Medal to commemorate the settlement of Henry III King of France and Poland with the Swiss German mercenary army and in 1588 - an unusual mirrored composition.
Obverse: Bust of Henry of Valois facing right, wearing armor with ornament with orifice and laurel wreath on head, ornament below. Around the head the inscription: HENRICVS-III-D-G-FRANCORVM-ET-POL-REX (Henry III, by God's grace king of France and Poland). On the periphery a pearl border. Reverse: Two scenes depicted in vertical mirror image. The first depicts two hands emerging from the clouds, the left hand spilling flowers and fruit and the right hand spilling money from a pouch from which coins are spilling onto the soldiers gathered below. On the sides the inscription: HÆC - MVLTIS (For the many). Above the hands the sun emerges from the clouds, on the sides the letters L[iberalitas] - R[egia] (Royal Generosity). After turning the medal, the second scene shows : on the left, an army coming out of the castle, led by a dog; in the center, knights with a banner in front of a group of mounted knights; above them, two hands emerge from the clouds in an embrace. At the top appears the sun hidden behind the clouds, on the sides the letters F[ides] - H[enrici] (Henry's good faith). On the sides the inscription: HÆC - CVNCTIS (For all). On the rim a pearl border, diameter: 47 mm, weight: 47.5 grams. Compositionally interesting reverse in an unusual way depicting on the medal two scenes creating the appearance of a mirror reflection.
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