LOUIS XV: PROTECTOR OF ALSACE, CROSSING THE RHINE

MARTEAU, Francois Joseph: France, 1744, Bronze, 41 mm
Obv: Bust of Louis XV    LUD. XV. REX CHRISTIANISS.
Rev: King in the costume of a Roman warrior is advancing towards Alsace personified as a woman. On the right is a Genie holding in one hand wreaths and keys of conquered cities and in the other hand palms. At his feet is a shield with the arms of Flanders.    VINDEX ALSATIAE
Exergue:  SIGNIS A SCALDE AD RHENUM CONVERSIS M.DCC.XLIV.
Signed:  F. M.
Ref: Cat. Gen. Paris, obv, p. 247 (19th effigy); rev. p.273, G;  Weiss BW173

Louis XV (1710-1774), king of France (1715-1774), was the great-grandson of Louis XIV, and the third son of Louis, Duke of Burgundy and Marie Adelaide, Princess of Savoy. Louis succeeded to the throne at the age of five, but until he reached his legal majority in1723, Philippe II, duc d'Orléans, governed as regent. In 1725 Louis married Maria Leszczynska, daughter of Stanislaw I of Poland. The following year, André Hercule de Fleury, became the chief minister, giving France a stable administration until his death 17 years later. Thereafter Louis himself was in nominal control, but he took only a sporadic interest in government and never followed any consistent policy at home or abroad. He was frequently influenced by his mistresses, the most powerful of whom was the marquise de Pompadour. Louis’ failure to provide strong leadership and badly needed reforms contributed to the crisis that brought on the French Revolution

LINK to Biography of Louis XV (from Wikipedia)

LINK to Portrait of Louis XV  on his majority by Alexis Simon Belle (from art.com)

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