Neerslaan van de opstand te Gent, rekenpenning van de raad van Financiën 1540

This is an anonymous medal commemorating the quelling of the Ghent Revolt. It’s a potent symbol of power dynamics and the suppression of dissent. The Ghent Revolt emerged from deep seated tensions between the local population and the Habsburg rulers. The city, once a center of wealth and influence, faced economic decline and resented the increasing centralisation of power. The revolt, though ultimately unsuccessful, reflects the struggle for autonomy and the assertion of local identity against imperial authority. On one side, we see the Habsburg eagle, a symbol of imperial power, while the other depicts a female figure, likely representing Justice, with a sword and scales, suggesting the restoration of order. The medal then, serves not just as a historical record, but as a reminder of the complex interplay between power, identity, and resistance. It invites us to reflect on the stories that are often silenced in the grand narratives of history.