Summary

Medal Bataille de Friedland 'Battle of Friedland', Issued by France, 1807
Artist: Bertrand Andrieu
Minted by Paris Mint

Obverse Description

Laureate head facing right; around, NAPOLEON EMP. ET ROI.; on neck truncation, ANDRIEU F.; below, DENON DIRT.

Reverse Description

Napoleon (depicted as Mars, the god of war) standing, naked except for a chlamys buckled on his chest and falling behind; his head helmeted, in the act of sheathing his sword; on the ground, lie dead and wounded; on the right, the olive tree of peace is planted; on the left, the torch of war reversed and nearly extinguished; near rim at right in small lettering, GALLE F.; in exergue, BATAILLE DE FRIEDLAND / XIV JUIN MDCCCVII

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

"On the 14th June, the anniversary of the battle of Marengo, the fatal battle of Friedland was fought between the Russians and the French ... The carnage was dreadful: according to the French Bulletins, the Russians left from 15 to 18,000 dead on the field. In this disastrous battle and retreat, the Russians lost a great part of their artillery, and almost all their magazines and ammunition on a line of 120 miles in extent. And the battle of Friedland was not less decisive than those of Austerlitz and Jena, nor its consequences less fatal to the independence of Europe." Laskey p. 141-142

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