Michael VIII Palaeologus (Restored Empire), 1261 AD – 1282 AD

Trachy, Constantinople circa 1261 AD – 1282 AD, AR 20 mm, 1.16 g. IC XC Full-length figure of Christ, cruciformly nimbate with pellets in each cross arm, bearded, seated upon backed throne, wearing tunic and kolobion, r. hand in benediction and l. hand holding Gospels; P sigla to each side of the lower throne. Rev. Full-length figures of emperor and Christ, bearded; Emperor, wearing divitision, chlamys, maniakion, and stemma with pendilia, r. hand holding cross-tipped-sceptre and l. akakia; Christ cruciformly nimbate, wearing tunic and kolobion, r. hand outstretched to crown emperor and l. holding book of gospels. Sear –. LBC –. DOC –. PCPC –.
Unpublished and unique. One of the most expressive portraits of Christ of the entire series.
In exceptional condition for the issue. Damaged flan, otherwise
good very fine / about extremely fine

The king is dead – long live the king. After years of murky behaviour and disloyalty to the Nicaean regime, Michael Palaeologus had pulled off the ultimate coup de grace. The new emperor hijacked a regency council, murdered its members in a church, had himself crowned co-emperor with the legitimate heir, and then had the legitimate heir John IV blinded on his eleventh birthday. It also happened to be Christmas day, 1261. Not that it mattered. Just a few weeks before, Michael was awoken by a feather tickling his exposed feet protruding from underneath his bed sheets. His sister Eudocia came to gently wake the emperor, not wanting to shock him with the news. The unbelievable had happened: Constantinople was retaken.
The reign of Michael VIII Palaeologus circles around his recapturing of Constantinople. Even if he only acquired it from a stroke of good luck, the achievement changed the trajectory of his reign. The recapture of Constantinople was the greatest PR event possible for Michael and allowed him to discard his co-emperor with minimal but vocal displeasure. The capture of Constantinople also led to Angevin interest in overthrowing Michael and the restored Byzantine state, something that would occupy Michael for the entirety of his reign. While the emperor’s autobiography expends a great deal of ink thanking God for the recapture of Byzantium’s key city and the fending off of Sicilian aggression, poor John IV is tellingly absent in the numerous pages of the work.
Key in refounding a Constantinople based empire, Michael skilfully used an international network of spies and bribes to force his enemies to deal with unrest at home instead of invading Byzantine lands. A true Byzantine in every sense of the word, Michael outclassed his opponents with superior cunning, intellect, and bureaucracy. Even with all that accomplished, Michael VIII Palaeologus died a hated and disgraced man. His dealings with the Papacy to thwart Sicilian aggression left him as a heretic and traitor in the eyes of his subjects, still sore with the memories of the fourth crusade. Buried at night with haste in a provincial town, the heir of Michael quickly disavowed his father’s actions and policies. That Michael Palaeologus died as one of the most unpopular emperors in centuries, there is no question. Whether that blame is rightfully earned is a separate issue.
The staunch Orthodox attitudes of the time foreshadow the famous quote of Loukas Notaras two centuries later, “I would rather see a Turkish turban in the midst of the City than the Latin mitre”. Michael did collude with the Papacy and so ignored the conservative Orthodox bloc at his own peril, but in doing so he saved his empire from immanent Sicilian conquest. It is hard to take any course but laud the emperor for his breath-taking risks that saved his empire, even if the monks of Constantinople denounced the filioque. Many criticisms of Michael from subsequent historians are based on future events Michael could not have possibly perceived. Nor is it fair to judge him for what no other contemporary had foreseen. Yet, Michael still stands as a conflicted and controversial figure, much as he did in his own life.
Intelligent, ambitious, practical, cruel: his real-politik and under the table dealings earned him equal parts of hatred and respect in his own lifetime. Difficult to pronounce judgement on, Michael stands out nonetheless as a key figure of not only Byzantine but world history in the 13th century. That he was greatly influential, there is no doubt. From here onwards the name of Palaeologus is synonymous with Byzantium and save the brief usurpation of the Cantacuzenes in a century, the Palaeologans will oversee the final two centuries of Byzantine history.
And let us not forget poor John IV Lascaris, the sacrificial lamb left to bleed on the altar of house Palaeologus. Having done nothing wrong besides simply stand in the way of Michael Palaeologus’ monstrous aspirations, the child was blinded and sent to life of enforced captivity. The son of heir of Michael VIII, Andronikos II, is recorded many years later paying the then grown John a visit in his prison. With tears did Andronikos apologize for his father’s past crimes. John never was freed, though, and later died in the same captivity under Andronikos II.
This trachy above is of the utmost interest. The expression of Christ on the reverse instantly stands out as one if not the best depictions of Christ in the entire Palaeologan series. The bold, vivid portrait and figure is perfectly executed and struck. The emperor Michael is not far behind in detail, with a lovely composition and depiction of the Chlamys.