NOLITE TANGERE medal

The most famous event of the Bar Confederation was the kidnapping of King Stanisław August Poniatowski on 3 November 1771. The aim of the kidnapping (however unsuccessful) was to force the king, whom the confederacy politics did not accept, to abdicate. The scenes depicted on this commemorative medal refer to this episode. The obverse shows two Erinyes (one with a dagger, the other one with a torch) attacking King Stanisław August, with the inscription: NOLITE TANGERE CHRISTOS MEOS (in the rim), HORA X NOCT D. III NOV. MDCCLXXI (in the episode). The reverse shows the already saved king, greeted by the citizens against the background of the Royal Castle. The inscription on the rim reads: OCVLI DOMINI SVPER IVSTOS, in the episode: FIDA POLONIA GAUDET.