Jan van Leiden after 1608

This engraving of Jan van Leiden was created by Christoffel van Sichem I. Dominating the upper-right corner is a globe surmounted by a crown, pierced by two crossed swords. This emblem symbolizes sovereign power and militant authority, common in heraldry, evoking the subject’s dominion over the city of Münster. Consider the sceptre he holds—a symbol of leadership seen in ancient depictions of rulers and deities, from Zeus with his thunderbolt to medieval monarchs with their ornate staffs. The sceptre evolved from simple staffs to elaborate objects, reflecting the increasing complexity of political and religious power. In Leiden's time, Anabaptist leaders were seen as heretics. Here, the potent symbols of crown and sceptre are used to convey not only the power but also the psychological projection of authority onto a figure who, in the eyes of many, was a dangerous revolutionary. The image plays with our collective memory of leadership, inviting us to question the true nature of power and its seductive allure. This symbol returns, a persistent echo across the corridors of time.