Netherlands Silver Medal 1873 Visit of King Willem III to Alkmaar for the Commemoration of the Siege of 1573 EF

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Visit of King Willem III to Alkmaar for the Commemoration of the Siege of 1573 – Extremely Rare in Silver

Obverse:
Coat of arms of Alkmaar, flanked by two standing lions. Above the shield, a laurel branch tied with a ribbon. Around the design the inscription: "HULDE AAN DEN MOED DER VOORVADEREN" (“Tribute to the Courage of the Ancestors”). Below the shield the date: "1573".

Reverse:
Inscription in seven lines within a floral border:
"TER HERINNERING / AAN HET BEZOEK / VAN / KONING WILLEM III / TE ALKMAAR / OP 8 OCTOBER / 1873"
(“In Commemoration of the Visit of King Willem III to Alkmaar on 8 October 1873.”)

The silver version of this medal was not produced for public distribution, but was struck for individuals closely involved in the event, such as members of King Willem III's entourage and municipal authorities.

On 8 October 1873, a grand celebration took place in the Dutch city of Alkmaar to mark the 300th anniversary of the city's liberation from the Spanish siege. King Willem III personally attended the festivities, underscoring the importance of the occasion. For the Dutch, 1573 represented a crucial turning point: Alkmaar became the first city in the Netherlands to successfully resist a Spanish siege, a milestone in the Eighty Years' War. The victorious liberation of the city on 8 October 1573 has been commemorated annually ever since as the Alkmaar Ontzet festival, making the 300th anniversary in 1873 an event of profound historical significance.

King Willem III arrived by train at Alkmaar station on 8 October 1873, where he was welcomed by the mayor, the municipal council, a festival committee, and an honor guard. A salute of cannon fire marked his arrival, followed by a grand procession that escorted the monarch through streets festooned with flags and greenery. Preceded by militiamen with rifles and brass bands, and followed by carriages carrying dignitaries, the royal cortege made its way to the city center amid cheering crowds. The king paused at the Town Hall to inspect original documents from 1573, then proceeded to Victoriepark, where he ceremonially laid the first stone of a new monument called Alcmaria Victrix ("Alkmaar Victorious") in honor of the siege. The ceremony included a festive speech by the poet Nicolaas Beets, and the king also attended a historical reenactment depicting scenes from Alkmaar’s defense. The jubilant day concluded with a state banquet, festive music, and a dazzling fireworks display in honor of the king. In total, Willem III spent more than eight hours in Alkmaar, an exceptionally long royal visit for that era.

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