Kroning van Frederik, keurvorst van de Palts en Elisabeth tot koning en koningin van Bohemen 1619

This silver coin was struck anonymously to commemorate the coronation of Frederick, Elector Palatine, and Elizabeth as King and Queen of Bohemia. The image on the coin creates meaning through visual codes and historical associations. Coins were crucial communication devices for kingdoms and republics. The coronation this coin commemorates was fraught with socio-political tension: in 1619, Frederick, a Calvinist, accepted the throne of Bohemia, a majority Catholic country, in defiance of the Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor. He sought to unite the Protestant states, but his reign lasted only a year before the Habsburgs regained control. This coin was thus made during a very specific moment in the history of political conflict in Europe. The coin's imagery, like the crowns, lions, and biblical references, were carefully chosen to convey ideas about authority and legitimacy. These coins would have been distributed amongst the people to communicate particular messages about the new King and Queen's power. The historian's role is to interpret the image within its proper social and institutional context. Researching the iconography of royalty and the history of Bohemia will help to understand this coin's original meaning.