DOI article:
Taradaj, Paulina: Quo non augustior alter: a few remarks on the series of small medals issued to commemorate the maneuvers of the Saxon armies at Mühlberg in 1730
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49247#0197
QUO NON AUGUSTIOR ALTER. A FEW REMARKS ON THE SERIES...
attempt to build up Frederick Augustus I’s position in his efforts to secure the Polish
throne following the death of John III Sobieski. These efforts go back to at least 1691.8
A number of medals were minted during Augustus Il’s career that purported
to celebrate his military expertise. There is the medal commemorating his victory
over the prince of Conti in 1697, though the iconography of this medal has little in
common with the true course of events.9 There is the medal commemorating the
return of Kamieniec Podolski in 1699;10 however, taking into account the peaceful
circumstances in which the fortress was recovered,* 11 it is difficult to classify this
medal as one that is “typically” of military fame. There is the medal (of which two
versions are known) which has its origin in the capturing of the fortress at Koborn
(Coberschantz) in 1700 during the Saxon invasion of Livonia at the beginning of
the Great Northern War.12 There is also the medal commemorating the capture of
Stralsund in 1715; however, this medal emphasized above all the alliance between
Saxony, Denmark, and Prussia against Sweden.13 It was not until many years later
that the next opportunity to mint a medal presented itself, and this was the military
maneuvers at Mühlberg14 in June of 1730. Calculated to attain the greatest renown, not
only were these maneuvers supposed to show the military might of Saxony but also
the famed luxury and splendor of court celebrations during the reign of Augustus II.15
Their organization was a way of reorienting foreign policy by tightening the relations
between Saxony and Prussia in the final years of Augustus Il’s reign. The Prussian
king Frederick William I Hohenzollern (1713-1740) and his son, the future successor
to the throne, Frederick the Great (1740-1786),16 participated in the maneuvers
as guests.
8 STASZEWSKI 1998: 46.
91 write about this in my article “August II jako sukcesor i kontynuator Jana III Sobieskiego. Propaganda
królewska na medalach z lat 1697-1699” (forthcoming). In relation to the medal itself, see: STAHR 2008:118, no. 137.
With further literature.
10 See the medal in: Ibidem'. 125, no. 151. With further literature.
111.e. the evacuation of the Turkish garrison in accordance with the provisions of the peace treaty in Karłowice.
12 BENTKOWSKI 1830: 98, no. 334; see also: RACZYŃSKI 1841: 67, no. 302; BENTKOWSKI 1830: 98,
no. 335; cf. RACZYŃSKI 1841: 70, no. 303.
13 Sec the medal in: HUTTEN-CZAPSKI 1891: 272, no. 8800 (Inv. no. MNK VII-Md-827). This is not the
only medal to come from this occasion. See: HUTTEN-CZAPSKI 1872: 392, no. 4632 (Inv. no. MNK VII-Md-828);
IDEM 1891: 272, no. 8801 (Inv. no. MNK VII-Md-829). Because of their unique inscriptions in German - about
which more will be said later on in the article - we are justified in having certain doubts as to whether the rest of
these medals were definitely official medals.
14 Actually, the maneuvers took place at Zcithcin, which is near Mühlberg. It was no accident that Augustus
chose this location, for it was at Mühlberg that Augustus’ ancestor Maurice of Wettin supported Emperor Charles V
in his battle against the Protestant Schmalkaldic League. For his support, he was awarded the title of elector, which
had previously been reserved for the Ernestine branch but from this point onwards was reserved for rulers from
the Albertine branch.
15 Acomprehensive description of the event can be found in Mercure de France', see: ANONYM 1730:380-382.
(https://babcl.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015080105276;view=lup;seq=340) (accessed January 10, 2019)
16 STASZEWSKI 1998: 259-261; IDEM 1997: 119-120, 130.
193
attempt to build up Frederick Augustus I’s position in his efforts to secure the Polish
throne following the death of John III Sobieski. These efforts go back to at least 1691.8
A number of medals were minted during Augustus Il’s career that purported
to celebrate his military expertise. There is the medal commemorating his victory
over the prince of Conti in 1697, though the iconography of this medal has little in
common with the true course of events.9 There is the medal commemorating the
return of Kamieniec Podolski in 1699;10 however, taking into account the peaceful
circumstances in which the fortress was recovered,* 11 it is difficult to classify this
medal as one that is “typically” of military fame. There is the medal (of which two
versions are known) which has its origin in the capturing of the fortress at Koborn
(Coberschantz) in 1700 during the Saxon invasion of Livonia at the beginning of
the Great Northern War.12 There is also the medal commemorating the capture of
Stralsund in 1715; however, this medal emphasized above all the alliance between
Saxony, Denmark, and Prussia against Sweden.13 It was not until many years later
that the next opportunity to mint a medal presented itself, and this was the military
maneuvers at Mühlberg14 in June of 1730. Calculated to attain the greatest renown, not
only were these maneuvers supposed to show the military might of Saxony but also
the famed luxury and splendor of court celebrations during the reign of Augustus II.15
Their organization was a way of reorienting foreign policy by tightening the relations
between Saxony and Prussia in the final years of Augustus Il’s reign. The Prussian
king Frederick William I Hohenzollern (1713-1740) and his son, the future successor
to the throne, Frederick the Great (1740-1786),16 participated in the maneuvers
as guests.
8 STASZEWSKI 1998: 46.
91 write about this in my article “August II jako sukcesor i kontynuator Jana III Sobieskiego. Propaganda
królewska na medalach z lat 1697-1699” (forthcoming). In relation to the medal itself, see: STAHR 2008:118, no. 137.
With further literature.
10 See the medal in: Ibidem'. 125, no. 151. With further literature.
111.e. the evacuation of the Turkish garrison in accordance with the provisions of the peace treaty in Karłowice.
12 BENTKOWSKI 1830: 98, no. 334; see also: RACZYŃSKI 1841: 67, no. 302; BENTKOWSKI 1830: 98,
no. 335; cf. RACZYŃSKI 1841: 70, no. 303.
13 Sec the medal in: HUTTEN-CZAPSKI 1891: 272, no. 8800 (Inv. no. MNK VII-Md-827). This is not the
only medal to come from this occasion. See: HUTTEN-CZAPSKI 1872: 392, no. 4632 (Inv. no. MNK VII-Md-828);
IDEM 1891: 272, no. 8801 (Inv. no. MNK VII-Md-829). Because of their unique inscriptions in German - about
which more will be said later on in the article - we are justified in having certain doubts as to whether the rest of
these medals were definitely official medals.
14 Actually, the maneuvers took place at Zcithcin, which is near Mühlberg. It was no accident that Augustus
chose this location, for it was at Mühlberg that Augustus’ ancestor Maurice of Wettin supported Emperor Charles V
in his battle against the Protestant Schmalkaldic League. For his support, he was awarded the title of elector, which
had previously been reserved for the Ernestine branch but from this point onwards was reserved for rulers from
the Albertine branch.
15 Acomprehensive description of the event can be found in Mercure de France', see: ANONYM 1730:380-382.
(https://babcl.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015080105276;view=lup;seq=340) (accessed January 10, 2019)
16 STASZEWSKI 1998: 259-261; IDEM 1997: 119-120, 130.
193