Verheffing van Ferdinand tot Rooms koning 1531

This silver medal commemorating Ferdinand's rise to King of the Romans was made by Ulrich Gebhart in the 16th century. Medals like this, produced in the Germanic areas of the Holy Roman Empire, were a popular way of commemorating historical figures and their achievements. Looking at the front of the medal we can see a portrait of Ferdinand, while the reverse bears a coat of arms decorated with angels, meant to suggest divine approval. In the early modern period, imagery was very carefully controlled by those in power, meaning that images like this would have been part of a wider campaign to legitimise Ferdinand’s rule, linking it to the divine right of kings. Historical resources, such as court documents, letters, and official records, can help us to understand the political and social context in which this medal was produced, and the complex role that art played in shaping the history of the Holy Roman Empire.