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1916 Belgium Bz Plaquette Cardinal Mercier by A. Mauquoy
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Coin Details
| Origin/Country: |
Belgium 1916 |
| Design Description: |
Bz Plaquette Cardinal Mercier Medal by Alf Mauquoy 1916 |
| Item Description: |
Bronze 1916 Cardinal D. Mercier 1916 Belgium Bz Plaquette by Alf Mauquoy |
| Full Grade: |
MS 63 |
| Owner: |
Spencer Collection |
Owner Comments:
Medal, Plaque, 1916, Bronze, Belgium. CARDINAL MERCIER (Désiré-Félicien-François-Joseph Mercier) 21 November 1851 – 23 January 1926. Medal by Alfonse "Alf" Mauquoy. Size: 2" x 3". D. Mercier was a Belgian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Mechelen from 1906 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1907. Mercier is noted for his staunch resistance to the German occupation of 1914–1918. In 1916. Obv. Portrait of Mercier looking left, legend below; Rv. Mechelen's Cathedral of St. Rumbold, the Cardinal's final resting place. During WWI, Germany entered through neutral Belgium to invade France. This led to the exile of Albert I, King of Belgium. Mercier became the country's leader for patriotic resistance. His speeches and writings, especially his pastoral letters, became a worldwide point of reference of criticism towards German forces. The pope said in 1916, that Mercier "saved the church".