Commemorative medal for the Relief of Leiden
The Commemorative Medal for the Relief of Leiden was awarded between approximately 1585 and 1598 to commemorate the Relief of Leiden in 1574. It was produced by the Mint of the County of Holland; the dies were engraved by Gerard van Bylaer.
General
| Start date | circa 1585 |
|---|---|
| End date | circa 1598 |
| Captions | voorzijde: VT SANHERIB A IERVSALEM 2 REG 19; keerzijde: SIC HISPA A LEYD NOCTV FVG 3 OCTO 1574 |
| Dimensions [width] | 47 mm |
| Material | gold |
| Number |
Background
| Institutional decision | |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Objective | Established to commemorate the Relief of Leiden in 1574. |
| (Historical) context | From 26 May to 3 October 1574, Spanish troops laid siege to the city of Leiden. Famine and the plague soon broke out in the city; thousands of its inhabitants lost their lives. In early August, the dykes along the Meuse and the Hollandse IJssel were breached in several places. It was not until early October that the water was high enough for the relief fleet to reach Leiden. In the 1590s, the States-General, the States of Holland and the University of Leiden commissioned copies of the commemorative medal marking the Relief of Leiden, which they presented as rewards. |
| Producer | Coin of the County of Holland; Gerard van Bylaer |
| Bibliography | |
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Section
| In full | |
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| Share | |
| Additions | none |
