Maurits, graaf van Nassau, breekt het beleg van 's-Hertogenbosch af, rekenpenning ter ere van Albrecht en Isabella van Oostenrijk 1602

This coin, made by an anonymous artist, commemorates Maurits, Count of Nassau, breaking the siege of 's-Hertogenbosch, a city in the Netherlands. It also honours Albrecht and Isabella of Austria. The coin embodies the complex political and religious tensions of the time. The Dutch Republic, largely Protestant, was fighting for independence from the Spanish Habsburgs, who were Catholic. Albrecht and Isabella ruled the Habsburg Netherlands. The imagery creates meaning through heraldry, displaying the coats of arms of the involved parties. Coins like this one would have circulated amongst the elites, reinforcing political allegiances and commemorating important events. By studying such objects alongside historical documents, we gain insight into the social conditions that shaped artistic production and the political uses of imagery. The role of the historian is to contextualize art within its specific time and place, revealing the complex interplay of power, religion, and culture.