Alexios III was born in 1153 to the extended Imperial clan in Constantinople. Most of Alexios's childhood is unknown, but it certain that he helped overthrow Andronicus I in 1185. When his brother Isaac became Emperor after Andronicus's death, Alexios quickly rose to prominence in the Imperial court; he was made Sebastokrator and held sway over much of the court. In a twist of Shakespearian drama, Alexios would betray his brother while he was on a hunting trip and away from the capital. The only reasons why historians think that Alexios would betray and blind his brother is that he was a very narcissistic and greedy individual. Anyhow, Alexios had his brother blinded and imprisoned in Constantinople. As you may know from my last post, Issac was a piss poor Emperor who gave up on actually governing the Empire after the bulgarian uprising of 1185/6. Thus the Empire that Alexios inherited was already on the decline with the turks overrunning the east and the hungarians and slavs scooping up territory in the Balkans. The only good news for the Empire was that their mortal nemesis, the Sicilian-Normans, were effectively destroyed after their disastrous defeat in 1185. Somehow Alexios managed to screw things up even worse for Byzantium. He did this by bankrupting the already cash strapped treasury on lavish gifts for his court and self. He cared little for governance and often stayed at the palace and held lavish banquets, he also bribed local governors and military men in the provinces to remain loyal to him. This technically had the desired effect, but greatly undermined Imperial authority in the long run as the local inhabitants turned to the local military strongman for help instead of the Imperial Government. The only reason why Alexios's sorry butt is as well known to us as he is, is because of his role in the Fourth Crusade. A large crusading army was assembling in Venice at the time for an expedition to Egypt when the son of Issac II, confusingly named Alexios, arrived and asked them to help him regain his throne. The crusaders accepted the offer and made their way to Constantinople. Alexius III made no attempted to resist the slow moving crusader army entering his territory, and didn't even prepare the city of Constantinople for a siege. When the crusaders arrived at the Theodosian walls in the summer of 1203, Alexios III attempted to bribe them but failed. After a siege, the crusaders breached to outer walls and burned down entire sections of the city, leaving 20,000 people homeless. Alexios didn't lift a finger to help. Finally with his generals and advisers pleading with him to defend the city, Alexios took up arms against the crusaders. He lead a large detachment of men and Imperial guards, that vastly outnumbered the crusaders, out of the inner city to fight of the crusaders off but at the last moment he lost heart and fell back to the palace and collected his belongings and fled to Thrace. After not being paid for thier services to Alexios IV, the crusaders sacked the city and formed the latin empire. As for Alexios III, he traveled through Greece and Asia trying to gain support to reconquer his throne. Some how he arrived in the court of the seljuk turks who were more than glad to help him get his throne in exchange for favorable concessions. The turks were defeated by the Empire of Nicea, the successor state to the Eastern Roman Empire, and Alexios fell into their hands and was sent to a monastery to live out the rest of his pathetic life. He died in 1211 at the age of 58 and had ruled the Eastern Roman Empire badly for 8 horrible years. Well, that's it! I've completed my collection of Trachies that start from Alexios I Comnenos and end with Alexios III Angelos. With that collection complete I can now start on my Dukes of Normandy set! Hard to believe that the Byzantine resurgence began with an Alexios and ended with one. As for Alexios III, well need I say more? I think his atrocious record speaks for himself far better than I can. Alexius III angelus-Comnenus. 1195-1203 AD. AE Trachy. Constantinople. , IC-XC to left and right of nimbate bust of Christ facing, right hand raised, holding scroll in left / ALEZIW DECP O KWNTANTI, Alexius, crowned, and St Constantine, nimbate, each wearing divitision and loros, both standing facing, each holding a labarum and the two holding a cross on globe (sometimes a patriarchal cross on globe) between them(Three figures was mint error) 25mm 3.41gr The Empire that Alexios inherited. And the one he left behind.
WOW, great write-up, and CONGRATS on completing a Collection! Would you be able to post a group shot of the Collection??? Cool!
I recently got this little guy as the capstone and final gasp of the Roman Empire: Ottoman Turks Sultan Mahmed II 1451-1481 took Constantinople in 1453 Serez mint AR 1.2g
Another great write up! Congratulations on the set. Alexius III Billon Aspron Trachy 1195 to 1203 AD Obvs: IC XC + KЄ ROHΘЄI, Christ wearing nimbus. Revs: AΛЄЭIω, Alexius and St. Constantine holding globus. 25mm, 3.1g. Constantinople mint
@Alegandron @Orfew Sure, I'll post them later tonight when I get home. In the meantime feel free to post your Trachies or seljuk coins.
Nice write up and coin. Alexius III (1195 - 1203 A.D.) Billon Trachy O: IC-XC, + KE HQEI Bust of Christ facing, beardless, wearing nimbus cross, holding scroll & raising hand in benediction. R: [ALEZIW ECP TW KWCTANTI] Alexius & St. Constantine standing facing, holding labara, globe cross between. Constantinople mint 2.62g 30mm Sear 2013
Thanks! My only Trachy: BZ Manuel I Comnenus 1143-1180 CE Aspron Trachy 35mm 4-6g Christ Gospels Labaran globus cruciger Virgin maphorium SB 1966.JPG I believe those are @John Anthony 's grubby paws!
i have this one of Mehmed ll. it is indeed a candidate for itty bitty @ around 10mm. Mehmed ll was able to breach the walls of the city by Urban (Orban)the cannon master from Brasso Transylvania . Urban had offered his services to Constantine Xl in 1452, but the Byzantine didn't for whatever reasons(CXl should have made a corporate move and did away with Urban, but hindsights always 20/20). Urban then went to Mehmed ll and was promised 6 times more money than was asked, but he never got his gold for he was blown to smithereens by one his own devices in the siege in 1453.
Congrats @Magnus Maximus !! Completing a series/project is always a great feeling! As always, TERRIFIC write-up!!!
