Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, 6 June 913 – 9 November 959, with colleagues from 914. Bulla of "one solidus" 913-944, AV 4.16 g. [+ ihSЧS X – RIStЧS*] Facing bust of Christ bearded, with cross behind head, wearing tunic and himation, raising r. hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in l. hand. Rev. Facing busts of Constantine VII on l., Romanus I in centre, and Christophorus on r.: Romanus bearded, wearing crown with cross and loros, Constantine and Christophorus bearded, wearing chlamys. ZV –, cf. 65 (bulla of two solidi). cfr. Spink sale 135, 1999, 228 (gold bulla of two solidi). Extremely rare and an issue of great historical importance. An insignificant area of weakness on reverse, otherwise extremely fine Constantine VII was a technically illegitimate fourth son of Leo VI (866-912) and Zoe Karbonopsina, born in 905, before the two were married. However, because Zoe gave birth in the Purple Room of the imperial palace, the room in which legitimate heirs were traditionally born, Constantine’s place in the imperial succession was established. Due to this peculiar situation, Constantine VII was commonly known by the nickname Porphyrogenitus (“Born in the Purple”). At the age of two, Constantine VII was made junior co-emperor with his father and uncle, Alexander. Unfortunately, Leo VI died in 912 and Alexander in the following year, leaving the eight-year-old Constantine VII to rule under the guidance of a council of seven regents dominated first by Nicholas Mysticus, the Patriarch of Constantinople, and then by his mother. Both Nicholas and Zoe became wildly unpopular due to their failures to push back the expanding Bulgarian Empire of Tsar Simeon and in 919 the regency was given to Romanus Lecapenus, a successful admiral in the Byzantine navy. Romanus secured his position by marrying his daughter to Constantine VII, which allowed him to assume the title of basileopater (“Father of the Emperor”). In 920, Romanus was made Caesar and then full co-emperor in rapid succession. He then increased his influence by elevating his sons, Christopher (in 921) and Stephen and Constantine (in 924), as Caesars, thereby casting Constantine VII further into the shadows. The real power of the Byzantine Empire remained concentrated in the hands of Romanus until 944, when he was overthrown by his own sons. The coup gave Constantine VII, now grown to manhood, his own chance to seize the throne that was rightfully his. With the aid of his wife, Constantine VII deposed the sons of Romanus in 945 and appointed his own child, Romanus II, as Caesar. As independent emperor, Constantine VII delegated much of his authority to able ministers and military men so that he could continue the academic and literary pursuits he loved. During his reign his generals managed to reclaim some territories previously lost to the Islamic Arabs and a diplomatic relationship was opened with the Kievan Rus’. Constantine VII died in November of 959, possibly poisoned by his son or his daughter-in-law, Theophano. This apparently unique gold one-solidus bulla belongs to the co-regency period when Romanus I ruled as senior emperor alongside Constantine VII and Christopher. All three are depicted on the reverse, but notably the portrait of Romanus I takes pride of place in the centre and at a larger scale while Constantine VII and Christopher are smaller to indicate their lower status, despite the fact that Constantine VII was actually the legitimate emperor. As only Christopher appears from among the sons of Romanus I, this bulla must date to the narrow period between his elevation in 921 and the elevation of his younger siblings in 924. Indeed, the bulla may have been produced in connection with the celebration of Christopher’s rise to imperial power. The obverse type features the image of Christ Pantocrator (“All-Powerful”), arguably the most popular depiction of Christ in Byzantine art since at least the sixth century. A similar image appears in mosaic form in Hagia Sophia, the patriarchal basilica in Constantinople where emperors were crowned. The image was highly suitable for imperial Byzantine coins not only due to the association of Christ Pantocrator with the crowning of emperors, but because Byzantine emperors were held to be sanctioned by Heaven and served as direct agents of Christ on earth. The Christ Pantocrator type here also may have been intended to further advertise the elevation of Christopher, whose name means “Christ-bearer.”