Geuzen medals
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Geuzen medals, Beggars' or Sea Beggars' medals were minted early in the Dutch Revolt and during the first half of the 16th-century Eighty Years' War. During that period, many medals, tokens and jetons with a political message were minted. The earliest Geuzen medals (or tokens) date from the mid-16th century to 1577.
In Dutch, geus (plural geuzen) is a familiar term for the people who revolted in the 16th century against the Spanish king Philip II. The revolt began with the nobility, spreading to the gentry and the common prople. Years later, when war broke out, the title geus (or watergeus) was given to the irregular force of rebels fighting and living in the estuaries of large rivers; the name bosgeus ("forest geus") was given to those living in the woods.
Geus is derived from the French word for beggar, hence the translation of watergeus as "sea beggar". The term "sea beggar" is also used for a land-bound geus.
Background
The Holy Roman Empire was still at war with France when Philip II of Spain succeeded his father, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1555. After peace was made, Philip II appointed his half-sister Margaret of Parma as viceroy of the Low Countries and left for Spain. The real power was invested in the three permanent members of the Council of State: Cardinal Granvelle, Viglius and Berlaymont. Nobility such as William of Orange (or William the Silent, stadtholder [steward] of Holland, Zealand and Utrecht) and Lamoral, Count of Egmont, (stadthouder of Flandres) were members of the council, but were unhappy with their loss of power to Granvelle and because Spanish troops remained in the Low Countries after the peace with France. Following a French example, they instituted a Ligue: a coalition of the high nobility. The Ligue's activity resulted in the departure of Spanish troops in 1564 and, shortly thereafter, Granvelle's retirement.
Members of the lower nobility, who had been impoverished in previous decades (like the common people in the southern parts of the Low Countries) united in the 1565 Compromis; their political program sought relief from the Counter-Reformation. In early April 1566, 400 members of the Compromis united in Brussels. On April 5, led by Hendrick van Brederode and Ludwig of Nassau, they presented a petition to Margaret (who was alarmed by the large gathering). Berlaymont is reputed to have whispered to her, "Ce ne sont que de gueux" ("They're just beggars").
Three days later, during a banquet at the palace of the earl of Culemborg, the pejorative geus was chosen as a badge of honour for their group. They decided to adopt a costume incorporating mendicant symbols, such as beggars' bowls and flagons. This was less an eccentricity of the low nobility than the popular tradition in reversing roles, as at carnival time. A dress code, with beggars' bowls and flagons and a silver (or gilt) token on a ribbon around the neck indicated their independence and dominance; mockery of the church may also have been a factor.
The lower 16th-century Flemish nobility could be described as successful criminals. When Charles V first visited Spain in 1517 and did not land at the pre-selected spot because of stormy weather, disappointed Flemish nobles marauded and murdered innocent people (according to Alonso de Santa Cruz) and officials withheld the news from Charles. In 1572 William de la Marck, Lord of Lumey (also lower Flemish nobility) took Den Briel for William the Silent; nineteen Catholic clerics were brought to him in Den Briel. After they were tortured, they were hanged; William of Orange had requested leniency toward Catholic clergy.
During the 16th century, beggars frequently required permission from a local municipality or lordship. Permission was sometimes granted only if they wore a small tin (or copper) token, the possible origin of the Geuzen medals.
Probable first political medal
Letters between Granvelle (in Madrid) and his secretary, Morillon (in Brussels) indicate that Jacques Jonghelinck – a master medal maker with a workshop in a buildings in the palace complex in Brussels – made a mould for a small medal in the spring of 1566. Jonghelinck cast medals in lead, tin, copper, silver and gold; tin and copper specimens are now lost, and only a few questionable lead specimens exist). On June 15 Morillon sent a lead specimen to Granvelle, saying that more medals were cast in lead then in the other metals; a medal for poor people "affin peult-estre gue les Geutz demeurent en leur qualité" ("perhaps the quality [of the medals] is in line with the standing of the Geuzen").[citation needed]
The medal is described in part I of Gerard van Loon's book, Beschrijving der Nederlandse Historipenningen ... (1713–1731), and has the collectors reference vL.I 85/84.5. It is classified as rare to very rare. The medal is small, only 1 inch (25 mm) (not counting the eyelet). It shows the bust of Philip II, with "1566" on its cut[clarification needed] and the text "EN TOVT FIDELLES AV ROY" ("In everything loyal to the king"); on the reverse side is a beggar's sack, hands and the text, "IVSQVES A PORTER LA BESACE" ("even condemned to a beggar's level"). The medal was worn on the breast with a ribbon around the neck. Morillon notes that Jonghelinck's neighbouring tourneur (a master furniture maker) turned small wooden bowls which women hung from their ears; original specimens are now unknown. Pictures sometimes show the nobility wearing model beggar's bowls and flasks, fastened to the same ribbon. On the reverse side of the medal, some wear is visible due to contact with breast armour.
