Medal - Battle of the Zuiderzee of

Reverse

Nine lines of a laudatory poem by C. Thamson.

Script: Latin

Lettering: 11.OCTOBER.1573. / DOOR.LOVTER.GHEWELT / VAN.MENICH.HELT / DER VRYE WESTVRIISCHE.NATIE / WERF BOSSOV.GEVELT / DIT.HIER.GESTELT / TOT.LOFTEREN.VAN / GODS GRATIE /.1615

Translation: Only by the strength of many a hero of the free west Frisian nation was Bossu overthrown

Engraver: Caspar Wyntges

Comment

The Battle on the Zuiderzee was fought off Hoorn between a much superior Spanish fleet and a more lightly equipped, but more maneuverable, Dutch one. The Dutch were initially beaten back by heavy Spanish gunfire, but on 11 October the wind changed and the Dutch forces prevailed. In fact, the Spanish flagship, the Inquisition, ran aground and was boarded and captured. Among the prisoners was Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard, Count of Boussu (1542-1578), the Walloon commander of the Spanish forces. Freed by a provision of the Pacification of Ghent in 1576, he then became commander of the rebel forces; while he lost the Battle of Gembloux (January 1578), at the Battle of Rijmenam in July he regained all his losses. Falling ill, Boussu died at his family home in Antwerp on 21 December.