Nomos 5

Holy Roman Empire. Ferdinand I. 1521-1558-1564. Thick ‘Schautaler’ (Silver, 31.72mm, 26.21 g 11), undated but struck in 1531. Jugate crowned busts of Ferdinand and Anne of Hungary to right, both wearing robes and the Order of the Golden Fleece Rev. .FERDI-/NANDVS.ET./ANNA.ROM.HV-/NG.BOHE.REX.ET/REGINA.ARCHI/D.AVST.DUC:BVRG.Z& Fiala, Donebauer, 1013. Markl 2097. Montenuovo Collection 598. Minor marks, but attractively toned and unusually nice. Nearly extremely fine.

Ferdinand was the younger brother of Charles V, the son of Philip the Handsome of Burgundy and Joanna of Castile. He was given great responsibility from an early age; being made Archduke of Austria in 1521, King of Bohemia and Hungary, Croatia, Dalmatia et al. in 1526, and King of Rome (and Charles’ heir as emperor) in 1531 (he was crowned at Aachen). He married Anne of Bohemia and Hungary in 1521 and they immediately began having children; there were 15 in all, one who subsequently became emperor Maximilian II, two who died as infants, three who became nuns and one who was the ancestress of both Charles II of England and Louis XIII of France (Johanna, wife of Francesco I de’Medici). On this medal, struck for the Roman coronation on 11 January 1531, Anne is shown already somewhat plump with her fifth child, Maria, who would be born almost exactly 4 months later.