Lodewijk II, koning van Hongarije en Bohemen, gevallen in de slag op Mohacs, ter ere van zijn vrouw Maria van Hongarije 1526

This silver medal commemorates Lodewijk II, King of Hungary and Bohemia, who died at the Battle of Mohács in 1526. It was likely commissioned by his wife, Maria of Hungary. Medals like this functioned as portable monuments in the early modern period. They circulated amongst elites, helping to forge collective identities and historical consciousness. This medal testifies to the importance of dynastic marriage in 16th-century European politics. The obverse shows Lodewijk in profile, framed by heraldic devices. The reverse depicts his death in battle against the Ottoman Empire. The Battle of Mohács was a catastrophic defeat for the Hungarian kingdom, resulting in its partition. This medal presents Lodewijk as a martyr who died defending Christendom, eliding the complex political factors behind the Hungarian defeat. By studying such objects alongside archival sources like letters, chronicles, and diplomatic records, we can better understand how historical events were perceived and instrumentalized in the past. The meaning of art is always shaped by its context.