FRANCE.
Wars of Religion. Siege of Cambrai. 20 Patards 1595 Weight 12.5g
irregular octagonal uniface with crowned arms of France in the center flanked by date (9-5) Legend: HENRICO PROTECTORE; Central seal flanked by individual "XX" and "P" hallmarks with Montluc's arms below.
When the French occupied Cambrai in 1595, the bishop whose loyalty lay with the Spanish king abandoned the city. When he left, he took money, war supplies and a small armed force. When advancing Spanish forces discovered that the bishop had fled, they surrounded the city. Preparing for the attack, the city's governor, Jean de Montluc, and his wife began strengthening the fortifications, allowing the beleaguered city to repel invading forces on several occasions. As the siege progressed, tension within the city towards the French increased. The inhabitants distrusted the French occupiers and were quite agitated by the degraded currency that the governor issued to pay the troops; the intention of being able to redeem them for full value after the siege. Eventually, the inhabitants led a revolt and opened the city gates to welcome the Spanish, resulting in the French surrender on October 7, 1595.