A graphic work depicting the entrance of Anna Habsburg into Krakow

A royal wedding is a special event in the life of a country. It was usually determined by political interests, and the bride saw her future husband for the first time just one or a few days before the wedding. However, weddings were extremely important for the state, not only because of the ceremony, but also because of the changes in the political life of the country, often pitting the nobles against each other.

The print depicts the solemn arrival of Anna Habsburg in Krakow. Immediately after the wedding, the work was published with a description in German. The small copper engraving is not only interesting because it depicts a late 16th-century ceremony. At the same time, it is a very informative source, and the information it contains is consistent with the events described in written sources of the time. The graphic work depicts several scenes related to the Queen entrance. Empty carriages can be seen at the top left. This is because from the moment that Anna Habsburg met Sigismund Vasa, she travelled on to Kraków with her closest entourage in a carriage sent by her husband. The tents are again shown below, again not by chance. Royal weddings took place at different times of the year, but always in the fields before Krakow, such tents were set up for the guests, the sovereign and his entourage. They provided protection from the hot sun, rain or snow. In 1592, as many as four tents were erected. Surviving descriptions show that they were Turkish and very ornately embroidered. A red cloth was stretched between the tents, whatever the weather. A large canopy between the tents depicts a meeting between Sigismund Vasa and Anna Habsburg in May 1592. The third scene at the bottom shows a procession with a lithe Sigismund Vasa and a carriage carrying Anna Habsburg. They moved towards the city gates of Kraków, where they were met by cannon salute.