T95. Rapin, xviii. 1. Van Loon, IV. 194.
MB. 2R. Athole, At. Hague, iR. Gotha, iR.
Very rare.
The fox is Louis XIV., who endeavours by fire to destroy
Brussels. He burns it, and shows himself violently infuriated,
but he derives no advantage.
380. N amtjr r e t a k e n , t s ^ : 1 6 9 S -
Bust of William III., r., hair long, in armour, with large
gorget. Leg. g v il h : m . b r it . e r . e t . h ib . r e x .
Rev. A city, on the further side of a river, bombarded. Leg.
namv r . Ex. r e c v p e r . 1695. d . i . s e p t . (Namur retaken,
1 Sept. 1695.)
T9. Rapin, xviii. 11. Van Loon, TV. 203.
MB. At. Hague, M . Gotha, At. Very rare.
This medal was probably executed at Gotha by Sorberger.
Namur had been taken by the French in 1692, and the
achievement was commemorated by several medals (See No.
273, &c.). Since that time the defences were strengthened by
every means which the skill and ingenuity of Vauban could
suggest, and it was now garrisoned by 15,000 choice troops.
It was, however, invested by William and the Elector of Bavaria,
and the trenches were opened on the July. The town
capitulated on the and the garrison retired into the castle,
which was compelled to surrender after an unprecedented
resistance, 22 10,000 of the garrison having perished in the
defence. Marshal Bouffleurs commanded the garrison, and the
scientific part of the siege was under the direction of the famous
Dutch engineer, Cohorn.
381. N amur r e t a k e n . 22 g—g 1695.
Bust of William III., r., .laureate, hair rather long, in
armour and mantle. Leg. g u l i e lm u s . i i i . d . g . m . b r it .
FRAN . ET . HIB . REX . F . D. Below, DISHOECKE . F . (Jakob
van Dishoecke fecit.) Same as No. 246.
Rev. Officer on horseback commanding at the bombardment
of Namur. Leg. vi ig n is e t e n s i s . (By force of fire and
sword.) Ex. namurc . r e o e p t . mdcxcv. (Namur retaken,
1695.)
T5. Rapin, xix. 2. Van Loon, IV. 205.
MB. iR. Hague, N . At. Vienna, AT. iR.
Very rare.
Gold was generally supposed to have been one of the means
employed by Louis XIV. to ensure success; this medal asserts
that the Allies owed their success solely to the force of arms.
. 382. N amur r e t a k e n . 22 ^ 1695.
Bust of William III., r., laureate, hair long, in armour with
^straps on the shoulder and mantle with fringe. Leg. gvelh .
I l l . D . G . MAG . BRI . FRAN . ET . HIB . REX. Below, R. A. F .
(R. Arondeaux fecit.)
Rev. Namur, kneeling, presents her keys to William, at
whose feet the urns of the mosa and the sa b is—the Meuse and
the Sambre, unite their streams. In the distance is Namur.
Leg. FLOREM GALLIiE C . M . MILITVM ELVDIT WILHELMI VIRTV9
VRBIS ARCIS OASTRI NAMVR Cl VICTOR . MDCXCV, (The skill of
William deceives one hundred thousand soldiers, the flower of
the French army, and conquers the city, citadel, and castle of
Namur, 1695.)
1*65. Rapin, xviii. 12. Van Loon, IV. 203.
MB. JR. Hague, iR. P. H. Van Gelder, iR.
Very rare.
William, by manoeuvring, had drawn away the French army
from the intended field of his operations, and then suddenly
invested Namur. Villeroy collected an army of 100,000 men,
and declared he would risk a battle to save the city, but he
found William so strongly posted that he hastily retired in the
night, and left the place to its fate. Disappointed with the
attempt, he turned his steps towards Brussels, which he bombarded
for nearly forty-eight hours. (See Nos. 378, 379.)
k 2