Beschreibung

Charles I. 1625-1649. Silver Medal 1639, 89.36 g. Spanish fleet destroyed by the Dutch in Dover. By J. Loof. Two large fleets in battle; in foreground, a crew escapes from sinking ship. Rv. Inscription in fourteen lines: Æternitati S. Ob Hisp . classe . navib . 67 spectatis belli ducib ' . naucl . milit . 25m oniq ' apparatu instructiss . illustr . Pr . Hen . Fred . ausp . a Martino Trompio Hollandiæ maris p.fect . 16 Sept. 1639 navib . tantu . 17 aggressam , & seq . die circ . noct . iterum oppugnata , alteroq ' die 11 navib . auctô , dissipatam , ac sub Angl . littor . castella cedere coacta , ibiq ' per mense obsessam , tandemq ' à Reg . decedere iussa 21 Octb . magnâ virt . deleta Ordd . Fœd , Belg . F. F. Plain edge. 63.4 mm. Eimer 135. MI i 284/95. van Loon II, 245,1. Saunders/Vanhoudt 1639-4. Selten / Rare. Fast vorzüglich / About Extremely Fine. Randschläge / Edge nicks.

The Battle of the Downs took place on 21 October 1639, during the Eighty Years' War. A Spanish fleet, commanded by Admiral Antonio de Oquendo, was decisively defeated by a Dutch force under Lieutenant-Admiral Maarten Tromp. Tromp's victory ended Spanish efforts to re-assert naval control over the English Channel and confirmed Dutch dominance of the sea lanes, while it is also alleged to be the first major action to feature line of battle tactics.

This medal was struck at Middleburg in Holland.