Russia (Estonia / Sweden) Bronze Medal 1710 (2nd half 18th c.) - Capture of Reval, 29 September 1710 - Peter I the Great (1682-1725)

53.21g. 49mm. UNC/UNC. 

St. Petersburg mint.

Medalier: Timofey Ivanov (T • I • on obverse truncation).

Diakov 37.6 (Ar - R1). 

Rare. 

Obv.: Bust of Peter I right, in laurel wreath with bow; cuirass decorated with arabesques.

Inscription around:

PETRVS . ALEXII . FIL . D . G . RVSS . IMP . M . DVXMOSCOVIÆ

(Peter, son of Alexis, by the grace of God Emperor of Russia, Grand Duke of Moscow).

Rev.: Winged Mars hovers above the plan of the fortress inscribed REVAL, holding a mural crown and a sword.

Inscription around:

Pʀᴀᴇ DoMIɴᴀɴтᴇ ᴘᴇтʀI soLIo ʀᴇVᴀLIᴀ CᴇssIт

(Reval yielded to the throne of Peter under his supremacy).

In exergue:

CAPTA 14 • IVN • | ST • V

(Taken on 14 June [Old Style]).

The capture of Reval (modern Tallinn, Estonia) in 1710 was an important Russian success during the Great Northern War. The city, one of the chief Swedish strongholds on the eastern Baltic, capitulated after Russia’s growing military pressure in the region and the rapid collapse of Swedish positions in the Baltic provinces. Its surrender gave Russia control of a major port on the Gulf of Finland, improved communications between newly conquered territories, and further weakened Sweden’s influence in what are now Estonia and the wider eastern Baltic. The fall of Reval, together with the submission of other Livonian and Estonian centres, marked a decisive stage in Russia’s consolidation of power on the Baltic coast.