Medal - Murder of William of Orange 400 year Commemoration

Reverse

Murder taking place.

Script: Latin

Lettering: O DIRVM SCELVS NON MANEBIT INVLTVM 1984

Translation:
Dutch: "O gruwelijk schelmstuk! Het zal niet ongewroken blijven, 1984"
English: "O horrible villain! It will not remain unavenged, 1984"

Comment

The medal is a copy of the original medal, made 400 years later. The original medal can be found in the Prinsenhof museum in Delft, only difference is the year, 1584.

The Medal refers to the murder of William of Orange in 1584. On the obverse Philip II (Spain) appears to be directing Balthasar Gerards (the murderer) with his scepter. The circular inscription reads: 'O dirum scelus! Non manebit inultum' (O gruesome villainy! It will not remain unavenged). On the reverse, a shepherd in the midst of his flock of sheep has his throat bitten off by a wolf. The shepherd is of course William of Orange and the wolf Philip II. The circular reads: 'Pastorem occidit ne vos credit lupo' (He killed the shepherd, so don't trust the wolf). The inscription inspires courage: 'Confidite' (Have confidence).

The murderer Balthasar Gerards, was caught after a wild chase, interrogated, tortured and executed on July 14 1584.
Philips II send a letter where he promises the family of Balthasar Gerards 25,000 gold crowns (which must be sourced by confiscated properties of Willem). They never received money, but instead some plots of land in Franche-Comté, an area in France. In 1589 Philip II granted the promised title of nobility to Gerards' relatives. But they lost their land and their family reputation as assassins ended up lasting longer than the reward they received for the murder.

20,000 medals were minted in tombac, 20,000 in silver-plated tombac, and 26 in solid silver.

Price

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