Description

Anne, 1702-1714. Silver Medal 1713, 52.54 g. Peace of Utrecht. Unsigned, by D. Drappentier. Peace locks the door to the Temple of Janus, inscribed ANNO MDCCXIII, on the steps are War and Discord manacled; beyond, Mercury stands beside a bountiful cornucopia and displays a ribbon inscribed EUROPÆ PAX REDDITA. In exergue: TRAIECTUM. Rv. Europa seated on a sea-shore displays an olive-branch to ships sailing peacefully. In exergue: EUROPA. Plain edge. 48.4 mm. Eimer 459. MI ii 402/262. van Loon V, 227,2. Saunders/Vanhoudt 1713-5. Gutes vorzüglich / About Uncirculated. Feine Patina / Nicely toned.

The Peace of Utrecht, concluded in 1713, was a series of treaties that ended the War of the Spanish Succession (1701 - 1714), one of the most significant conflicts in early 18th-century Europe. The peace negotiations involved multiple European powers and reshaped the political and territorial landscape of the continent. The treaties are named after the Dutch city of Utrecht, where many of the negotiations took place. Great Britain gained significant territories, including Gibraltar and Minorca from Spain, securing strategic naval bases in the Mediterranean. Furthermore, France ceded Newfoundland, Acadia (modern-day Nova Scotia), and Hudson Bay to Britain, strengthening British colonial power in North America.

The Protestant succession in Britain was secured, with the recognition of Queen Anne and the future Hanoverian succession (George I). Also, Louis XIV recognized the Hanoverian succession in Britain, abandoning support for the Jacobite claim of James Francis Edward Stuart. Britain secured the Asiento de Negros, a monopoly on the supply of African slaves to Spanish colonies, which became a lucrative source of income. The treaties marked the beginning of Britain's rise as a global superpower, with significant territorial gains and commercial advantages.

This medal was originally executed by D. Drappentier to commemorate the Peace of Ryswick, but altered to suit the present occasion. The date upon the door is changed, and in the exergue for the artist's name is substituted the name of Utrecht, tkaiectum. The reverse, which is an emblematical representation of Europe, remained unaltered.