Without getting into the political correctness (or lack thereof) of the Crusades... I know that the Crusades started in the early 11th century and continues, on and off, for several hundred years. 1) What historical figures or battles are most well-known in popular culture? I'm thinking: a) Pope Urban’s plea in November 1095, at the Council of Clermont in southern France, that called on Western Christians to take up arms in order to aid the Byzantines and recapture the Holy Land from Muslim control b) King Richard I of England ("Richard the Lionheart" of "Robin Hood" fame) 2) What coins would be most affordable to be representative of the Crusades? Would it be coins that the soldiers carried? Would it be coins depicting kings of the period? Scenes of battles?
Most Crusader coins are either medieval European coins or imitations of Islamic coins of the period. It is nearly impossible to find a true crusader coin with a portrait. There are actually a lot of coins from Acre, Jerusalem, and cities in northern Syria the crusaders controlled. Almost none are gold, so are coins meant for soldiers and citizens to use daily.
Pope Urban II's call for Western warriors to take up the cross was at the bidding of the Byzantine Emperor Alexius. Once in the empire the Crusaders would have encountered and used Byzantine coppers and perhaps merchants and nobles among them would have wound up using Byzantine solidi.
dougmeister, don't forget about the recently features posting by FitzNiegel on the 4th crusade...some good coin ideas in there that wont break the bank.
Here's all I can offer on the subject, a trachy from Constantinople, 1206-1261. From the period Constantinople was held by the crusaders. Quite inexpensive as I recall, but I don't know what I paid for it.
There are whole books on the crusading coins (metcalf is one the comes to mind, but I know there are others). I have not yet read any myself, but Coins of the crusade are a popular collecting area. Some can be found quite cheap too. I had always though a collection of the main kings of the third crusade would be interesting (so Richard the Lionheart of England, Philip Augustus of France, and Frederick Barbarossa of Germany/HRE), but those will be rather pricey (~$100 each). Some of the coins used in the first crusade were imitations of Lucca or Toulouse. s others have stated, there were also Byzantine imitations, and Arabic imitations. Now you've got me wondering how many I have related to the crusades... 1st Crusade Crusader Issue copying Lucca Henry III-V, r. 1035-1125 Crude AR Denier, 15.27mm x 1.1 grams Obv.: H center, IMPERATOR around Rev.: LVCA forming cross, ENRICVS around Note: Found in Holy Land and used by the Crusaders 2nd Crusade Crusader Principality of Antioch Bohemond III, r. 1149-1201 AE Denier, Class B, 16.53mm x 1 gram Obv.: +BOANVNDVS, bare head right Rev.: +ANTIOCHIA, cross in circle Note: Sellar suggests this was during Bohemond's minority (1149-1163 A.D.). The Principality of Antioch was founded by the Normans after the first Crusade 3rd Crusade England Richard I, r. 1189-1199 A.D. London Mint, AR Short Cross Penny, 18mm x 1.8 grams Obv.: henricus Rex Rev.: _ _ _ ard . on . Lund (Ricard, London) Ref.: SCBC 1347 Note: Sole leading King of the Third Crusade to not abandon the war early. Negotiated a two year truce with Saladin, and was captured on his return. This type was used to pay Richard's ransom and became so common in southern Germany that it was imitated there. French Feudal, Poitou Richard I, r. 1169-1199 AR Denier, 17mm x 1 grams Obv.: +RICARDUS REX, a plain cross patée at the ends, annulet in third quarter, within inner circle Rev.: PIC / TAVIE / NSIS, written in three parallel lines Ref.: SCBC 8008 Note: Upon Richard's release, he has to retake his French Lands which Philip Augustus was conquering while Richard was imprisined 4th Crusade Italian States, Venice Pietro Zani, r. 1205-1229 AR Grosso, 19.79 mm, 1.9 grams Obv.: [·+·]P·ZIANI· ·S·M.VENETI outside (Z retrograde), D/U/X down banner held between doge and St. Mark facing Rev.: [I¯C] X¯C across field, Christ enthroned facing. Note: New denomination minted to pay shipwrights for the creation of the 4th Crusade's fleet Crusader Greece - Epirus John II Orsini, r. 1323-1335 (1325) Arta Mint, AE Denier, 18.53mm x 1 grams Obv.: +IOhS DESPOTVS, cross within inner circle Rev.: (+D)E ART(A C)ASTRV, around castle Note: From one of the mini kingdoms created from the Byzantine Empire as a result of the fallout of the Fourth Crusade Albigensian Crusade French Feudal, Toulouse Raymond V-VII, r. 1148-1249 AR Denier, 19mm x 1.1 grams Obv.: RAMON COMES around outside, Cross Pattee in center, S in first quadrant Rev.: +TOLOSA CIVI around outside, PAX in center Note: Raymond VI and his land would be on the receiving end of the Albigensian Crusade (the first called on fellow Christians - the Fourth Crusade may have attacked the a Christian Byzantines, but they were not the intended target) And that's all I've got. I have some minor figures who were involved, but frankly most of Europe was involved in the crusades in some capacity... I'd say Saint Louis of France (Louis VII I think?) would be a good one, then maybe some of the coinage of Herusalem itself. I've been desiring a piece by Tancred for a while, but those are hard to find in good condition (for a price I am willing to pay...)
