Robert van Melun, markies van Roubaix, burggraaf van Gent, gesneuveld tijdens het beleg van Antwerpen 1585

This 1585 commemorative medal, created by an anonymous artist, is a small but intricate piece of silver depicting Robert van Melun, Marquis of Roubaix and Viscount of Ghent, who died during the Siege of Antwerp. The medal’s obverse features the deceased’s coat of arms beneath a crown, while the reverse displays a hand emerging from the waves, pointing towards a ship, a powerful visual metaphor for his untimely death. The medal’s inscription translates to “He who has died in the sea”, a testament to his bravery in the face of adversity.