Beggars’ Medal

anonymous, 1574

‘Rather Turkish than popish.’ That is the message of this medal worn by the Beggars fighting in Dutch waters against Philip II’s ships. The enemy of your enemy is your friend, and the Islamic Turks are Spain’s fiercest foes. Their symbol is a crescent moon. The rebels are thus demonstrating their resolve: anything is better than submission to the Catholic Church and the Spanish king.

  • Artwork typebeggar's medal
  • Object numberNG-VG-1-407-A
  • Dimensionslength 3.5 cm x width 3.1 cm x width 2.7 cm x weight 11.27 g

Identification

  • Title(s)

    Beggars’ Medal

  • Object type

  • Object number

    NG-VG-1-407-A

  • Description

    Halve maan door de 300 bootsgezellen van admiraal de Boisot gedragen. Achterzijde zilveren penning in vorm van halve maan met draagoog; gezicht, dat maan voorstelt; aan rand omschrift: LIVER TVRCX * DAN PAVS (liever turks dan paus).

  • Inscriptions / marks

    circumscription: ‘LIVER TVRCX * DAN PAVS’

Creation

  • Creation

    anonymous, Netherlands

  • Dating

    1574

  • Search further with

Material and technique

  • Dimensions

    length 3.5 cm x width 3.1 cm x width 2.7 cm x weight 11.27 g

This work is about

  • Person

  • Subject

  • Place

  • Period

    1574-10-03

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    Gift of J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff

  • Acquisition

    gift 1885

  • Copyright

    Public domain

Documentation

    • Kees van der Pols, 'Vroege geuzenpenningen', De Beeldenaar (2007) nr. 1, p. 17-22.
    • S. Wigersma Hzn, 'De draagtekens van het jaar 1566', De Vrije Fries 1906, p. 13 (met afbeeldingen).
    • Riza Nour, 'Maansikkel', Revue de Turcologie, Alexandrië 1933, p. 230-411 (met afbeeldingen).
    • R. van Luttervelt, 'Liever Turks dan Paaps', De Gids 124 (oktober 1961), p. 150-163.

Related objects

  • Related

Persistent URL

Questions?

Do you spot a mistake? Or do you have information about the object? Let us know!