50 Stuiver Dutch Republic (1581 - 1795) Silver

1672, Netherlands, Groningen City. Large Silver 50 Stuiver Siege Klippe Coin. R!

Mint Year: 1672
Mint Place: Groningen
Denomination: 50 Stuiver Siege Klippe
Reference: Delmonte Argent 736, Maillet 5, KM-27.2. R!
Condition: A light scrape in obverse field above impression, otherwise a nice XF!
Weight: 28.89gm
Diameter: 47mm
Material: Silver

Obverse:Crowned coat-of-arms of Groningen and Ommeland, splitting value (50-ST).
Legend: • IVRE • ET • TEMPORE • 1672 •

Reverse: Blank.

In the Franco-Dutch War (1672-1678), France and its allies invaded the United Netherlands in an attempt to capture land from the weaker Dutch forces. Ever eager to increase his influence and power, Christoph Bernhard von Galen, bishop of Münster, joined the French and besieged the Dutch city of Groningen in 1672. The siege was ultimately unsuccessful, and Bishop von Galen retreated on 28 August of the same year. This coin was struck afterward to commemorate the end of the siege. 28 August is still celebrated as a local holiday in Groningen; it is called “Bomm’n Berend” after the nickname given to Bishop von Galen by the townspeople.

Groningen is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen (districts of Leer and Emsland), in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea. The capital of the province is the city of Groningen.

The Dutch Republic � officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden), the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces (Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Provinciën) � was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the modern Kingdom of the Netherlands. Alternative names include United Provinces, Foederatae Belgii Provinciae (Federated Belgic Provinces), and Belgica Foederata (Belgic Federation).

Until the 16th century, the Low Countries – roughly corresponding to modern Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg – consisted of a number of duchies, counties and bishoprics, most of which were under the supremacy of the Holy Roman Empire.

Most of the Low Countries had come under the rule of the House of Burgundy and subsequently the House of Habsburg. In 1549 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V issued the Pragmatic Sanction, which further unified the Seventeen Provinces under his rule. Charles was succeeded by his son, King Philip II of Spain. In 1568 the Netherlands, led by William I of Orange, revolted against Philip II because of high taxes, persecution of Protestants by the government, and Philip’s efforts to modernize and centralize the devolved-medieval government structures of the provinces. This was the start of the Eighty Years' War.

In 1579 a number of the northern provinces of the Netherlands signed the Union of Utrecht, in which they promised to support each other in their defence against the Spanish army. This was followed in 1581 by the Act of Abjuration, the declaration of independence of the provinces from Philip II.

In 1582 the United Provinces invited Francis, Duke of Anjou to lead them; but after a failed attempt to take Antwerp in 1583, the duke left the Netherlands again. After the assassination of William of Orange (July 10, 1584), both Henry III of France and Elizabeth I of England declined the offer of sovereignty. However, the latter agreed to turn the United Provinces into a protectorate of England (Treaty of Nonsuch, 1585), and sent the Earl of Leicester as governor-general. This was not a success and in 1588 the provinces became a republic.