1674 French Victory at Martinique Medal. Betts-48, Van Loon III, 148. Bronze. MS-64 BN (PCGS). 40.8 mm. Rims beveled and filed, as made. A lovely impression from these dies, both sides are fully defined with appreciable semi-reflective tendencies in the fields that are evident as the medal dips into a light. The obverse is toned in light golden-olive with iridescent pink and powder blue undertones, while the more boldly patinated reverse is dressed in medium brown with pale golden-blue undertones. The obverse is double struck, most evident at the peripheral lettering, with two cracks at left: from the border through the letters OV in LUDOVICUS, and curving through the field and hair below the letters LUDO in the same word. The letter N in CHRISTIANISSIMUS is partially filled at right by chipping of the die. This is Obverse C of the type, the die state of the present example similar to that of Ford XIII:708, slightly earlier than that of Ford XIII:710, in which sale we (Stacks) offered multiple specimens of Betts-48. Smooth in hand with eye appeal to spare.One of the Windward Islands in the West Indies, Martinique was first charted by Columbus in 1493, although not settled by the Spanish. The French under Pierre Belain dEsnambuc landed on the island on September 15, 1635 after having been driven out of St. Kitts by the British. The island was claimed for France, which successfully fended off two British invasions in 1666 and 1667 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. The Treaty of Breda that ended that conflict guaranteed the island for France, but the wars for empire in the New World were far from over. In 1674, during the Third Anglo-Dutch War (part of the larger Franco-Dutch War of 1672 to 1678) a Dutch fleet under Admiral Michael Adriaenszoon de Ruyter attempted an invasion of Martinique. Commanding from his flagship De Zeven Provincien</em>, De Ruyter led an imposing force including 18 warships and 3,400 soldiers. Delays imposed by the weather prevented De Ruyters speedy approach to the island, giving the French time to increase their defenses. Unable to enter the harbor due to these defenses, De Ruyters fleet was prevented from adequately supporting the Dutch soldiers, which were repelled by the outnumbered French after suffering heavy losses. This medal, the reverse design of which shows Martinique marveling at the wreck of Dutch ambitions for the island, commemorates the decisive French victory in this encounter.
