Description
On 29 August 1526, near the villages of Mohács, Majs and Udvar, the Hungarian army of Louis II, King of Hungary and Bohemia (r. 1516–1526), fought against a much larger invading force of the Ottoman Empire, thus establishing the Battle of Mohács as a symbol of Hungarian bravery, despite its unfortunate outcome. This fateful clash was one of the most important battles for the mediaeval Kingdom of Hungary and for Central European history. It had consequences reaching far beyond the battlefield itself, including the death of Louis II, King of Hungary and Bohemia, along with many representatives of the Hungarian clergy and nobility. The death of the king resulted in a crisis in domestic politics and the election of two new kings, paving the way for a long partition of the realm. Thus, in Hungarian historical memory, Mohács came to symbolise the end of a glorious mediaeval period and the beginning of centuries of struggle.
Front: The front of the coin shows a composition recalling the divided gate of the Mohács National Memorial Site, rising above a stylised burial mound marked with crosses that is pierced vertically with a sword and bears the final lines of the 1821 poem ‘Mohács’ by Károly Kisfaludy: “… A MULT CSAK PÉLDA LEGYEN MOST, S ÉGVE HONÉRT BIZTON NÉZZEN ELŐRE SZEMÜNK, ÉS TE VIRULJ, GYÁSZTÉR! A BÉKE MALASZTOS ÖLÉBEN, NEMZETI NAGYLÉTÜNK HAJDANI SIRJA MOHÁCS!” (Let the past remain but an example, as we look to the future, inspired by love of country! Cradled in peace, let flowers spring forth over this great cemetery, Mohács, once grave to our country’s greatness!) and a mass of jumbled weapons below. The legend “MAGYARORSZÁG” (Hungary) is found at the top, with the date “2026” to the left and the mint mark “BP.” on the right.
Back:The back of the coin depicts knights representing warriors from Hungary and other European countries riding into battle against a crescent-shaped ring of spears symbolising the Ottoman army, with a spear bearing a crescent moon and horse tails at the top. The logo “Mohács 500” can be seen at the upper right, with the denomination “6000” and “forint” below between two opposing spears and a horizontal line. The master mark of designer Zoltán Endrődy is located at the left edge on the back, underneath the knights.
