Elizabeth I (1558-1603), Holland, Earl of Leicester, Leicester Réal, 1586, mm. rosette, 34.40g/12h (Del. 891; Dav. 8842). Some weakness, otherwise about extremely fine and with an excellent portrait, rare (£2,000-2,500)

Provenance:
Spink Auction 183, 26-7 September 2006, lot 1174, described in error as a coin of Zeeland.

Robert Dudley (1532-88), a long standing favourite of Elizabeth I, was appointed Earl of Leicester by her in 1564. A well known ladies’ man, he had a string of liaisons which led to him being banished from court but, eventually restored to Elizabeth’s favour, he was placed in command of the Dutch campaign of 1585 to aid the rebels and afforded the title Governor-General of the Dutch Republic. Leicester’s rebels laid siege to Zutphen, defended by a Spanish garrison under Prince Alexander of Parma. The Spanish sent a relief column and on 22 September 1586 Leicester attempted to intercept it. He was forced to retire after suffering considerable losses, including the death of his own nephew, Sir Philip Sidney, and returned to England in disgrace