John III Ducas (Vatatzes). Emperor of Nicaea AD 1222-1254. Magnesia
Trachy AR

23 mm, 2,90 g

Archangel Michael, nimbate, winged, and in military outfit, standing facing, holding trilobed sceptre and globus cruciger / John, standing facing, wearing crown and loros, holding cross-tipped sceptre in right hand and patriarchal cross set on two steps in left; star to upper left.

Very Fine

Ratto –; Boutin –; SB –; Sommer –; cf. Triton XXII, Lot 1210.

Johannes III Ducas Vatatzes, born in 1193 and died in 1254, ruled as the Byzantine Emperor of Nicaea from 1222 until his death. Known for his military prowess, he revitalized the weakened Byzantine Empire, transforming Nicaea into a powerful principality in the Levant. He secured borders through diplomacy with the Seljuks and resettled defensive populations, while reclaiming territories lost to the Latin Empire. His victories included recapturing Aegean islands and Anatolian regions, bolstered by alliances with Frankish mercenaries. Although a siege on Constantinople failed in 1235, he later regained significant lands and influence in Thrace and Macedonia. Johannes III's reign laid crucial groundwork for the eventual Byzantine reconquest of Constantinople in 1261. Despite unsuccessful attempts at church unity with the Catholic Church, he was canonized as Saint John the Merciful by the Orthodox Church. His legacy encompasses military success, territorial expansion, and efforts towards religious diplomacy during a turbulent era in Byzantine history.