"Murder of the de Witt Brothers" hollow cast silver Medal ND (1672) AU, Van Loon-III-87.1 (French ed. 81.1), Saunders/Vanhoudt 1672.41. By P. Avry (with signature). Engraved edge: ER GEDACHTENIS EN VER JAAR. DIT VEREERT M: WAGENAAR. DEN 25 MAY ANNO 1677. Facing busts. IOHANNES DE WITT. NAT. A. 1625 – CORNELIVS DE WITT. NAT. A. 1623. Scroll below: HIC ARMIS MAXIMVS ILLE TOGA // The corpses of the two brothers shredded to pieces by a monster representing the furious mob of people. NUNC REDEUNTANIMIS INGENTIA CONSULIS ACTA ET FORMIDATI SCEPTRIS ORACLA MINISTRI; in exergue NOBILE PAR FRATERVM SAEVO FVROR ORE TRVCIDAT. XX AVCVSTI. Very interesting contemporary casting of this de Witt medal. Stunning cobalt glint to the reverse highpoints. On August 20, 1672, Johan de Witt, the Grand Pensionary of Holland, and his brother Cornelis were murdered by a mob in The Hague near the Gevangenpoort, where Cornelis had been imprisoned on false charges of treason. Amidst the chaos of the "Rampjaar" (Disaster Year), in which the Dutch Republic faced simultaneous invasions by France, England, and others, the brothers were scapegoated for military failures and the decline of the republic's defense. Their deaths, encouraged by Orangist factions loyal to William of Orange, marked the collapse of the Dutch republican regime and the resurgence of monarchical power. HID09801242017 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice

To the auctioneer's website