The "Inhabitant of the Palace of Versailles" Bronze Medal refers to the Médaille des Vœux des Habitants de Versailles (Medal of the Wishes of the Inhabitants of Versailles), a commemorative piece issued in 1825 during the reign of King Charles X of France. This medal was commissioned by the city of Versailles to express the loyalty and hopes of its residents following Charles X's ascension to the throne in 1824 and his coronation on May 29, 1825, in Reims. Born at the Palace of Versailles on October 9, 1757, Charles X was the younger brother of Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, and the medal symbolizes the Versaillais' desire for the king to return and reside in the historic palace, which had been the seat of the French monarchy under Louis XIV and XV but fell into disuse after the Revolution.
The medal highlights the cultural and symbolic significance of Versailles as the birthplace of the Bourbon restoration hopes, illustrating the inhabitants' attachment to their royal heritage and their plea (expectate veni – "come, whom we await") for the king to revive the palace's grandeur.
Design and Specifications:
Material: Bronze (though silver versions also exist and are rarer). Diameter: Approximately 50.5 mm.
Weight: Around 66 g (for bronze examples).
Designer/Engraver: A. (Auguste François) Michaut, who both invented and engraved the design. Edge: Smooth.
Date: 1825 (struck shortly after the coronation).
Obverse:
Description: Bust of Charles X facing right, laureate or in royal attire.
Inscription: CHARLES X – ROI DE FRANCE (Charles X – King of France).
Signature: MICHAUT (engraver's mark).
Reverse:
Description: An allegorical female figure representing the city of Versailles (often depicted with a mural crown), standing and extending her arms toward a bust of the king placed on a column. The bust is inscribed with Charles X's birth details: Charles X né à Versailles le IX octobre 1757 (Charles X born at Versailles on October 9, 1757). In the background, the Palace of Versailles is prominently shown, emphasizing its architectural splendor. The scene conveys invitation and longing for the king's return.
Inscription: EXPECTATE VENI (Come, whom we await) above; AU ROI QU’ELLE ATTEND / VERSAILLES (To the king whom she awaits / Versailles) below.
Signature: MICHAUT INVENIT (Michaut invented/dDesigned).
This design draws on classical allegorical traditions, blending portraiture, architecture, and symbolism to evoke loyalty and nostalgia for the ancien régime.
Historical Context:
Charles X's reign (1824–1830) marked the final phase of the Bourbon Restoration after the Napoleonic era. Upon his brother's death in 1824, Charles ascended amid conservative support but faced liberal opposition. His coronation in Reims echoed medieval traditions, reinforcing divine-right monarchy. Versailles, abandoned since 1789, symbolized lost royal glory, and the medal—prompted by the king's own expressed affection for the palace during his entry to Paris in June 1825—served as a civic gesture of devotion. However, Charles X never fully restored Versailles as a residence, spending more time at the Tuileries in Paris. His ultra-royalist policies led to the July Revolution of 1830, ending his rule. The medal was likely produced in limited quantities for distribution among notables and officials in Versailles, reflecting local patriotism rather than a national issue.
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