Bidspirit auction | FRANCE. Wars of Religion. Siege

FRANCE. Wars of Religion. Siege of Cambrai. 20 Patards 1595 Weight 12.5g Irregular octagonal uniface with crowned arms of France in the center flanked by the date (9-5). Legend: PROTECTOR HENRIQUE; Central seal flanked by individual punches ”XX” and ”P” with the arms of Montluc below. When the French occupied Cambrai in 1595, the bishop whose loyalty lay with the Spanish king left the city. In his departure, he took money, war supplies, and a small armed force. When advancing Spanish forces discovered that the bishop had fled, they besieged the city. Preparing for the attack, the city's governor, Jean de Montluc, and his wife began strengthening the fortifications, allowing the besieged city to repel the invading forces on several occasions. As the siege progressed, tension within the city toward the French increased. The inhabitants were suspicious of the French occupiers and were quite agitated by the dilapidated currency the governor issued to pay the troops, intending to be able to redeem them at full value after the siege. Eventually, the inhabitants led a revolt and opened the city gates to receive the Spanish, resulting in the French surrender on October 7, 1595.