Bronze medal with loop for ribbon suspension; the face with fine and detailed head and shoulders portraits of Emperors Wilhelm II of Germany and Franz Josef I of Austria-Hungary in uniform inscribed ‘II. VILMOS’ and ‘I. FERENC JOZSEF’ within a beaded border; the reverse inscribed ‘EMLÉK II IK VILMÓS NÉMET CSÁSZÁR Ő FELSÉGÉNEK BUDAPESTEN LÉTÉRŐL SZEPTEMBER HÓ 20. 1897 ÉVI’; a scratch to Kaiser Wilhelm’s cheek; on a recent ribbon in the Hungarian national colours. The Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary came into existence with the treaty of 7 October 1879. Under its provisions, mutual aid was pledged in the event of an attack by Russia on either and benign neutrality in the case of attack by another European power. As German might increased in the last decades of the 19th Century, Austria-Hungary became increasingly reliant on her support in international affairs and this was an important factor in the events of 1914 escalating from Austro-Serb conflict to World War. The fine quality of the medal suggests it was not a commercial issue but perhaps for presentation to notable participants in the Imperial visit.
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