Emperor Isaac II was born in 1156 to the Angelos family, who were distantly related to the ruling Imperial family. Isaac first shows up in the history books during the reign of Andronikos I was he was leading a revolt in Nicaea against him. Surprisingly, Andronikos didn't have Isaac executed, and he was allowed to live in relative peace in the capital. This show of mercy would be Andronikos's downfall, as he was greatly despised and hated by the people in Constantinople who were more than willing to replace him with a member of the extended Imperial clan. Isaac waited until Andronikos was out of the capital and then launched his revolt. Andronikos was eventually hunted down and brutally killed. Isaac II inherited a weakened Empire, the turks were slowly advancing in Anatolia, the Normans() were invading Illyria and Greece, and the Imperial coffers were empty. The most pressing issue for the new monarch was the Normans who had recently sacked Thessaloniki, and who were marching toward Constantinople with the intent to destroy the Empire. Isaac must have been nervous about this situation and for a good reason; the Normans were the elite shock troopers of their day who had laid waste to numerous armies. Isaac sent the most qualified man in the Roman Empire, and possibly the entire east, to beat the Normans: Alexios Branas. Branas's army was composed of Mercenaries, some were of Norman extraction, and local levees and numbered about 25,000. The Normans, on the other hand, were said to number over 90,000 and were composed of Norman Knights and local Sicilian levees. The battle between the two armies is not well documented, but we know that both armies came to a sort of temporary truce until Branas surprised the Normans and routed them. The battle broke the Norman Kingdom of Sicily, within a few years they were to be conquered by the Holy Roman Empire. It was said that the Normans lost over 80,000 men compared to a few thousand "Byzantines." The victory at Demetrizes over the Normans should have ushered in a new era for the Romans as they had effectively destroyed their biggest rival and threat. Instead, it would be remembered as the final war that "Byzantium" would decisively win. A few months after the victory the Bulgarians revolted against Imperial rule. Isaac sent Branas to deal with the rebellion in 1186. Branas had a good amount of success and was about to crush the rebellion until he got the idea to revolt against Isaac. Branas's rebellion failed, but it allowed the bulgarians to regroup and defeat the next army Isaac sent against them. After the loss of the war with bugaria, Isaac became detached from reality and didn't care about governing. The Empire was already atrophied after the death of Manuel Komnenos in 1180, but the neglect of Isaac furthered the decline and fall of the Eastern Roman Empire. Isaac II would be overthrown in 1195 by his brother who surprisingly would be worse for the Empire, but thats a story for another time. The Empire only two years into Isaac's reign. Note the loss of bulgaria and serbia. A picture of Emperor Isaac II himself. Isaac II Billon Trachy A Norman Knight.
Great writeup, and a nice coin too... it's not easy to find a reverse of that quality. This is always described as Mary "holding the head of the infant Christ", which always strikes me as rather bizarre. Very clear on your example, though! My Isaac, of more pedestrian quality: And my Andronikos I: Good to see some Byzantine getting a little love!
Same ol' winner write-up, Mag-Max ... Ummm, I have a humble example of this fella as well ... Isaac II BI Trachy 1185-1195 AD Mary with baby Christ & Isaac II
Great write-up! Although I do not focus much beyond BCE, your Late Roman, Byzantine, and Early Medieval write-ups are pretty cool. I enjoy you tying history to a coin that represents that time-frame. Very nice. The Scyphate is pretty cool too. I only have one Scyphate remotely from this era.
Nice write up. ISAAC II ANGELUS (1185-95 A.D.) Billon Aspron TRACHY O: MP ThV, The Virgin seated on a throne, facing. She holds a nimbate head of the infant Christ facing. R: I/CAA/KI/OC DEC/PO/TH/C, Isaac standing facing, holding a cruciform scepter and akakia. Constantinople mint, 1185 - 1195 A.D. 4.93g SB 2003, BMC 19-31.
nice write up MM! a coin of isacc ii was my favorite byzantine pick up of 2016..... Isaac II Angelus, 1185-1195 AD O: Mary, holding infant Christ, R: Emperor. Constantinople mint. SB 2003, 3.2g 29 mm
In an interesting twist of fate - Alexius Branas was killed in a confruntation with the Imperial forces lead by Conrad de Montferrat in 1187 - his son Theodore Branas would play a crucial role in the first period of the Latin Empire of Constantinople as a faithful vassal to the Latin Emperors Baldwin I of Flanders and Henry of Flanders against the Bulgarian onslaught in Thrace. It's possible (although the consensus now is rather against this hypothesis) that he might have minted baronial coinage in Thrace in his own name as vassal to Henry of Flanders. If there is interest in this adjacent issue, I wrote an article about it here.
Fascinating. Sorry for being late, but here is mine: And to Stevex6: I am very sure your is not an Isaac. Perhaps Theodore Lascaris or Latin ruler?: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=88770.0 Here my Lascaris which I think is the same kind of your(Lascaris or Latin Ruler):
Thanks, Herberto ... looking-back at my coin-notes, I'm fairly sure you say this every time I post this example (maybe one day I'll get it right, eh?)
