Description

Anne, 1702-1714. Silver Medal 1708, 30.07 g. Battle of Oudenarde. Unsigned, by P. H. Müller. Castor and Pollux, on horseback, charging. SALVTARIVM SIDERVM APPARITIO. In exergue: EVGENII ET MARLEBORVGII FELIX CONIVNCTIO. Rv. View of Oudenarde with the battle before the walls. VANDOM . IN FLANDR . SICVT IN ITAL . EVNDEM FVGIT ET VT FVGIENDVS DOCET. In exergue: MVLT . MILL . GALLORVM CLADES AD ALDENAR . MDCCIIX . D . XI . IVL. Edge: NIL DESPERANDVM TEVCRO DVCE ET AVSPICE TEVCRO . HOR. 43.1 mm. Eimer -. MI ii 324/150. Forster 748. van Loon V, 106,2. Saunders/Vanhoudt 1708-21. Fast FDC / About Mint State. Prachtvolle Erhaltung mit herrlicher Patina / Beautiful condition with magnificent patina.

The Battle of Oudenarde was a major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession, pitting an Anglo-Dutch force against a French force. The French, at the commencement of the campaign, had surprised some of the towns of Flanders, notably Ghent and Bruges, and obtained possession of them. They then determined to attack Oudenarde, a place of the utmost importance to them as well as to the Allies. By almost incredible exertions, celerity, and skill, Marlborough out-manoeuvred the enemy, compelled them to engage, and signally defeated them.

Their loss amounted to 3,000 killed, 2,000 deserters, and 7,000 prisoners, besides the wounded who were left upon the field of battle. Eugene joined the Duke a day or two before the battle, and commanded the British right. The French were commanded by the Duke of Burgundy and the Duke of Vendome.

On the obverse Eugene and Marlborough are aptly typified by Castor and Pollux, who alike ran a career of glory, each rejoicing in the other's fame, mutually sharing and contributing to each other's honour, and maintaining an uninterrupted friendship. Marlborough had long expected Eugene to join him with strong reinforcements, but as German councils delayed the advance of the troops, Eugene hurried away alone and arrived at head-quarters only a day or two before the battle. The legend on the reverse is a foolish vaunt. At the battle of Cassano, Eugene and Vendome met, but there was no flight or even retreat, and both parties sang their Te Deum. It was only after Vendome was called away to the Low Countries that the career of Eugene in Italy was marked with any great success and at Oudenarde it was to Vendome alone that the merit was due of having saved a single battalion from destruction or capture.