Louis XVIII AE medal 1795

This medal dedicated to Louis XVII, engraved by Depaulis, fits into the post-revolutionary French context, marked by the fall of the monarchy and the execution of Louis XVI in 1793. His son, Louis XVII, was recognized as king by the royalists but died in captivity in 1795 at the age of 10. His tragic death made him a martyr figure of royalism. The medal, probably issued during the Restoration, symbolizes the memory of the child-king and dynastic continuity. The Latin motto ‘QVAM REDDAT HAEREDI’ (‘That he may return it to the heir’) expresses the hope for a return to monarchical legitimacy. It reflects the legitimists’ desire to affirm the divine and hereditary right to the crown, despite the revolutionary upheaval.

Plain edge.