Description: | Medal commemorating the Expedition to Vigo Bay, 1702. Obverse: A rostral column, with two captives chained to its base inscribed, surmounted by Victory. Inscribed on column: 'ANNO LIBERTATIS TRIUMPHALI MDCCII'. In the distance the English fleet burning French and Spanish ships near 'RONDELLA, VIGOS, CANNAS'. Legend: (inner line) 'TROPAEO HAEC. CAETERA FLAMMIS' (These for the trophy, the rest for the flames); (outer line) 'MEM . INC. CATAPLI . AMER . HISP . ET . CLASS . GALL . AD . VIGOS . HI NOSTRI REDITUS EXSPECTATIQUE TRIUMPHI' (In memory of the burning of the Spanish-American fleet, and the French fleet at Vigo. It is thus we return, and these are our expected triumphs). Reverse: A trophy of prows, flags, in the centre of which are an eagle, arrows and a rose, symbols of the Empire, Holland and England, supported by the English unicorn, the German eagle and the Dutch lion. Legend: 'TELA ROSA ET MAGNI IOVIS ALES SIC TIBI GALLE GORGONA DEMONSTRANT, SIC ET IBERE TIBI' (Thus to you, Frenchman, and to you, Spaniard, the arrows, the rose and the bird of Jove display the Gorgon's terrors).
caption: Medal commemorating the Expedition to Vigo Bay, 1702; obverse
caption: Medal commemorating the Expedition to Vigo Bay, 1702; reverse |