König Heinrich I. im zeitgenössischen Siegel- und Münzbild.

The contemporary portraits of Duke Henry of Saxony, who was elected king in 919, and is also known as, Henry the Fowler', have not been investigated as a whole so far, though the 1100th anniversary of his ascension to the throne was celebrated last year. Research in this period with only few surviving written documents and artificial objects has to consider original charters and their still existing seals, as well as art objects, mainly in carved stones, and even archaeological contexts, especially coins respectively jewels. The first seal of King Henry survives only in the form of two prints from the years 920 and 925. His profile bust appears slightly humble with a simple circlet and his military coat, the paludamentum, without a representative brooch. However, it clearly reflects the style of Roman emperors which is known from classical gemstones or their post-antique imitations. Such gems were constantly used by the Carolingian kings for sealing their documents until Louis IV. the Child around 910. The importance King Henry placed on demonstrating unity, especially in his early reign, is evident from the first mentioned charter from 920, a privilege for the venerable monastery of Fulda. There, at the burial place of his direct predecessor, Conrad I. and also of Saint Boniface, Henry explicitly proclaimed himself successor of Louis and Conrad. On this occasion, Henry had the opportunity to take a look at the military type of Conrad's seal which survives at his privilege for the monastery of Fulda from 912. - No later than 922 Henry started to use a new seal when celebrating Easter at his newly founded residence in Quedlinburg in Saxony. In this second seal Henry is presented as a distinguished ruler and powerful leader with a highly decorated crown, wearing a shield and raising his (Holy) Lance. This image may be interpreted as a sign of consolidated kingship and ensured dynasty. Traces on the surviving seal prints indicate that the matrices of both seals were made from semiprecious stones, probably rock crystal. The region in which carving of rock crystals was at this time highly developed was Lotharingia, especially the area between Aachen, Metz and Treves. - A third portrait further illustrates the exemplary function of Roman emperor portraits for the royal representation of Henry. The so-called Heginric-Medaillon came to light at the archaeological site of Klein-Roscharden II near Oldenburg (conserved at Berlin, Münzkabinett). The inscribed little silver relief was manufactured in the technique of coins and later garnished with filigree as a jewel. It clearly imitates Late Roman coinage, as can be seen on the imperial diadem which had been in use since Constantine I. Highly precious coins of gold, the so-called multipla, found their way as tributes to Central Europe and came into the possession of Frankish and even Saxon elites, as proven by a recent find at Fredenbeck/Lower Saxony. So there is clear evidence that the Late Antique and Carolingian portrait tradition remained essential for the representation of the king of a new dynasty. Henry himself could and probably did wear the matrices of his seals, made of transparent rock crystal with a metal setting, as a highly impressive jewel with his own ideal portrait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]