After the disastrous Battle of Pliska, where Emperor Nicephorus I died in battle and his skull was silvered and turned into a wine cup, Staurakios ascended to the throne. Unfortunately, he was too injured from the battle having suffered a severed spine to hold onto the throne and thus it passed to Michael I, the son-in-law of Nicephorus I. Michael I was crowned emperor on Oct 2, 811. Michael I short reign ended with yet another disastrous campaign against Khan Krum at the Battle of Versinikia in June 22, 813. Fearing the end was near, he abdicated to his general, Leo V the Armenian and retired to the monastery. Below are most of the coins issued by Michael I. The notable exceptions are his gold coins. Byzantine Empire: Michael I Rhangabe (811-813) AR Miliaresion, Constantinople (Sear 1616; DOC III.3) Obv: IhSЧS XRIS-tЧS ҺICA; Cross potent on three steps; triple border Rev: +MIXA/HL S ΘЄOFV/LACtЄ ЄC Θ'/ bASILIS RO/mAIOҺ legend in five lines; triple border Dim: 2.16 g Byzantine Empire: Michael I Rhangabe (811-813) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1617; DOC III.7, attributed to Michael II) Obv: mIXAHL bASILЄ; Crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and scepter Rev: Large M between X/X/X and N/N/N; cross above; A below Byzantine Empire: Michael I Rhangabe (811-813) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear 1624; DOC III.9; Anastasi 477) Obv: M-I/X/A; Crowned bearded bust of Michael facing, wearing loros and holding cross potent Rev: M-I/X/A; Crowned beardless bust of Michael facing, wearing chlamys and holding globus cruciger Dim: 18mm, 2.11 g, 6h Byzantine Empire: Michael I Rhangabe (811-813) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear 1625; DOC III.10) Obv: M-I/X/A; Crowned bearded bust of Michael facing, wearing loros and holding cross potent Rev: θЄOΦV; Crowned beardless bust of Theophylactus facing, wearing chlamys and holding globus cruciger Dim: 18mm, 2.51 g, 6h
You, sir, win the award for most attention-grabbing intro sentence to a Coin Talk post. Oh, and also, nice coins, thanks for sharing.
Excellent. I have a Michael the amorian and Theophilus follis... Michael was an iconoclast. Currently on my phone so I can't post the pic...
Here is a picture of Khan Krum receiving the skull cup of Nicephorus I as illustrated in Madrid Skylitzes. As a general note, the Sicilian coins of Michael I are scarce to rare and thus rarely shows up in auction.
