medal
- Museum number
- M.8105
- Description
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Pewter medal. (whole)
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View of Ghent and the trenches of the besieging army. (obverse)
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The Governor of Ghent, and the French commanders, humbly present a glove to the Duke of Marlborough on horseback; in the distance the French garrison, departing. (reverse)
- Production date
- 1708
- Dimensions
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Diameter: 42.000 millimetres
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- Curator's comments
- Medallic Illustrations 2, published in 1885, states:
Extremely rare.
This medal intimates that the Duke of Marlborough had obtained Ghent by his authority and power, whilst the French had obtained it by trickery. The legend on the reverse refers to the revolt of the citizens of Ghent in 1539 against Charles V of Spain, when they begged the assistance of France. The puns in the legend are remarkable and almost untranslatable. The French name of the town and of a glove give scope to the medallist and to the herald. The edge also is embellished with a pun, as the one wise head of Marlborough is considered superior to the many hands of Ghent, or to the occupiers of a glove. On the 18/29 December, Count de la Mothe, the Governor of Ghent, sent word to Marlborough desiring that some officers of the garrison might have leave to attend him in order to arrange the terms for the surrender of the city. Marlborough returned a blank passport, and on the next day the capitulation was signed. The garrison marched out with the usual marks of honour, and was conducted to Tournay.
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, vii.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], V. 127; Thesaurus Numismatum Modernorum hujus Seculi, &c., Norinbergiæ, 853; Lochner, Johann Hieronymus, ‘Samlung merkwürdiger Medaillen’, 8 vol., Nürnberg, 1737-1744, IV. 65.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated events
- Commemoration of: Ghent retaken, 1708
- Department
- Money and Medals
- Registration number
- M.8105
- C&M catalogue number
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MB2 (Medallic Illustrations 2) (348) (183)