Description
Charles I (1625-1649), Marriage of Princess Mary to William of Orange 1641, AR medal 1641 (72mm)
by Johann Blum. The Princess clasping hands with the elegantly dressed Prince, each crowned
with a wreath by a cloud-borne cherub, above them a dove in a radiant sun and in the distance a
palace, ALBIONUM GENUIT REX ME SUMMUSQUE MONARCHA CAROLUS …, with LONDINI
DESPONSATI WILHELM’ ET MARIA, ANO 1641, 12 MAJ in exergue, rev. William as Pallas, trampling
on Bellonia, accepts from Mary, accompanied by the genius of Holland and the character of Plenty, an
olive branch, amidst the emblems of war and tranquillity, legend in script, BELLONAM PRINCEPS
PALLAS PEDIBUS TERIT ET PAX FLORET…, with NOUI IMPERII AUSPICIO BONO, the happy presage
of a new empire in exergue. (MI 287/100; E 137; vL 251).
A superbly sharp striking, choice and good Extremely
Fine with rich blue-pink iridescence toning. Rare.
Princess Mary was the eldest daughter of Charles I and the first first-daughter of a British Sovereign to hold the title Princess Royal. Her marriage, at the age of 10, took place 2 May 1641 at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall, though was not consummated for several years after her going to Holland in 1642. William succeeded his father as stadholder in March 1647, but he died of smallpox in November 1650, just a few days before the couple’s only child, William (III), was born. Princess Mary returned to England after the Restoration, but died, also of smallpox, and is buried in Westminster Abbey.
