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Newp Saxony Victory Taler

Finally got the Saxony 1871 B Victory Taler. These were issued by several of the German states after administering a butt whoopin' to the French.

The whole thing came to a head because of the disputed Spanish succession, and a bunch of insults between the French Ambassador and King Wilhelm of Prussia. Prussia declared war when the French started mobilizing and was quickly joined by the North German Confederation as well as Baden, Bavaria and Wurttemburg from southern Germany. Unfortunately for France this was the period of the Second Empire and they were led by Napolean III, who was definately not the equal of his illustrious namesake. The war led to the creation of a unified Germany with Wilhelm as King, and the end of Empire for France and establishment of the 3rd Republic.

The end of the war:
Napolean III set out with an army to relieve the 180,000 French soldiers of the Army of the Rhine trapped in Metz ( another long story of incompetence). At the Battle of Sedan, which opened on Sept. 1 1870, the French Army of Chalon lost 17.000 killed and 27.000 taken prisoner in one day. On Sept. 2 Napolean III and the remaining 104,000 men in his army surrendered. The Third Republic government attempted to battle on but with the complete loss of two armies they had little chance of winning. The French finally signed an armistice in January of 1871 after the fall of Paris.


Saxony in NGC 66:

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The rest of the set:

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