Philips van Marnix

Philips van Marnix, Lord of Saint-Aldegonde, Lord of West-Souburg (1540-1598), Flemish statesman, cast Dutch silver medal, 1580, unsigned, cast and chased, armoured bust right, wearing ruff collar, PH DE MARNIX S DVMONT S ALDEGONDE, rev., Venus, her car drawn by swans, offers crown to warrior on rearing horse, EX VIRTV TE HONOR, 37mm (MI 131/84; vL I, 280; Smolderen p. 267, pl. LXVII, fig 8). A handsome medal, extremely fine and extremely rare.

Philips van Marnix was a Commissioner of the United Provinces who offered their Protectorship to the Duke of Anjou in the then generally accepted belief that Elizabeth I would marry him. The medal's reverse depicts the Queen as Venus offering Sovereign power to the Duke. The design, however, is copied from Jonghelinck's medal for the marriage of Alessandro Farnese in 1565 (Smolderen 43) van Marnix is also remembered as the probable author of the text of the Wilhelmus, the Dutch national anthem. The Falkiner Index does not record any specimens sold at auction within the UK.

Provenance: Künker Auction, 11 March, 2008 (lot 5747).