- Museum number
- BNK,EngM.115
- Description
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Silver medal. (whole)
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William III of Orange, armed and habited as a Roman Emperor, tramples upon the serpent of Discord, and joins hands, over a blazing altar, with Britannia, who wears a triple crown; behind her the armorial shield of Britain, with Scotland in the first quarter, is suspended to an orange-tree, entwined with roses and thistles. In the distance are seen James II, and Father Petre, flying, the latter carrying Prince James (the Elder Pretender), who is playing with a windmill. A rising sun typifies the hopeful state of England. (obverse)
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Boats landing troops near a fortified harbour; fleet in the distance. (reverse)
- Production date
- 1688
- Dimensions
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Diameter: 49.000 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
- Medallic Illustrations 1, published in 1885, states:
Rare.
This medal commemorates the landing of William of Orange, asserting that his expedition was undertaken for the liberties of England against the Prince of Wales, according to Van Loon, but more probably against the Pope, who was popularly looked upon as Antichrist, called by St. Paul the Son of Perdition. The object of the invitation to William was to defend England from James's attempt to establish Popery, and its attendant, arbitrary power. James was believed to have acted by the advice of Father Petre, his confessor; and the young Prince was reported to be the son of a miller, and he is, therefore, represented with a small mill as a toy.
See Rapin de Thoyras, Paul, ‘The Metallick History of the Reigns of William III and Queen Mary, Queen Anne, and King George I. [N. Tindal’s edition.], London, 1747, i. 6; Van Loon, Gerard, ‘Histoire Métallique des XVII. Provinces des Pays-Bas’, 5 vol. La Haye, 1732-1837 (fol) [There is also an edition in Dutch, but with different paging], III. 355; Lochner, Johann Hieronymus, ‘Samlung merkwürdiger Medaillen’, 8 vol., Nürnberg, 1737-1744, III. 121.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated events
- Commemoration of: Landing of William III at Torbay
- Acquisition date
- 1877
- Acquisition notes
- The Bank of England loaned their Collection to the British Museum in 1865 wishing to make it accessible to the general public. This remained as a separate Collection until 1877 when the Bank Directors decided it would be more useful to the museum and the public if incorporated into the national collection. The Bank of England collection was therefore presented to the British Museum in 1877, any duplicates being sold to create a coins and medals purchase fund.
- Department
- Money and Medals
- Registration number
- BNK,EngM.115
- C&M catalogue number
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MB1 (Medallic Illustrations 1) (639) (65)