How Far Back Can We Go? Seventh Edition! Ended At 1380 Waiting On 1379

...Impressive, 1c5 ... nice coins & corollary ...

1593

On the southern front of the Spanish Netherlands, France was in continuous state of war, the cause being religious freedom, with the catholic league (supported by Spain) on the one side and the hugenots (supported by the Dutch republic) on the other side. Under Spanish military pressure, king Henry IV decided in 1593 to convert to catholic faith, as is memorized in this rare jeton from Zeeland (united provinces)



Dugn.3328 Middelburg 'conversion Henry IV to catholic faith'
OBV coat of arms Zeeland LVCTOR x ET x EMERGO 15 tower 93
REV Man tries to hold equilibrium on sphere, on the background the islands of Zeeland QVI x STAT x VIDEAT x NE x CADAT x tower x

the image on the REV is somewhat similar to Dugn. 3348 of yesterday

In Utrecht in the United Provinces, religious tensions subsided somewhat, as mentioned in this jeton:



Dugn.3326 Utrecht 'Unification of churches in Utrecht'
OBV Dutch cities on river Rhine (the 'old Rhine') BELGIA 15coa93 LEX REGIT ARMA TVENTVR
REV Coat of arms Utrecht CALC RAT ORDINVM TRAIECT

finally, on the Northern front of the Spanish Netherlands, the siege of the important fortified town of Geertruidenberg on the river Maas in the spring of 1593, ended with a victory of Francis Vere/Maurits of Orange of the Anglo-Dutch coalition.

In Dugn.3324 the siege is compared to the capture of Mount Aornos by Alexander the Great; Dugn.3325 shows a more realistic map of the site. Nice detail on the OBV of both jetons is the semicircle of chained vessels on the river Maas, with the purpose to close the city from outside help. Another detail is the farmer on the fields between both armies, plowing business as usual.



Dugn.3324 Dordrecht 'Siege of Geertruidenberg'
OBV: Geertruidenberg on a rock, showing Anglo-Dutch forces on land (bottom) and on the river (left) NEGATA TENTAT ITER VIA CIC IC XCIIIMONS GERTRVDIS
REV: Army of Alexander, on the right soldiers climb the rock of fortress Aornos VIRTVS REPVLSAE NESCIAMONS AORNOS



Dugn.3325 Dordrecht 'Siege of Geertruidenberg'
OBV: Map of the siege, showing Anglo-Dutch forces on land (bottom) and on the river (left)
REV: GERTRVDIS BERGA AB HISP VINDICANT ORD CONFOED DVCE PRIN NASS IN CONSP EXERC HOST CIC IC XCIII


MONS GERTRVDIS = "mount"geertrudis (geertuiden"berg") is a peculiar name for the place, as it is as flat as the Netherlands can be.

interesting read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege...nberg_(1593)

I am truly impressed by your collection of jetons, 1c5d7n5m!


I am trying to figure out the connection between Henry IV and the reverse (assuming there is one). Qui stat videat ne cadat - "he who stands should watch out not to fall", or something like that. Is that Henry standing there? Trying not to fall, as he carefully balances between Catholicism and Protestantism (or maybe unreliably wobbles, in the eyes of the Dutch)? Is it a Biblical reference to 1 Corinthians 10 (where the Latin statement above is verse 12), which speaks of the dire consequences for those who test the patience of Christ (by converting to the "false" doctrine)?

thanks erafjel, for your insightful comment




yes, I think this is the interpretation: the person stands for Henri

the second half of the 16th century was full of religious troubles, not only in the Netherlands, but also in France and Henry IV was trying (like William of Orange before him) to find a balance in the battle between Calvinism and the Catholic church

the Dutch knew of course in 1593 the fate of William (he was assassinated nine years ago in his home in Delft) ; the jetonmaker perhaps feared but could not know what would happen to Henri IV in 1610

1592

The "ten years of Maurice of Orange" led to substantial gain of territory of the United Provinces, especially on the southern border, in the region of the big rivers. The Spanish Netherlands therefore started a diplomatic effort to stop the war. This was refused by the United Provinces as we see in the jetons of today and tomorrow.



Dugniolle 3301 Zeeland, mint of Middelburg 'Rejection of peace negociations'.
OBV Spanish soldier offers Dutch soldier a piece branch, but the latter points at a snake hidden between the green at his feet LATET ANGVIS IN HERBA (snake hidden in the herbs)
REV coat of arms Zeeland (with outspoken doublestrike) the usual legend of Zeeland (luctor et emergo) is replaced by NE TEMERE (don't be reckless)

the rare jeton below was minted on behalf of Philippe de Croy, duke of Aarschot, count of Arenberg, chief adviser of Philippe II (and before of Philippe's father Charles II). He was the leader of nobility in the Spanish Netherlands. Today, his former castle Arenberg, just south of Leuven, is now part of the University of Leuven.



Dugniolle 3313 'Philippe de Croy, count of Solre'
OBV: Crowend coat of arms of Croy & Renty in the center Lamarque P DE CROY C DE SOLRE
REV: ship sails between the rocks with favorable winds BONA VICINA MALIS (good neighbor of bad) 1592

what is meant with this legend?: that evil is around the corner? that there is hope in bad times?

and here is a Schilling minted at Malbork:

1591

Today another jeton illustrating the rejection by the Northern Provinces of peace proposal made by the Spanish Netherlands. The obverse shows a female figure in the "walled garden of Holland", the wall being the natural front made by rivers guarded by fortresses reconquered by the Anglo-Dutch forces. This defence could be enhanced by inundation, something that would later be called the Hollandse Waterlinie. The female represents liberty for Holland a female allegoric figure that shows on all Guilders and derivatives in the 17th ad 18th century. Comparable to Miss Liberty in the US and Marianne for the French Republic.



Dugniolle 3288 Dordrecht 'peace talks rejected by the States General'
OBV: "Miss Liberty" talked into sleep, receiving olive branch while in the background a hostile army is marching to the fenced garden, the scouts are already trying to enter PAX PATET INSIDIIS
REV: the fenced garden is defended by soldiers from the republic and shoot at the the attackers TVTA SLAVS BELLO

It seems likely that the Spanish Netherlands wanted peace with the United Provinces for another reason than the row of successes of Maurice. Because of the danger of protestanticm in France, Philip II declared war to France and send Alexander Farnese to French Flanders.



Dugniolle 3289 R Antwerp 'War with Henri IV'
VZ portrait of Philippe II DOMINVS MIHI ADIVTOR
KZ labyrinth with a tree in the middle FATA VIAM INVENIENT 1591
the latter image is so enigmatic that I started digging again, finding another example of an old embleme book from which the design was copied for a jeton, I'll post more about this example in another thead "Images that inspired the mint master" FATA VIAM INVENIENT fate will find a way (to a good end if you persevere) is an often used adagio from the classic literature

Finally a rare jeton from the Spanish Netherlands showing on the obverse the religious mission of Philip II which explain all the wars he waged during his long reign



Dugn.3284 R 'Chamber of finances Brabant'.
OBV: Hand supports an orb with cross CVNCTA IN DITIONE DEI POSITA (all are placed in the domain of God) 1591.
REV: crowned coat of arms Habsburg with golden fleece G POVR LA CHAM DES COMP EN BRA