Mislukte vredesonderhandelingen te Keulen 1579

Gerard van Bylaer's "Mislukte vredesonderhandelingen te Keulen" (1579) is a small bronze medal commemorating the failed peace negotiations in Cologne. The obverse depicts a lion, a symbol of the Netherlands, standing on a sword beneath a tall pillar with a cross on top. The reverse features a figure of the Prince-Bishop of Cologne with a cross and a crowned figure standing nearby. The medal commemorates the failed attempt to achieve peace between the Spanish Empire and the Dutch rebels in 1579. The medal is a fascinating historical artifact reflecting the political and religious tensions of the time.