103037 | GERMANY & MONTENEGRO. Nikola's Daughters of Fate cast iron Medal.
Details
103037 | GERMANY & MONTENEGRO. Nikola's Daughters of Fate cast iron Medal. Dated 1916 (82mm, 93.07 g, 12h). By Karl Goetz in München.
NIKITAS SCHICK SALS TOECHTER, the daughters of Nikola I of Montenegro as The Fates, with each daughter's name inscribed below them on the pediment upon which they stand: Militza (wife of Grand Duke Peter Nikolaivich of Russia), holding torch, Stana (Anastasia, wife of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaivich of Russia), holding key surmounted by skull, and Elena (wife of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy), holding serpent // DER SCHWARZEN BERGE (the Black Mountains [= Montenegro]), three hissing serpents entwined about bloody sword pointed left; NIEDER – LAGE (defeat) across field above blade. Edge: Plain.
Kienast 189. Deep charcoal gray surfaces, with a pleasing matte nature; some breaks to the blackening are noted, as well as a few deposits on the obverse.
Here, Goetz alludes to the downfall of Montenegro as being the result of the king's daughters marrying into enemy families—namely, into Italy (who had an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Germany, but instead later chose neutrality) and into Russia (who was on the side of the Entente Powers). They are presented in the form of the Three Moirai, or Fates, on the obverse, turning instead into hissing serpents atop a blood-soaked sword on the reverse.
Upload: 2 January 2025.