Why was this made and how was it used?
The seal of Emperor Henry of Flanders is one of the many seals that would be necessary for authenticating and protecting imperial documents. The images and inscriptions on each side manifest a unique interpretation of the emperor for those who come across a document with his seal. Each side of the seal presents a compelling connection for the emperor through displaying religious authority on the obverse side and military expertise on the reverse side.
If you received a document with this seal, you would see both sides of the seal imprinted on the bottom of the document. The images and inscriptions on this particular seal reflect the emperor’s authority over the empire; and so, people would understand the significance of the emperor being linked to religious power and military pursuits to respect his authority.