The Battle of Kalisz

294, Lot: 978. Estimate $150. Sold for $170. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

RUSSIA, Empire. Petr I Alexeyevich Velikiy (Peter the Great). 1682-1725. Æ Medal (40mm, 34.53 g, 12h). Commemorating the Battle of Kalisz. Unsigned copy of an original by G. Haupt. ЦPЬ • ΠETPЪ • AЛE(ξ)ИEBИЧЪ BCEA •, laureate, draped, and armored bust right / ЗA В(yat)РНОСТЬ И МУЖЕСТВО (For loyalty and courage), Petr I Alexeyevich Velikiy, in military outfit, facing on rearing horse; above, manus Dei holding wreath; below, dead horse, soldier, weapons, and banner on ground; in background, battle scene; date in exergue. Diakov, Medals, 24.3. Good VF, brown patina, traces of having possibly placed in a bezel.

The Battle of Kalisz (29 October 1706), which occurred in Poland as part of the Great Northern War (1700-1721), was fought between Sweden and Russia/Saxony (and their respective Polish allies). Due to the leadership of the Russian commander, Aleksandr Danilovich Menshikov, the Russian/Saxon coalition proved victorious. This victory, however, became short-lived when it was revealed that August II, whose was both Elector of Saxony and the King of Poland, failed to make known that he had been forced by Sweden to sign the Treaty of Altranstädt with on 13 October 1706, compelling him to relinquish his claim to the Polish throne and his alliance with Russia. Embarrased, Augustus later apologized to both Charles XII of Sweden and Tsar Petr I for the difficult situation in which he had placed them both.