A FINE DUTCH SILVER HISTORIC MEDAL COMMEMORATING THE SIEGE O...

Hammer

£1,400

A FINE DUTCH SILVER HISTORIC MEDAL COMMEMORATING THE SIEGE OF LILLE IN 1708. An early 18th Century medal commemorating the Siege of Lille, 1708, part of the War of Spanish Succession. (1701 - 1714). The obverse with a fine depiction of the building of the tower of Babel surrounded by five smoking furnaces and with numerous fighting figures to the foreground, The legend 'Confvndamvs lingvam eorvm vt non avdiat vnvsqvisqve vocem proximi svi' (Let us confound their language, that they may not understand one another's' speech) A line from Genesis XI. 7. To the exurge 'Ryssel vel insulae per principem evgenlum Ob: Sessa 22 Aug et 23 Oct Recepta 1708'. (Rysssel, or Lille, besieged by Prince Eugene August 22nd and retaken October 23rd 1708). Reverse with the bombardment of the walled city of Lille with the Citadelle to the right, guns and fired shot clearly depicted in the foreground, with a sun and crescent moon to the sky. With legend above 'Siste Sol in Gibeon et Luna in Valle Aialon' (Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou Moon, in the valley of Ajalon) again a biblical line from Hoshua X. 12. To the exurge 'Castellum Rysel Obses: sun xxvii Oct Receptum Vero IX Dec' (The Citadel of Lille besieged 27th October, but was taken back on the 9th December). The rim with raised lettering 'Vnita Virtus Valet' (United valour prevails). 4.9 cm, c. 37.38g.
This medal depicts the Siege of Lille which occurred between the 12th August and 10th December 1708 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Following hard fought defence of 120 days of the French garrison at Lille commanded by marshal Boufflers, surrendered to the forces of the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene. An action which cost the allies some 16,000 lives but saw them regain control of northern Flanders. The reference to the Tower of Babel refers to the confusion caused by Vendome and the Duke of Burgundy whose lack of cooperation was disastrous to the French. The sun and moon are France and her allies, Louis XIV being known as the Sun King. The legend on the rim refers to the cooperation between Marlborough and Eugene on this and other occasions.
With old catalogue cuttings.
An example of this medal is recorded in Medallic Illustrations of British History, British Museum 1885, Vol II Queen Anne No.170 (page 339-340). The British Museum's example was given to the museum in 1825 by King George IV having previously belonged to George III. It has museum number G3,FD.298. This volume records one other example in the collection of the Ducal museum in Gotha, Germany. The medal is described as very rare.

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As struck with attractive light tone. An excellent and beautiful example of a rare historic medal.