101008 | OTTOMAN EMPIRE & FRANCE. Mehmet II bronze Medal.

101008 | OTTOMAN EMPIRE & FRANCE. Mehmet II bronze Medal. Issued 1823. Series Numismatica Universalis Virorum Illustrium (40mm, 46.17 g, 12h). By Caqué & Durand in Paris.

 

MOHAMMETH II IMPERATOR OTHOMANORUM, draped bust right, wearing turban / NATUS / ADRIANOPOLI / IN ROMELIA / AN M CCCC XXX / OBIIT / AN M CCCC LXXXI in six lines. Edge: MONACHII.

 

Choice Mint State. Attractive brown surfaces, with some alluring brilliance and a light cobalt tone shimmering throughout; an inconsequential rim bruise and light mark in the reverse field are noted for completeness. An otherwise surprisingly attractive and problem-free example of the type. Compare to similar examples, most notably in SINCONA 1 (29 June 2011), lot 2354 (which realized a hammer of ChF 600 [plus buyer's fee]).

 

Born in Edirne (historically, Hadrianopolis/Adrianople) in 1432 (and incorrectly rendered on this medal as 1430), Mehmet II was the 7th sultan of the Ottoman Empire, ruling for two periods, first from 1444-1446, and again from 1451-1481. During these two reigns, he defeated the Hungarian incursions led by John Hunyadi (Hunyadi János) and, more prominently, conquered Constantinople, the Roman seat of power in the east since 330, effectively ending the Byzantine Empire in 1453.

 

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