Orange Details

10/20/2011                                                                                    link back up to main Chapter 262 Coins

way more involved than I thought

I had noticed the "Pense" detail on the garter of William III in the Orange family painting. I guess it derives from "Honni Soit Qui Mal Y Pense", evil be to him who thinks it. During the Crusades garters were placed on the legs of the knights to ensure battle success. The Order of the Garter is a high chivalry honorary society that points right back to St George the dragonslayer one of the first coins in my coin revival.

 This painting of William III at age 4 confirms the reference to the Order of the Garter with the blue sash.

  Another confirmation: Maurice Coat of arms (in later times again) polychromed wood. The arms surrounded by a carved garter belt with the motto of the English Order of the Garter presented to Prince Maurice in1613. The motto "Hony soit qui mal y pense." In the center shield is the arms of Saxony with a horizontal gold beamthat is the weapon of Meurs (Moers Germany once owned by Maurice). In the first and third quarters of the weapon Meurs (probably a on location mistake, instead of a gold bar,gold bars are two on black).

 If you saw one picture of the recent royal wedding , you saw the Order of the Garter sash & star on Prince William given at St. George's (dragonslayer) Chapel in Windsor Castle.

The Prince of Orange is from the House of Orange, and rules over the Dutch Republic which includes a lot of confusing history. 

     The States of France map of 1477 shows Orange way in the south with the Netherlands at the top. The detail map of Orange in 1627 outlines the tiny 12 mile long Principality of Orange in southeast France.

This is the best example of my  Liard coin from Principality of Orange that I could find. Saw no pristine examples of the coin as it is "rare", but still only worth a few bucks.

Identification

earlier coin:

Liard Maurice, Prince of Orange ruled 1618-1625

obverse: MAVRITIVS.D.GPRIN.G. (Mauritius by the grace of God, prince)

M crowned between three lily imitated.

reverse: Soli Deo HONOR

Cross imitating that of the holy spirit.

later coin:

Liard of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange ruled 1625-1647

obverse: FRED.HENR.D.G.PRINA.

M crowned between three lily imitations.

reverse: Soli Deo G AND HONOR

Cross imitating that of the holy spirit

Some examples of the legends are shifted counterclockwise around the coin, as in mine where a few letters are visible. There are a few other coins that look very similar.

This is a fine medallion for Maurice of Nassau Prince of Orange.

wild goose chase to Dutchy of Savoy as incorrectly labeled

Duchy of Savoy (Savoie, Savoye, Savoia, Piedmont) France/Italy ruled by House of Savoia and King Matthias (1612-1619) of the Holy Roman Empire, ruler over this semi-independent state. Prince Maurice (different guy) (1593-1657) was the local ruler of Savoy.  Their cross has clubbed ends.

 The Order of the Most Holy Annunciation is associated with the House of Savoy and could be source of the current stylized version of the medal.

The Savoy is an area of southeastern France, which used to include parts of Northern Italy and bordering on Geneva, Switzerland.  The Royal House of Savoy was built in Turin when they owned parts of what is now Italy. This entertaining travel video illustrates along with the story of Grissini which you commoners may call breadsticks. 

roneously labeled by the seller as from the  in southeastern France into Italy. That was a wasted couple days of research but they have so much history and are soo aristocratic and regal. No wonder they all thought the Americans were barbarians.

cross comes close to the  Order of the Holy Spirit has a distinctive look but may be derived from the  cross cercelee or Huguenot cross .

similar icons: Province of Berry, Dutchy of Berry,  House of Valois ,  Margaret of Valois

Examples of French Feudal coins year 800-1400 roughly

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