- Museum number
- 1881,0704.13
- Description
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Cast bronze medal with integral loop for suspension. (whole)
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Bust of Henri Maleyssic, right, wearing armour, a sash and a lace collar. (obverse)
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The gates of Pignerol, in the form of a triumphal arch, from between the doors of which peers a dog. There is a view of the fortress in the exergue. (reverse)
- Production date
- 1635
- Dimensions
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Thickness: 2.10 - 11 millimetres
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Diameter: 108.500 millimetres
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Weight: 285.70 grammes
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
- Jones 2
Composition of medal:
91.8% Cu, <0.2% Zn, 6.9% Sn, 1.2% Pb, trace of Sb.
A battered, but original, example.
Henri de Tardieu, Marquis de Maleyssic (Malissy, Maleissie) became a lieutenant in the Regiment of Guards in October 1617. He was promoted captain at the siege of La Rochelle in November 1627 and took part in the siege of Pignerol (Pinerolo) and the conquest of Savoy in 1630. After service in Lorraine he was appointed governor of Pignerol, in succession to the Sieur de Toulongeon, on 30 September 1633 (see 1). He raised a regiment of infantry to guard Pignerol in 1640 and remained there (from 1643 as Governor and Lieutenant-General) until his retirement in January 1651 (see 2).
Richelieu personally commanded the army that captured Pignerol in 1630 and the high value that he placed on it can be seen from his correspondence. In October 1631 he wrote to the Maréchal de Toiras (see registration. no. M.0635) asking him to fortify the place with all possible speed. In May 1632 Pignerol was formally ceded to France, but Richelieu's anxiety only increased. In August 1632 he wrote 'Prenez garde, au nom de Dieu, à Pignerol' and on 23 March 1635 he wrote to Servien:
'Il faut aussy partir M de Créquy et M le Marquis de Villeroy, que M Servien advertira de prendre garde à la porte de Pignerol, du costé de France, qui est entre la porte qui est jointe au bastion de Richelieu, et la tenaille de la citadelle. Ceste porte est si mal faite, qu'il ne faudroit qu'un coup de pétard pour surprendre la ville par la'.
Two days later he wrote:
'On n'a jamais creu que les surprises fussent à craindre à Pignerol par les portes de France et de Thurin. Cepandant, ce qu'on a résolu d'y faire est très à propos et en met tout à fait hors de crainte; mais l'apprehention et les advis que j'ay eus concernoit seulement la porte de la Combe, le Sr d'Argencourt (see registration no. 1986,1004.2), qui vient de sortir d'icy, avoue que cette porte est sy dangereuse qu'il la faut murer et bien terrasser derrière'.
From this it seems that by March 1635 plans had been made to rebuild the gates of France and Turin. The view of Pignerol in the exergue of the medal shows the French gate with the town behind it and the citadel to the left (information from a plan of the town by Tassin, provided by the Biblioteca Communale 'Allauoi' in Pinerolo) so it seems probable that Dupré's reverse represents the model for a planned rebuilding of the French gate.
Dupré had been in Pignerol in 1633 but was in Paris early in 1635 (the Duke of Savoy wrote to his ambassador there asking him to go and see Dupré in February 1635). The medal would seem to indicate that he visited Pignerol again later in the year.
Other examples:
(a) Cabinet des Médailles, Bibliothèque Nationale, 58 rue de Richelieu, 75084 Paris, France (BN, Paris), Sér. Icon. Fr. 507, cast bronze, 107 mm (104 excluding rim). A fine example.
(b) BN, Paris, Armand-Valton 2101, cast bronze, loop above, 106 mm (102.5 mm excluding rim). Obverse only.
(c) Musée des Beaux-Arts, Palais Saint-Pierre, Lyon, France, cast bronze, 197 mm Reverse only.
(d) Musée du Louvre, Paris 1e, France, OA3339, cast bronze, with loop, 107 mm (102.5 mm excluding rim). Acquired 1893.
(e) Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7, 5918-1859, bronze.
Bibliography:
1. Gazette de France 8 October 1633 'Le Sr Maleissy, capitaine au régiment des Gardes est nommé au governement de Pignerol'.
2. Pinard Chronologie Historique-Militaire VI, Paris 1763 pp. 133-4.
3. T.N. Méd. Fr. II pl. 15, no. 4.
4. Mazerolle II, no. 707.
5. G. Migeon Catalogue des bronzes no. 601.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1881
- Department
- Coins and Medals
- Registration number
- 1881,0704.13
- C&M catalogue number
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MF2 (Jones 2) (107) (69)
