WIP: The Byzantine Coinage of Nicephorus I (802-811)

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Nicephorus I (802-811)

Nikephoros I or Nicephorus I was Byzantine Emperor from 802 to 811 AD, when he was killed in the Battle of Pliska.

A patrician from Seleucia Sidera, Nikephoros was appointed finance minister (logothetēs tou genikou) by the Empress Irene. With the help of the patricians and eunuchs he contrived to dethrone and exile Irene, and to be chosen as Emperor in her stead on October 31, 802. He crowned his son Staurakios co-emperor in 803.

His rule was endangered by Bardanes Tourkos, one of his ablest generals, who revolted and received support from other commanders, notably the later emperors Leo V the Armenian and Michael II the Amorian in 803.

But Nikephoros gained over the latter two, and by inducing the rebel army to disperse achieved the submission of Bardanes, who was blinded and relegated to a monastery. A conspiracy headed by the patrician Arsaber had a similar issue.

Nikephoros embarked on a general reorganization of the Empire, creating new themes in the Balkans (where he initiated the re-Hellenization by resettling Greeks from Anatolia) and strengthening the frontiers. Needing large sums to increase his military forces, he set himself with great energy to increase the Empire's revenue. By his rigorous tax imposts he alienated the favour of his subjects, and especially of the clergy, whom he otherwise sought to control firmly. Although he appointed an iconodule, Nikephoros as patriarch, Emperor Nikephoros was portrayed as a villain by ecclesiastical historians like Theophanes the Confessor.

In 803 Nikephoros concluded a treaty, called the "Pax Nicephori", with Charlemagne, but refused to recognize the latter's imperial dignity. Relations deteriorated and led to a war over Venice in 806–810. In the process Nikephoros had quelled a Venetian rebellion in 807, but suffered extensive losses to the Franks. The conflict was resolved only after Nikephoros' death, and Venice, Istria, the Dalmatian coast and South Italy were assigned to the East, while Rome, Ravenna and the Pentapolis were included in the Western realm.

By withholding the tribute which Irene had agreed to pay to the caliph Hārūn al-Rashīd, Nikephoros committed himself to a war against the Arabs. Compelled by Bardanes' disloyalty to take the field himself, he sustained a severe defeat at the Battle of Krasos in Phrygia (805). In 806 a Muslim army of 135,000 men invaded the Empire. Unable to counter the Muslim numbers, Nikephoros agreed to make peace on condition of paying 50,000 nomismata immediately and a yearly tribute of 30,000 nomismata. With a succession struggle enveloping the caliphate on the death of Hārūn al-Rashīd in 809, Nikephoros was free to deal with Krum, Khan of Bulgaria, who was harassing his northern frontiers and had just conquered Serdica (Sofia).

In 811 Nikephoros invaded Bulgaria, defeated Krum twice, and sacked the Bulgarian capital Pliska; however, during Nikephoros' retreat, the Byzantine army was ambushed and destroyed in the mountain passes on July 26 by Krum. Nikephoros was killed in the battle, the second Eastern Emperor to suffer this fate since Valens in the Battle of Adrianople (August 9, 378). Krum is said to have made a drinking-cup of Nikephoros' skull.



Adapted from Wikipedia

Metal: AV Denomination: Solidus Mint: Constantinople Obv: Facing bust, with short beard, wearing crown and chlamys , holding cross potent and akakia Rev: Facing bust, wearing crown and loros , holding globus cruciger and cross-tipped sceptre References: Sear-1615; DOC-1a Provenance: Numismatica Ars Classica Auction 84, Lot 1356

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Metal: AV Denomination: Solidus Mint: Syracuse Obv: Crowned and bearded facing bust of Michael, wearing loros and holding cross potent in right hand Rev: Crowned and beardless bust of Theophylactus facing, wearing chlamys and holding globus cruciger in right hand References: Sear-1620; DOC-7 Provenance: Heritage Auctions, Inc. Auction 3035, Lot 29545

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Metal: AV Denomination: Semissis Mint: Syracuse Obv: Bust of Michael facing, with short beard, wearing crown and chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia Rev: Bust of Michael, with short beard, wearing crown and chlamys, holding cross potent on globus and akakia References: Sear-1621; DOC-5 Provenance: Stack's The Golden Horn Collection, Lot 3194

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Metal: AV Denomination: Tremissis Mint: Constantinople Obv: Crowned, draped and bearded bust of Michael I facing, holding cross on globe Rev: Crowned, draped and beardless bust of Theophylactus facing, holding cross potent on base References: DOC-2 Provenance: H. Goodacre, Notes on Some Rare Byzantine Coins, The Numismatic Chronicle, Vol. 11, No. 43 (1931), pp. 155, Pl. XI, 8

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Metal: AV Denomination: Tremissis Mint: Syracuse Obv: Crowned, draped and bearded bust of Michael I facing, holding cross on globe Rev: Crowned, draped and beardless bust of Theophylactus facing, holding cross potent on base References: Sear-1623; DOC-6 Provenance: Leu Numismatik AG Auction 86, Lot 1121

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Metal: AR Denomination: Miliaresion Mint: Constantinople Obv: Crowned and facing busts of Michael, wearing chlamys, and Theophilus, wearing loros Rev: Large M between X/X/X and N/N/N; above, cross; beneath, A References: Sear-1616; DOC-3 Provenance: Gemini LLC Auction III, Lot 530

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Metal: AE Denomination: Follis Mint: Constantinople Obv: Crowned and facing bust of Michael, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and scepter Rev: Large M between X/X/X and N/N/N; above, cross; beneath, A References: Sear-1617; DOC-7, under Michael II Provenance: Savoca Numismatik GmbH Auction 7, Lot 634

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Metal: AE Denomination: Follis Mint: Constantinople Obv: Crowned and facing busts of Michael, wearing chlamys, and Theophilus, wearing loros Rev: Large M between X/X/X and N/N/N; above, cross; beneath, A References: Sear-1618; DOC-8, under Michael II Provenance: CNG Mail Bid Sale #58, Lot 1461

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Metal: AE Denomination: Follis Mint: Syracuse Obv: Crowned bearded bust of Michael facing, wearing loros and holding cross potent Rev: Crowned beardless bust of Michael facing, wearing chlamys and holding globus cruciger References: Sear-1624; DOC-9; Anastasi-477 Provenance: CNG Electronic Auction 354, Lot 677

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Metal: AE Denomination: Follis Mint: Syracuse Obv: Crowned bust of Michael facing, with short beard, wearing loros, and holding cross potent Rev: Crowned bust of Theophylactus facing, wearing chlamys, holding cross on globe References: Sear-1625; DOC-10 Provenance: CNG Electronic Auction 246, Lot 511

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References

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Bellinger, Alfred R., Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection - Volume III, Part 1, Dumbarton Oaks, 1973
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