Nomos 24

ITALY. Dukedom of Parma and Piacenza. Pierluigi Farnese, 1545-1547. Medallion (Bronze, 39 mm, 18.15 g, 12 h), struck from dies prepared by Giovanni Federico Bonzagna (Federico Parmigiano), undated, but circa 1547 (though minted somewhat later). P LOYSIVS F PARM ET PLAC DVX I Bareheaded, cuirassed and draped bust of Pierluigi Farnese to right; below truncation, in small letters, I.F. PARMI . Rev. IN VIRTVTE TVA SERVATI SVMVS (= by your valour we are protected) In the background, trees, mountains and a fortified city (Piacenza); scene of an ox, a unicorn and a she-wolf drinking from a stream, the unicorn thrusting his horn into the water, from which serpents flee. Attwood 955 (and there cited further bibliography). Extremely rare. Sharply struck and apparently the best example known. Usual die breaks on the reverse, otherwise, good extremely fine.

From the Aviz Collection.

Pierluigi (Pietro Ludovico) Farnese (1503-1547) was the illegitimate son of Alessandro Farnese (Pope Paul III, 1534-1549), one of four children he had with the Roman noblewoman Silvia Riffini. Pierluigi was legitimated by both Julius II and Leo X, but the stigma never left him and helped to create his aggressive and violent character. In 1537 his father, by then Pope made him Duke of Castro and in 1545 Duke of Parma and Piazenza. Since his personality made Pierluigi a disturbing neighbour, the Emperor Charles V looked favourably on the plot launched by Ferrante Gonzaga, imperial governor of Milan, to eliminate him: in September 1547 the conspirators stabbed him to death and hung his body out of a window of the palace in Piacenza.