bavarikon4UDescription
The obverse shows the striking profile of Duke Joseph Clemens of Bavaria (1688-1723) in ermine coat and with zucchetto (skullcap). The most important offices of the Wittelsbach dynasty can be seen from the title in the transcription: he was Archbishop of Cologne and therefore also Elector of the Holy Roman Empire and Duke of Bavaria. Just before the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) began, Joseph Clemens entered into an alliance with Louis XIV of France (1643-1715). As a result, the Electorate of Cologne became a battleground shortly afterwards and was ravaged by imperial troops. The Archbishop of Cologne had to seek his salvation in French exile. It was only through the Peace of Baden and Rastatt (1714) that he regained all his titles and territories and was therefore able to return to his Bonn residence in 1715. This medal will also have been created during this time. The rainbow here symbolises the past thunderstorms of war. The tree, which was broken off by these storms but is now sprouting again, is not only an allegory of the electorate, but also of its archbishop. The resistance of Duke Joseph Clemens, celebrated by the medal, is also due to his allies, as the legend on the reverse shows.