James II, the Antichristian Confederacy, 1688, Silver Medal by Jan Smeltzing, standing figures of the Ottoman Sultan Suleyman III; Hajji Hussain Mezzomorto, privateer, Bey of Algiers and Admiral of the Ottoman Navy; Louis XIV of France; and James II, who take an oath of allegiance around a burning altar on which a crescent dominates a chi-rho, a snake can be seen amidst the flames, rev. a winged imp of Satan, wearing a Jesuit's cap, hovers over three lilies supporting a crescent, IN FOEDERE QUINTUS [the fifth in the confederacy], 1688, 37mm (Eimer 295; MI i 632/54). A rim knock and rectangular area of light tone, otherwise a darkly toned, extremely fine and a rare medal.
In the Protestant Netherlands, rumours spread that James II had offered safe harbor to Algerian Pirates who had attacked and robbed Dutch merchant vessels in the Mediterranean. Poised for a shift in power when Parliament was to reject James II and invite William of Orange to assume the throne, Smeltzing engraved these dies linking James II, Catholic France, and Islam, with the Devil. The three lilies may represent the fleurs de lis of France, the greater Catholic power, supporting or dominated by the crescent of Islam
The Anti-Christian Confederacy, heavy silver Dutch satirical medal, 1688, by Jan Smeltzing, Suleiman II (1687-1691), Sultan of Turkey; Louis XIV, Hussein Mezzo-Morto (d. 1701), Dey of Algiers, and James II, all with swords drawn, stand round the blazing altar of Discord, rev., three lilies supporting a crescent, an imp above in a Jesuit's cap, IN FOEDERE QUINTUS, 50.5mm (MI 632/54; Eim. 295; vL III, 347; Mont. 1087; Voltolina 1075). Extremely fine and extremely rare.
It was believed that there was an anti-Protestant treaty with France and the James II had allowed Algerian Corsairs to land Dutch prizes in England; whilst Louis XIV was said to be encouraging Turkish hostility towards the German states. The fifth member of the Confederacy was the Devil.
Provenance: Jean Elsen Auction, 14 June, 2008 (lot 2295)
James II (1685-1688), Antichristian Confederacy 1688, Silver Medal by J Smelzing, standing figures of Suleyman III of Turkey, Mezzo Morto of Algiers, Louis XIV and James II swear an oath of allegiance around an altar, SOLIMAN III. LUDOV: XIIII. MEZOMORTO. IACOBVS II., in exergue CONTRA CHRISTI ANIMUM, rev an imp wearing a Jesuit’s cap, hovering above lilies and a crescent, brandishes a sword and thunderbolt, IN FOEDERE QUINTUS, in exergue 1688, 37mm (Eimer 295; MI i 632/54). Extremely fine, rare.
I'm clueless on the historical context of this one. There are many online references to it, which describe it as a Dutch satirical medal. Love the flying imp and thunderbolt. -Editor
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