Écu d'or à la couronne (crowned gold écu)1385 onward Écu d'or au soleil Écu d'or au soleil1475–1547 Écu d'or Écu d'orLate 16th to early 17th century
A photograph of the real thing this term names.

In 1360, the ransom for the captured John II was set at three million gold écus. In 1475, Louis XI created the gold coin écu d'or au soleil, which placed a small sun above the shield, and this also served as a model for the Spanish escudo.

The value of one coin rose from 36 sous and 9 deniers in 1515 to 45 sous in 1547, and Henry III fixed it at 3 livres. In the reform of 1726, the silver écu was set at 6 livres.

⚠ For the stated value of a gold coin to rise means that the livre as a unit of account is depreciating against gold.