Concordaat tussen Paus Leo XIII en Koning Willem I 1827 1827

Franciscus Johannes de Hondt created this bronze medal in 1827 to commemorate the Concordat between Pope Leo XII and King Willem I. The medal highlights the complex interplay between political power and religious authority in the 19th-century Netherlands. The medal features the profiles of the Pope and King facing each other, symbolizing their agreement. The reverse side shows a triangle with Hebrew characters, surrounded by symbols of religious and secular power, such as a bishop's mitre, keys, and a lion. The latin inscription 'Beati Qui Faciunt Pacem' translates to 'Blessed are the peacemakers'. The Kingdom of the Netherlands had only been established in 1815, after the Napoleonic era, and its predominantly Protestant monarchy sought to establish a stable relationship with the Catholic Church. The Concordat aimed to regulate the rights and privileges of Catholics within the Kingdom. Understanding the medal requires us to delve into the political and religious history of the Netherlands. We might consult archives, religious documents, and political treatises to fully understand the context. By doing so, we can appreciate how this small object encapsulates significant social and institutional dynamics of its time.