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Description
Gabriel Bethlen (Hungarian: Bethlen Gábor; 1580–1629) ruled as Prince of Transylvania from 1613 to 1629 and as Duke of Opole from 1622 to 1625. He briefly held the title of King-elect of Hungary from 1620 to 1621, though he never fully controlled the kingdom. Supported by the Ottomans, Bethlen led his Calvinist principality against the Habsburgs and their Catholic allies, playing a significant role in Central European politics and military affairs.
During his reign, Bethlen focused on modernizing Transylvania's administration and economy while advocating for religious tolerance, particularly toward Protestants. He adeptly navigated alliances with the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy to maintain Transylvania's autonomy and regional influence.
Bethlen's era saw cultural and intellectual blossoming, with Transylvania becoming a hub of Renaissance and Baroque influences. Despite facing challenges to his ambitions for Transylvanian independence from both internal dissent and external pressures, Bethlen's diplomatic prowess and military campaigns left a lasting impact on Hungarian and European history, earning him recognition as one of Transylvania's most capable rulers.
Engraved: Sándor Tóth
Obverse
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Depicts a side profile portrait of Gabriel Bethlen. Alongside the portrait, the engraver's initials (TS) on the bottom right. •1629-1979 • • BETHLEN • GÁBOR |
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Reverse
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The main motif is inspired by Gabriel Bethlen's coins, featuring a coat of arms composed of Hungarian and Transylvanian elements, with the coat of arms of the Bethlen family in the center and the Holy Crown of Hungary above it. The mintmark (BP.) is below the coat of arms. Surrounded by the Latin abbreviations used on the coins of Bethlen Gábor for his titles (Gabriel Bethlen, King of Hungary, Duke of Opole, Prince of Transylvania, and Count of the Székelys). MAGYAR NÉPKÖZTÁRSASÁG |
| Edge |
The surface of the coin's mantle is smooth, adorned with negative relief decoration. On the mantle surface, 12 alternating tulip and star motifs are featured. |
200 Forint
People's Republic
350th Anniversary of Death of Gabriel Bethlen
KM# 616 Unger# 1616 Adamo# EM58
350th Anniversary of Death of Gabriel Bethlen
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