Ontzet van Leiden 1574

This silver medal commemorating the Relief of Leiden was created by Dirk Jacobsz. The two sides of the coin depict images of the siege of Leiden, linking the specific events of that time to broader social and cultural concerns. Leiden was under siege by the Spanish army in 1574. The population was starving. The city was eventually liberated by the army of William of Orange, who broke the dykes and flooded the land around Leiden, allowing ships to bring food to the city. The medal shows on one side the army camps that surrounded Leiden and on the other the ships sailing towards the besieged city. Such medals played an important public role in the Netherlands, particularly during times of political upheaval. These objects allow us to better understand the relationship between historical events and popular sentiment. Resources in the state archives, and in museum collections, help us to connect these images to the institutional history that surrounds them.