Description

William III. and Mary II. 1689-1694. Silver Medal n. d. (1691), 42.67 g. Liege relieved. Unsigned. William III, as Roman Emperor, holds a standard resting on a globe; his other hand drawn a sword; at his feet a trophy with the shields of England, Scotland and Ireland; terrified Harpies flying away. HISARMIS . TRIA REGNA . PRAT. In exergue: GUILELMUS . III LIBERATOR . FLORENS. Rv. Column of Liege; Bombardment of the city in background. NONIRRITA . FULMINA . CURAT. In exergue: LEOD . A . GU . III . AB INCENDIAR . LIB. Plain edge. 53.1 mm. Eimer -. MI ii 26/197. van Loon IV, 67. Saunders/Vanhoudt 1691-56. Fast FDC / About Mint State. Prachtvolle Erhaltung mit herrlicher Patina / Beautiful condition with magnificent patina. Kleiner Schrötlingsfehler am Rand / Small flan flaw on edge.

In the greater frame of the Nine Years' War, which was a European great power conflict from 1688 to 1697 between France and the Grand Alliance (consisting of Habsburg Spain and Habsburg Holy Roman Empire, Williamite England and Scotland and the Savoyard State), the then neutral city of Liege was bombarded by the French in the aftermath of the siege of Mons.

The French army, under the command of Marshal Boufflers, was drawn up to invest Liege, which he expected to obtain, without trouble, by bribery. When the governor had discovered and defeated the plans of the conspirators, and the approach of the allied army rendered success hopeless, Boufflers bombarded the dwellings of a city, the fortifications of which he could not penetrate.