Summary

Medal Capture of Vindabona (Vienna), Issued by France & Milan, Italy, 1805
Artist: Luigi Manfredini
Minted by Milan Mint

Obverse Description

Helmeted head of Napoleon facing left; the visor of the helmet bears Napoleon's star, it's body is laureate with a flying eagle below and a fulmen above; on top of the helmet, a curled snake striking; around, NAPOLEO . I . GALL . IMP . ITAL . REX . GERMANICVS . RVTHENICVS .; on neck truncation the artist's initials, L.M.

Reverse Description

At left a seated female figure in an attitude of grief, resting her veiled head on her left hand; to the right a militart trophy decorated with a shield bearing the double-headed eagle of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, around above, VINDOBONA CAPTA . ANNO . MCCMV.; in exergu, MEDIOLANI; the artist's initials, L.M., at the right of the exergue line

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

"the French took possession of the city without firing a shot. The main body of the French arrived at Vienna on the 12th, and were lodged in the suburbs, they entered the city on the 13th, when they found the inhabitants doing the duty of the military, who had totally evacuated it. Bonaparte entered Vienna on the 14th, and chose the imperial palace of Schoenbrunn for his residence.

Immediately after the capture of the Austrian capital, the corps of Davoust was detached towards Presburg, which it took possession of, and from which place Davoust commenced a negotiation with the Archduke Palatine, the object of which was to free Napoleon from part of his opponents, by establishing the neutrality of Hungary. " Laskey p. 102

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