Italian Renaissance Medal - Gian Giacomo Trivulzio

Iosephus

Gian Giacomo Trivulzio / Inscription

By Cristoforo Foppa Caradosso, c. 1499


Bronze, 45.7 x 44.9 mm

Obverse: Laureate bust of Trivulzio facing left, wearing armor plate. Shield with the Trivulzio arms in top left corner; a cross pattée within a flaming circle in the top right corner; a shield with a biscione in the bottom left corner; a shield with three brands in a pale, each with two buckets, in the bottom right corner. Around, within incised circles, IO IACOBVS TRIVVLS · MAR · VIG · FRA · MARESCALVS · .

Reverse: Nine line inscription, below which is a leaf: 1499 / EXPVGNATA ALE / XANDRIA : DELETO / EXERCITV : LVDOVI / CVM · SF · MLI · DVC / EXPELLIT · REVER / SVM · APVD NOVA / RIAM STERNIT / CAPIT .

Obverse Inscription:
IOANNES IACOBUS TRIVULTIUS MARCHIO VIGEVANI FRANCIAE MARESCALCUS
Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, Marquess of Vigevano, Marshal of France

Reverse Inscription:
EXPUGNATA ALE XANDRIA DELETO EXERCITU LUDOVI CUM SFORTIA MILANI DUCEM EXPELLIT REVER SUM APUD NOVA RIAM STERNIT CAPIT
1499, Having Taken Alexandria, Having Destroyed the Army, He Expelled Lodovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, and Lodovico Fleeing was Defeated and Captured Near Novara

Gian Giacomo Trivulzio was born in Milan in 1440 or 1441. A supporter of France, he led an army raised by King Louis XII to conquer the Duchy of Milan in 1499. After his victory, Trivulzio was appointed governor of Milan by Louis XII, as well as marquess of Vigevano and marshal of France. Ludovico Sforza, who had been Duke of Milan, had fled but was captured at Novara and died captive in a French dungeon. Trivulzio continued to lead French forces, but later lost the favor of the king and died in France in 1518.

References: Hill 655; NGA 217

STLNATS

What a great medal Joe with an interesting Renaissance portrait. Also appreciate the translation and interesting write up.

What fun!

JCMhouston

Very cool medal.

AuroraRarities

Neat design with an interesting history. What numismatics is all about.

Thanks for sharing this!

Swampboy

Awesome medal.
Would it have been affixed to box perhaps or would the holes be there for some kind of tie?
I'm not at all familiar with medals of that era.

Iosephus

<< <i>Would it have been affixed to box perhaps or would the holes be there for some kind of tie? >>


It is very possible. Many medals from that era were hold for wearing and/or display. Typically one hole would be used for a medal to be worn, and multiple holes such as this if it was to be affixed in some sort of more semi-permanent display.

ormandh

Someone had made it into a watch fob.

Zohar

Very cool medal and write up.

santelia

"1499, Having Taken Alexandria, Having Destroyed the Army, He Expelled Lodovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, and Lodovico Fleeing was Defeated and Captured Near Novara"

Thanks for bringing back some memories. I spent a semester in Italy as an architecture student, and the Duke of Milan was a huge influence on architecture there. Here's a site on his palace (palazzo) and history. It is now a museum. If you click on the "Virtual Tour" link it has interactive floor plans for many of the galleries. Ciao!
http://www.milanocastello.it/ing/home.html

Iosephus

Santelia - Thanks for the link! A very interesting site to browse around.