Of this type of medal, about half the known specimens' eyelets are broken off. This is due to a late-17th and 18th-century fashion in which a medal with an eyelet was considered less attractive in a collector's cabinet. Early in the 17th century, when it became clear that the Dutch would win the Eighty Years' War, there was a growing demand for Geuzen medals. Jonghelinck's medal was copied in silver, slightly larger and sometimes with attached beggar's bowls and flasks.
Early political medal by unknown medallist
Morillon wrote to Granvelle on July 7, 1566, that he got angry at Jonghelinck "because he had broken his first Geuzen medal" (Jonghelinck had probably broken his mould), but he thought that Jonghelinck could reproduce his mould (although he made only a small profit on his first version). The maker of the cast silver, gilt Geuzen medal with collectors reference vL.I 85/84.4 and the qualification "very rare" is unknown.
The text is nearly identical to the Jonghelinck medal, with the addition of "1566" and hollow points between the words. The medal is slightly larger than the first one. The reverse has no beggar's bag, but two nobles shaking hands. The left figure has a beggar's bowl and flask on his hip. Between the nobles' feet is a monogram, probably "VLG" ("Vive le Geux", or a reference to the medal-maker). The medal may have been shaped by Jonghelinck or a medal-maker; its style and production method are similar, but the medal date may not be 1566. The other noble does not yet wear a Geuzen medal on a ribbon, found on a 1572 medal. The Beeldenstorm began on August 16, 1566, in Steenvoorde, and this medal probably dates from the summer of 1566 (after July 7 and before the end of August).
A gold Geuzen medal reportedly belonged to Philip de Montmorency, Count of Horne, who was executed by the Duke of Alba in 1568. Nearly identical to Jonghelinck's medal, it has points inserted between the words of the text.
A Geuzen medal for the Protestants from medal maker “little lobster”
The Half Moon Geuzen Medal (circa 1570)[1] is also called the “half moon of Boisot” because the Watergeuzen or Sea Beggars, commanded by Boisot, wore this medal fixed to their hats at the relief of Leiden in 1574.[1] The 'little lobster' emblem between "...PIT" and "DEL...", is the privy mark or 'huismerk' of the medal maker.
The text reads "LIVER TVRCX DAN PAVS" ('Rather Turkish than Papist') and "EN DESPIT DE LA MES" ('In spite of the Mass'). Wearing half moons was already in practice in and around Antwerp by attendants of “hagepreken”, open-air sermons, by Herman Modet. Modet popularized the slogan “Liever Turks dan paaps” (“Rather Turkish than Papist”). The phrases are meant to express a solidarity with the Turks who were also fighting the Habsburgs at that time, as well as opposition to the Catholic pope.[1]
These medals were also worn by the Sea Beggars at the capture of Den Briel in 1572. Some time later Modet became parson with the Watergeuzen and reintroduced wearing half moons, where in other places they had gone out of fashion.
In the Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden this medal is shown in a display on city history. There is a little silver ring attached to the eyelet, indicating that it was probably worn on a silver chain at some time. The Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam also possesses a "half moon". It is dated to 1574, cast in silver and roughly tooled.
A token on the "tiende penning", the 10 percent sales tax, 1572
The Duke of Alba, in his effort to strengthen the power of king Phillips II in the Low Countries, wanted to get rid of the “bede” - the regular plea for money - to the “Staten”. This could only be done by introducing taxation. So in 1569 he wanted to introduce a one time tax of 1% on property and a few years later a regular tax of 5% on property sales (this type of tax with the same level is still in use in the Netherlands). At the same time Alba wanted a regular sales tax of 10%, i.e. one in ten, as a sort of VAT. The last one was called the “tiende penning” and was met with furious opposition, so Alba accepted a deferral of two years for a hefty sum of money. William of Orange, one of the opponents, was seen as a hero and an unknown medal maker cast a silver token as illustrated. This token is discussed because it bears relation to the next Geuzen medal.
