Germany Prussia Frederick the Great (1740-86) Battle of Prague Bronze Medal 1757 by Dutch medallist J.G. Holtzhey Exceptional Condition

Obv; FRIDERICVS MAGN. DG REX BORVSS. FL. BRAND. DVX SILES ET. Armored bust of Frederick II of Prussia facing right.

Rev: FAMA. PRVDENTIA ET VIRTVTE, (CIRCULAR LEGEND) // AVSTIR. EXERCISE CLEAN. PRAG. EVNDIT / CÆSO ET PRAGA OBSESSA / VI MAJI MDCCLVII., (EXERGUE). Personification of winged Victory in the centre, holding thunderbolt, kicking the crown of the kneeling Austrian Empress Maria

Theresia; shield inscribed “VICTORIA FRIDERI / CI MAGN.”; ALBISIL and MOLDA inscribed on two jugs, cannon and trophy armour.

Bronze 48mm,

Extremely Fine

An exceptional example of this often very worn issue.

These were popular in Britain owing to the fact that Frederick was a key ally during the Seven Years War against France

During the Seven Years’ War, the Battle of Prague saw, on May 6, 1757, the victory of the Prussians commanded by Frederick II over the Austrians of Charles-Alexander of Lorraine. The Austrian general Maximilian Ulysses Browne was mortally wounded, as was the Prussian field marshal Curt Christophe de Schwerin. This Prussian victory was followed by the Siege of Prague (May-June 1757) (en) but Frederick II, defeated at the Battle of Kolin on June 18, had to withdraw and could not capture Prague.

Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great (in German, Friedrich der Große), born January 24, 1712 in Berlin, died August 17, 1786 in Potsdam, of the House of Hohenzollern, was King of Prussia from 1740 to 1786, the first to officially bear this title1. He was simultaneously the 14th Prince-Elector of Brandenburg. He was sometimes affectionately nicknamed der alte Fritz (old Fritz). Significantly enlarging the territory of his States at the expense of Austria (Silesia, 1742) and Poland (West Prussia, 1772), he brought his country into the circle of the great European powers. A friend of Voltaire, he was one of the main representatives of the current of “enlightened despotism”.