★ Samuel Alousianos, grandson of the Bulgarian tsar Ivan Vladislav ★

Samuel Alousianos, proedros and doux, circa 1070-1090. Seal (Lead, 25 mm, 17.30 g, 12 h). The Mother of God seated facing on a high-backed, cushioned throne holding nimbate infant Christ in front of her. Rev. +ΘΚЄ / ROHΘЄI / CAMOVHΛ / ΠPOЄΔPω / S Δ૪KI Tω / AΛOVCI/ANω in seven lines. Jordanov, Corpus II 25a. Seibt/Zarnitz 3.1.9. Cf. Jordanov, Corpus II 25b, Stavrakos 9 and Wassiliou/Seibt, BBÖ II p. 244, n. 42 (for a similar type of the same person). Minor marks and roughness, otherwise, good very fine.

Samuel Alousianos was a grandson of the Bulgarian tsar Ivan Vladislav who had familial ties to the Byzantine emperor, as his sister was the first wife of Romanus IV Diogenes. In 1069, as a commander of the five western tagmata wintering in the Armenian themes, he was ordered to attack the Frankish rebel mercenary commander Robert Crispin, or Krispinos. The Byzantine forces were ambushed and defeated, but Samuel survived to rise to the rank of proedros.