Memorial Medal to King Charles I
Category
Coins and medals
Date
Unknown
Materials
Silver
Measurements
63 mm (Height); 59 mm (Diameter)
Place of origin
Netherlands
Order this imageCollection
Osterley Park and House, London
NT 773260
Summary
Silver, memorial medal to King Charles I, Netherlands, 1649. A silver commemorative medal of King Charles I (1600-49), dated 1649 and made after the King’s execution. The obverse with the monarch in profile facing right wearing armour, with medal suspended around his neck. The Latin inscription asks ‘O my people, what have I done unto thee?’ The reverse with head of Medusa within three concentric circles with Latin inscriptions, the outer two circles divided by symbols representing a thunderbolt, flaming sword and arms. Inscriptions state: The Petty Council of England; They blaspheme God, murder the King, despise the law. The backgrounds on both sides stippled. Integral suspension loop at top.
Full description
This medal is one of a group of commemorative medals made shortly after the execution of King Charles I, at Whitehall on 30 January 1649. These medals were made in the Netherlands, where many Royalist supporters had fled and where the future Charles II would spend part of his exile. The emotive inscriptions are intended to generate sympathy for the murdered monarch; the quotation from the Old Testament Book Micah perhaps echoing Christ’s words upon the Cross, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ The head of the gorgon Medusa is symbolic of rebellion and anarchy, whilst the thunderbolt, sword and arms represent the violence perpetrated by the new ruling party in Britain, as seen from the perspective of those who commissioned and owned the medal. Jeremy Warren 2019
Provenance
Given to the National Trust in 1993 by George Child Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey (1910-1998).
Marks and inscriptions
Obverse: Inner legend: CAROLVS/REX Outer legend: POPVLE MEVS QVID FECI TIBI/1649 Reverse: Inner legend: CONCILIABVLVM ANGLIAE Outer legend: BLASFEMANT DEVM/NECANT REGEM/SPERNVNT LEGEM
References
Hawkins, E. (ed.) Franks, A.W. and Grueber, H.A: Medallic Illustrations of the History of Great Britain and Ireland to the death of George II, 2 vols,. London, 1885, I, pp. 349-50, no. 208. Eimer 2010: Christopher Eimer, British Commemorative Medals and their Values, London 2010, pp. 48-9, no. 161, pl. 19. Platt 2013: Jerome J. Platt and Arleen Kay Platt, The English Civil Wars: Medals, Historical Commentary & Personalities, 2 vols., London 2013, vol. I, pp. 254-56.