Austria-Hungary Is this an Award?

[Veteran]

Hello every one,

This Austrian piece has been for a long time in a drawer, under the assumption that it might be award, possibly military because of the helmeted portrait of Archduke Carl.

It has been struck on a rather thin silver plancher 52/53 mm diameter 26+ grs. Obverse signed Baldenbach (?). The reverse in dated in latin : 9 April 1799.

None of my Austrian reference books mentions this, altough a number of awards connected with Archduke Carl appear in Prochzska "?sterreichisches Ordenshandbuch". Information will be gratefully received.

Best regards to all

Veteran

[Dave Danner]

The reverse means, I believe, "by [or through] valor and wisdom". Virtus, of which virtute is a declined form, can also be translated simply as "through virtue", but valor, bravery, courage, manliness/manhood (its literal meaning), and excellence are also acceptable. Whether that means military is hard to say.

9 April 1799 was during the War of the Second Coalition, when Erzherzog Karl was leading coalition forces along the Rhine against Jean-Baptiste Jourdan. There might have been a victory that day, but I can't find a mention of a specific battle.

9 April 1799 was also the birthdate of Erzherzog Josef Franz Leopold, but if this had to do with him, I think his name would be on there.

[Dave Danner]

Volume II of Erzherzog Carl von ?sterreich als Feldherr und Heeresorganisator by Moritz Edler von Angeli, which covers 1799, does not mention any specific action on that date.

[paul wood]

The Medal is a commemorative piece, by Peter Baldenbach (1762-1802), to commemorate the Battle of Stockach, 25 March 1799, when the Archduke Carl defeated the French and caused them to retreat across the Rhine. It is listed in the Count Montenuovo Collection, Frankfurt am Main, 1895, no. 2321. It is probably worth around ?300

All the best,

Paul