Watch List notes:

European Medals from 1513 to 1788

Holy Roman Empire. Maria Theresia, 1740-1780. Medal (Silver, 49mm, 42.61 g 12), on the crossing of the Rhine by the army of Prince Karl Alexander von Lothringen and Bar, Imperial Fieldmarshal, and the capture of Weissenburg, Hagenau and Lauterburg, by M. Holtzhey in Harderwijk, 1744. CAR.HENR.DVX LOTH. S.R.MAI.H.ET.B. DVX BELL Cuirassed bust of Prince Karl to right; below, M.HOLTZHEY.FEC. Rev. INVIA VIRTVTI NVLLA EST VIA. (=there is no way but the way of virtue) Minerva flying left, over the figure of the Rhine lying to left, brandishing, in her right hand, thunderbolts at the fleeing French forces; in exergue, TRAIICIT IRATO SPVMANTEM / VORTICE RHENVM. / MDCCXLIIII / IVLII II. (=he crossed the angry whirlpools of the foamy Rhine. 2 July 1744). Engel/Lehr 44. Horsky 2874. Montenuovo 1744. Nicely toned and lustrous. A few very minor marks, otherwise, good extremely fine.

Ex Gorny & Mosch 213, 7 March 2013, 4221 and UBS 69, 23 January 2007, 3140.
Karl Alexander (Charles-Alexandre Emanuel) (1712-1780) was a brother-in-law of Maria Theresia (he was Francis I's younger brother) and was both a Fieldmarshal of the Empire (albeit a generally unsuccessful one, being regularly beaten by Frederick II of Prussia) and governor of the Austrian Netherlands (1744-1780). This medal commemorates some short-lived victories against the French.