Huwelijk van Maximiliaan, aartshertog van Oostenrijk met Maria, hertogin van Bourgondie 1477

This is an anonymous medal made to commemorate the marriage of Maximilian, Archduke of Austria, to Mary, Duchess of Burgundy. While we don’t know the maker, this object speaks volumes about the society in which it was produced. The medal is not just a celebration of love; it's a potent symbol of political strategy. In 15th-century Europe, marriage was a tool to consolidate power, forge alliances, and secure territories. Mary of Burgundy was a highly desirable bride. Her union with Maximilian brought vast lands under Habsburg control, dramatically shifting the balance of power. To understand the full implications of this piece, we might delve into archives, study dynastic histories, and examine the economic landscapes of Burgundy and Austria. Artworks like this medal are not isolated creations; they are embedded in a network of social, political, and economic relationships. They are artifacts that historians can use to understand better the institutions that shaped our world.