This impressive bronze medal of William the Conqueror belongs to Jean Dassier’s celebrated Kings and Queens of England series, one of the great historical medal sets of the eighteenth century. Issued in 1731, it presents the first Norman king of England in a style that is both bold and highly distinctive, making it a strong piece for collectors of medieval and royal history.

The obverse shows a bust of William I wearing a winged helmet, a clever artistic choice that suggests the speed and force of the Norman Conquest. The Latin legend GULIELMUS. I. CONQUAESTOR. D.G. ANG. REX. identifies him as William I, the Conqueror, by the Grace of God, King of England. The portrait has the authority and clarity collectors expect from Dassier’s work, and it gives the medal a strong sense of character.

The reverse is equally full of meaning. It shows a seated captive and England mourning her subjugation, set upon a tomb pedestal decorated with a relief scene of the surrender of the keys of London after the Battle of Hastings. This powerful design captures the dramatic change brought by 1066 and makes the medal especially appealing to collectors interested in the Norman Conquest, early English monarchy and historic symbolism.

Struck in bronze and measuring 41 mm, the medal has a pleasing size and a finely balanced composition. Its combination of portrait, allegory and historical reference is exactly what makes Dassier’s medals so admired. The reverse in particular is rich in detail, rewarding close study and making the piece especially attractive to collectors of medallic art.

For collectors of Norman history, English royal portrait medals and eighteenth-century bronze, this William the Conqueror medal offers a direct connection to one of the most important figures in British history. It is a finely made tribute to the king who changed the course of England’s story.