Beautiful nuptial medal of Maria Leszczynska, daughter of Polish King Stanislaw Leszczynski, with King Louis XV of France. The wedding took place on September 5, 1725.
Nice medal mirror and well-preserved relief.
Signed on the shoulder DU VIVIER.
Weight 36.6 g
Diameter 4 cm
Material silver.
Such a medal is also in the Royal Cabinet in Dresden.
Edward Raczynski writes on this item: "In 1725 King Louis XV of France, although already of age, but very young, only 15 years old, was betrothed to the Infanta of Spain, daughter of Philip V..
The Infanta's youthfulness, still in its infancy, did not allow to accelerate the marriage of the French king. It was demanded by the Prince de Bourbon, the first minister of the Cabinet of Versailles at the time, fearing that the king, who often fell ill, should not leave the world without an heir, and at the same time, as chroniclers of the time claim, that the change of monarch should not entail an insult to his power and dignity.
In order to please the political outlook, the union agreed upon with the Spanish court was broken; the Infanta, who had been entertained in Paris for several years as the King's fiancée, was sent back to Madrid, and the minister took charge of the selection of the future French queen.
It happened by chance that the princesses of the Catholic courts at that time were of an age that did not correspond to that of Louis XV (b) only Marya Leszczynska, daughter of King Stanislaw, although she too was five years older than the French king, could respond to the intentions of the minister. This circumstance contributed to the association of the union, which was concluded at Fontainebleau on September 5, 1725."
