Summary

Medal Prise de Vienne et de Presbourg, Vienna Captured, Issued by France,1805
Artist: Bertrand Andrieu and Andre Galle
Minted by Paris Mint

Obverse Description

Laureate head of Napoleon facing right, around, NAPOLEON EMP. ET ROI.; on neck truncation in small lettering, ANDRIEU F.

Reverse Description

Napoleon as Hercules standing full to the front resting on his club, his head laureate, lion's skin over his shoulder; on each side on their knees, two females draped (the Genii of the cities of Vienna and Presbourg) are presenting the keys of their respective cities to the conqueror; their heads are turretted and veiled; in exergue, PRISE DE VIENNE / ET DE PRESBOURG / MDCCCV.; around rim, DENON D. GALLE F.

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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