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1696, Kingdom of Naples, Charles II of Spain. Beautiful Silver Tari Coin. AU-

Mint Year: 1696 Denomination: Tari Engraver: Manfredi (M) State: Kingdom of Naples Assayer: Marco Antoni Ariani (A)   Reference: KM-117 ($185 in VF!).   Mint Master: Andrea Giovane (AG) Condition: Struck with  corroded dies, marginal corrosion scars, otherwise a handsome AU! Diameter: 24mm Material: Silver  Weight: 4,3gm

Obverse: Crowned and draped bust of Charles II of Spain as King of Naples right. Lion´s head on shoulder drapery, Toison d'or hanging on a brooch which is holding the King´s Drapery. Engraver´s initial (.M.) below arm truncation. Legend: . CAR . II . D . G . REX . - . HISP . ET . NEAP .

Reverse: Toison d'or (the Golden Fleece Order) hangling within roccoco-styled frame. Date (16-96) split in fields upper, mint and assayer initials (AG/A) in left field.

The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece (Spanish: Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro, German: Orden vom Goldenen Vlies) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal. Today, two branches of the order exist, namely the Spanish and the Austrian Fleece; the current grand masters are Felipe VI, King of Spain and Karl von Habsburg, head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, respectively. The Grand Chaplain of the Austrian branch is Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna.

The separation of the two existing branches took place as a result of the Spanish War of Succession. The grand master of the order, Charles II of Spain (a Habsburg) had died childless in 1700, and so the succession to the throne of Spain and the Golden Fleece initiated a global conflict. On one hand, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, claimed the throne as an agnatic member of the House of Habsburg, which had held the throne for almost two centuries. However, the late king had named Philip of Bourbon, his sister's grandchild, as his successor in his will. After the defeat of the Habsburgs in 1714, Philip was recognized as king of Spain and the fate of the order was never clearly decided. The two monarchies, namely the kings of Spain and emperors of Austria, have ever since continued granting the Golden Fleece in relative peace.

The Golden Fleece, and particularly the Spanish branch of the order, has been referred to as the most prestigious and historic order of chivalry in the world. De Bourgoing wrote in 1789 that "the number of knights of the Golden Fleece is very limited in Spain, and this is the order, which of all those in Europe, has best preserved its ancient splendour". Each collar is fully coated in gold, and is estimated to be worth around €50,000 as of 2018, making it the most expensive chivalrous order. Current knights of the order include Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Akihito of Japan, former Tsar Simeon of Bulgaria, and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, amongst 13 others. Knights of the Austrian branch include 33 noblemen and princes of small territories in Central Europe, most of them of German or Austrian origin.

Charles II (Spanish: Carlos II) (6 November 1661 - 1 November 1700) was the last Habsburg ruler of Spain. His realm included Southern Netherlands and Spain's overseas empire, stretching from the Americas to the Spanish East Indies. Known as "the Bewitched" (Spanish: el Hechizado), he is noted for his extensive physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities-along with his consequent ineffectual rule.

He died in 1700 childless and heirless, and all potential Habsburg   successors had predeceased him. In his will, Charles named as his   successor his 16-year old grand-nephew, Philip, Duke of Anjou grandson of Charles' half-sister Maria Theresa of Spain, the first wife of Louis XIV (and thus grandson of the reigning French king Louis XIV).   Because the other European powers viewed the prospective dynastic   relationship between France and Spain as disturbing the balance of power   in Europe, the War of the Spanish Succession ensued.