106. Taler Coin, Gabriel Bethlen, Principality of Transylvania, 1628, Silver

Selling price

EUR 1.500

Session

Wed, 24 September 2025 18:00

Gabriel Bethlen (1580–1629), the prince of Transylvania between 1613 and 1629, was one of the most influential figures in Central Europe in the first half of the 17th century. Through his savvy internal and external politics, he turned Transylvania into a respected regional power, in a context dominated by the religious and political conflicts of the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). Bethlen was a fervent supporter of Protestantism, promoting religious reform and consolidating the educational, cultural, and administrative institutions of the principality. He strengthened Transylvania's autonomy in relation to the Habsburg Empire, whose expansionism he fought through diplomacy and military interventions. He managed to be recognized not only as the prince of Transylvania but also - for a short time - as the elected king of Hungary, with the support of the Hungarian nobility and the Turks. Regarding relations with other Romanian countries, Gabriel Bethlen played an active and influential role. He intervened several times in Wallachia and Moldova, supporting or removing rulers depending on his political interests and the context of external alliances. Although some of these interventions generated instability, they reflect the political importance that Bethlen had in the region and his desire to keep the extracarpathian Romanian space, situated between the Ottoman and Habsburg Empires, under his influence. Also, through alliances with Sweden, the Netherlands, and the Protestant German states, Bethlen brought Transylvania to the forefront of European politics. He actively participated in the Thirty Years' War on the side of the Protestant coalition, gaining territorial advantages and international recognition.

Dimensions

custom d=44 mm

Description

silver

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