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FLORIDOR [JoslNs DE SOULAS, Sicur de ...

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Originally appearing in Volume V10, Page 546 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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FLORIDOR [JoslNs DE SOULAS, Sicur de Prinefosse] (d. c. 1671) , See also:French actor, was See also:born in See also:Brie See also:early in the 17th See also:century, thg son of a See also:gentleman of See also:German See also:family who had moved to See also:France, married there, and become a See also:Roman See also:Catholic. The son entered the French See also:army, but after being promoted See also:ensign, quitted the army for the See also:theatre, where he took the name of Floridor. His first See also:Paris See also:appearance was in 164o. Three years later he was called to the See also:company at the H8tel de Bourgogne, where he played all the leading parts in tragedy and See also:comedy and became the See also:head of his profession. He was a See also:man of superb physique and excellent See also:carriage, with a flexible and sonorous See also:voice, and See also:manners of rare distinction and elegance, He was much liked at See also:court, and See also:Louis XIV. held him in particular esteem. He died in 167T or 167 FLORIN, the name applied to several coins of the See also:continent of See also:Europe and to two coins struck in See also:England at different times. The word comes through the Fr. florin from the Ital. fiorino, See also:flower, See also:Lat. flos, florent. Fiorino was the See also:Italian name of a See also:gold See also:coin issued at See also:Florence in 1252, weighing about fifty-four grains. This coin See also:bore on the obverse a See also:lily, from which it took its name of " the flower," on the See also:reverse the Latin name of the See also:city Florentia, from which it was also known as a " flolence." " Florin " and " Florence " seem to have been used in See also:English indiscriminately as the name of this coin. The Florentine florin was held in See also:great commercial repute throughout Europe, and similar coins were struck in See also:Germany, other parts of See also:Italy, France, &c. The English gold florin was introduced by See also:Edward III. in 1343, See also:half and See also:quarter forins being struck at the same See also:time.

This gold florin weighed ro8 grains-and was to be current for six shillings. It was found, however, to be overvalued in proportion to the See also:

silver currency and was demonetized the following See also:year. The florin did not again appear in the English coinage until 1849, when silver coins with this name, having a nominal value of two shillings (one-tenth of ,a See also:pound), were struck. When first issued the " Dei gratia " was omitted from the inscription, and they were frequently referred, to as the " Godless " or " graceless " florins. The D.G. was added in 1852. In 1887 a See also:double florin or four See also:shilling piece was issued, but its coinage was discontinued in 189o. The See also:total value of double florins issued during these years amounted to £533,125.

End of Article: FLORIDOR [JoslNs DE SOULAS, Sicur de Prinefosse] (d. c. 1671)

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