Watch List notes:

European Medals from 1513 to 1788

Netherlands, The Dutch Republic. Plaquettepenning (Silver, 76mm, 99.75 g 12), on the death of Admiral Cornelius Evertsen, (1610- 1666) in the Four Days' Battle, by W. Muller, 1666. HEER EVERTS, MET TRIOMF, OP ‚T BED VAN EER GESNEEFT, ALDUS IN ‚T SILVER DOOR DE KUNST VAN MULLER LEEFT A° 1666 den 11 Junii (=Evertsen, dead in triumph on the field of honor, yet lives in silver through the art of Muller, 14 June 1666) Bare-headed facing bust of Admiral Evertsen with armament at his shoulders; to left and right, two putti crowning him with a wreath and holding a ribbon inscribed CORN.EVERTSEN ADMIRAAL V. ZEEL. Rev. HIER STRYCKT HET BRITISCH GEWELT VOOR NEDERLAND DE VLAGH – SE ZEE HEEFT NOIT GEWAEGHT VAN ZULK EEN SWAEREN SLAGH (=Here the English strike their flag to the Dutch. Never did the sea resound with such a tremendous conflict) Scene of a sea battle with a sinking ship in the foreground. Frederiks 10a/8a. MI I, pp. 523-4, 171. TMNK 00725. Van Loon II, p. 529, vii. Lightly toned and in impressively high relief. With the usual blow-hole on the edge. Some scratches and marks on the edge, otherwise, extremely fine.

This dramatic and very well preserved medal commemorates one of the most prominent members of a family that produced numerous Dutch naval heros. Cornelius was killed on the first day of the Four Days' Battle, one of the longest naval battles in history. He was on the Dutch warship Walcheren and had demanded that the English Captain John Harman surrender his badly damaged ship, the Henry. However, Harman continued to resist, firing a volley of shot that not only killed Evertsen, but enabled the English ship to escape in the confusion.