The relatively unimpressive small token, diameter 28 millimetres (1.1 in), shows William of Orange in harness with sword and battle hammer. The text reads "P.V.O" or "Prince of Orange" and "DAT EDEL BLOET", literally 'that noble blood'. On the reverse 9 'penningen' are shown on a coat of arms, text "HEFT ONS VOER DEN 10 PENNINCK BEHOT" or "has guarded us against the 10th penning". This silver, cast, token has collectors reference vL.I 157/155.1 and the qualification "very rare". More frequently this token is found with a greater diameter and not cast but struck. This is because this token was already rare by the 17th century; by growing demand from collectors the token was 'reissued', struck because casting was already more or less obsolete. And as a tribute to the founder of the republic and the deferral of the 'tiende penning' it had to look more impressive. Sometimes collectors are prepared to pay a better price for the “reissued” token then for the original.
A political Geuzen medal, 1572, as token
This section may be confusing or unclear to readers. (December 2017) |
1572 is an extraordinary year in Dutch history, the taxation on the "tiende penning" is prohibited, and the Sea Beggars take the city of Den Briel for the Prince of Orange. Vlissingen, Veere and Enkhuizen take the side of the Prince. Reason to celebrate these facts and issue forth a medal. One could not foresee the chances in the war turning very bad later that year (Mechelen castigated, Naarden massacred and Haarlem besieged). The medal is struck on a cast silver plate, originally without an eyelet, collectors reference vL.I 148/145 and qualification “extremely rare” (a comparable medal, silver, gilt, with an eyelet and a small ring, equal collectors reference and qualification was on auction at Laurens Schulman b.v. in April 2002).
On the medal, 38.5 millimetres (1.52 in) high, is presented a sword with a 'penning' on top between two ears, left a spectacle and flute, right 9 'penningen'. The text reads "EN TOVT FIDELLES AV ROY 1572". The medal partly struck weakly, the date is difficult to read. Reverse shows two nobles, one with beggars bowl and flask and the other with an oversized Geuzen medal. The text reads “IVSQVES A PORTER LA BESASE”. Because of the two texts this medal belongs to the category of Geuzen medals (it was also “reissued” in the 17th century, but struck on rolled silver plate). The symbolism "ears" refers to Alba, who should listen and spectacles is associated with the seize of Den Briel, the last may sound in Dutch as 'bril', i.e. 'spectacles'. Although fighting was already fierce, it still lasted 9 years before Philip II in 1581 was no longer acknowledged as sovereign by the 'PLACCAERT VAN VERLATINGHE'. The 9 plus one 'penningen' relate to the prohibited taxation of the “tiende penning”. The purpose of both medals or tokens, dated 1572, is not clear; were they issued just to commemorate or was their aim also or more to be a token you presented to important friends to show that you belonged to the elite that supported the Geuzen or William of Orange. In view of the difficult economic situation, where there was little room for luxury, the use as token is most likely.
The "eternal edict" of 1577
After the “Pacification of Gent" Don Juan, or John of Austria, came to an agreement with the "Staten-Generaal" and accepted the "Pacification". Jacques Jonghelinck, most likely the master medal maker of the first Geuzen medal - where he did not make much profit, according to Morillon - at that moment master of the mint of Antwerp (1572 to 1606), sees profit in the enthusiasm of the elite and produces a silver memorial medal to be cast in great numbers. The reference code is vL.I 243/230 and there is no qualification of rarity.
Almost all medals are found as shown with a border of "vuurslagen" (flint strikers) and an eyelet, or a spot where the eyelet is broken off. The purpose was to show the medal as adornment. Jonghelinck tried to maximise his profit by minimising on silver in the casting process, many medals showing small holes due to very thin casting. The production in great numbers and the size of the medal demonstrate that now the economy had started to boost.
Geuzen medals with attachments as beggars' bowls and flasks
About 1600 it became clear[to whom?] that the northern part of the Low Countries was going to win the war against Spain. As expected, the number of Geuzen medals multiplied. Since prosperity had also increased, Geuzen medals were very much in demand. The very few issues of 1566 to 1572 are manifold copied by striking or engraving on rolled silver plate and not by casting. Also new types were developed and struck. Early in the 17th century it became fashionable to attach small beggars' bowls and flasks to the medal. About 1700 Jonghelincks' Geuzen medal became the most frequently struck, but now with one beggars' bowl and two flasks attached. That is also the kind of execution of today's Geuzen medal as an award for exceptional merits.
Notes
References
- For historical facts a publication by G. van der Meer in "de beeldenaer" of May/June 1980, 4th year nr 3, has been gratefully used and idem a publication by K. F. Kerrebijn in ibidem of July/August 2001, 25th year nr 4, both in Dutch.
- The picture of the Geuzen medal, silver 19th and 20th century, kindly is provided by Laurens Schulman b.v.