Medal - Liberal Congress of Belgium Brussels
1846 year| Iron | 32.6 g | 39.54 mm |
| Location | Belgium |
|---|---|
| Type | Medals › Commemorative medals |
| Year | 1846 |
| Composition | Iron |
| Weight | 32.6 g |
| Diameter | 39.54 mm |
| Thickness | 3.65 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Updated | 2024-11-12 |
| Numista | N#430400 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
A bundle of 9 arrows pointing upwards and bound by a ribbon in a circle of grenetis, with the legend around it.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
★ L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE ★
BRUXELLES
Edge
Plain
Comment
The nine arrows on the reverse represent the nine Belgian provinces at the time of the congress. In 1992, the so-called St Michel agreements provided for the division of Brabant into Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant, and these were implemented in 1995. Since then, Belgium has had ten provinces.
The background to the 1846 congress is well described at https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gouvernement_Rogier_I:
"From 1840 onwards, Unionism declined due to strong tensions between Catholics and Liberals. This led to the Liberal Congress of June 14, 1846, when the Liberal Party was born. However, the birth of the Liberal Party was only symbolic, since in reality a Liberal group had been identifiable since Belgian independence, notably through the Masonic lodges where politicians met unofficially to work out group strategies. A rift was created between the Freemasons and the ecclesiastics, who wanted canon law to take precedence over the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the new Constitution...".
The Liberal Party of Belgium congress was held in the Gothic Hall of Brussels City Hall:
