"Murder of the de Witt Brothers" silver Medal 1672 AU58 PCGS, Van Loon-III-87.3 (French ed. 81.3), Saunders/Vanhoudt 1672.43. Plain edge. Unknown medalist. Conjoined busts to right. ILLVSTRISSIMI. FRATRES. IOHAN: ET. CORNEL: DE. WIT // TWEE WITTEN, EENSGEZINT, GEVLOECKT, GEHAET, GEMINT. TEN SPIEGEL VAN DE GROOTEN VERHEVEN EN VERSTOOTEN, IN ALLES LOTGEMEEN, STAEN NAER HUN DOOT BIJEEN GELIJCK ZIJ HIER NAE'T LEVEN ZOO KONSTIG ZIJN GEDREVEN. 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

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