MICHAEL VII Ducas 1071AD JESUS CHRIST Follis LARGE Ancient Byzantine Coin i55761

Description

Item:
i55761
Authentic Ancient  Coin of:
Byzantine Empire
Michael  VII, Ducas  - Emperor:  October 24, 1071 A.D. - March 24, 1078 A.D. -
Bronze Follis 28mm (6.82 grams) Constantinople mint: 1071-1078 A.D.
Reference:  Sear 1878
Bust of  Christ facing, cross behind head, wearing pallium and colobium,  and raising right hand in benediction; in left hand, book of Gospels; in field,  above transverse limbs  of cross, IC - XC; beneath limbs, large star on either  side of bust.
+ MIXAHΛ RACIΛ O Δ, Bust facing, bearded, wearing  crown and loros, and holding labarum and globe cross.
For more than a century, the production of Follis denomination Byzantine coins  had religious Christian motifs which included included  Jesus Christ, and even Virgin Mary. These coins were designed to honor Christ  and recognize the subservient role of the Byzantine emperor, with many of the  reverse inscriptions translating to "Jesus Christ King of Kings" and "May Jesus  Christ Conquer". The Follis denomination coins  were the largest bronze denomination coins issued by the Byzantine empire, and  their large size, along with the Christian motif make them a popular coin type  for collectors. This series ran from the period of Byzantine  emperors John I (969-976 A.D.) to Alexius I (1081-1118 A.D.). The accepted  classification was originally devised by Miss Margaret Thompson with her study  of these types of coins. World famous numismatic  author, David R. Sear adopted this classification system for his book entitled,  Byzantine Coins and Their Values. The references about this coin site Mr. Sear's  book by the number that they appear in that work.  The class types of coins  included Class A1, Class A2, Class B, Class C, Class D, Class E, Class F, Class G, Class H, Class I, Class J, Class K. Read more and see examples of these coins by reading the JESUS CHRIST  Anonymous Class A-N Byzantine Follis Coins Reference.
Click here to see all the Jesus Christ Anonymous Follis coins for sale.
Click here to see all coins bearing Jesus Christ or related available for sale.
You are bidding on the exact item pictured,  provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and  Lifetime Guarantee of  Authenticity.
Jesus
(7–2 BC to AD 30–33), also referred to as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Christ, is the central  figure of
Christianity
, whom the teachings of most
Christian denominations
hold to be the
Son of God
. Christians believe Jesus is the  awaited
Messiah
(or
Christ
, the Anointed One) of the
Old Testament
.
Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree that
Jesus existed historically
, and historians  consider the
Synoptic Gospels
(
Matthew
,
Mark
and
Luke
) to be the best sources for
investigating the historical Jesus
. Most  scholars agree that Jesus was a
Galilean
,
Jewish
rabbi
who preached his message
orally
,
was baptized
by
John the Baptist
, and
was crucified
by the order of the
Roman Prefect
Pontius Pilate
. In the current mainstream view,  Jesus was an
apocalyptic
preacher and the founder of a  renewal movement within Judaism, although some prominent scholars argue that he  was not apocalyptic. After Jesus' death, his followers believed he was  resurrected, and the community they formed eventually became the Christian  church. The widely used
calendar era
, abbreviated as "
AD
"  from the Latin "Anno Domini" ("in the year of our Lord") or sometimes as "
CE
",  is based on the birth of Jesus.
Christians  believe that Jesus has a "unique significance" in the world. Christian doctrines  include the beliefs that Jesus was conceived by the
Holy Spirit
, was
born of a virgin
named
Mary
, performed
miracles
, founded
the Church
, died by crucifixion as a sacrifice  to achieve
atonement
,
rose from the dead
, and
ascended
into
Heaven
, whence he
will return
. Most
Christians believe Jesus
enables humans to be
reconciled to God
, and will
judge the dead
either
before
or
after
their
bodily resurrection
, an event tied to the
Second Coming
of Jesus in
Christian eschatology
; though some believe  Jesus's role as savior has more
existential
or
societal
concerns than the afterlife, and a few  notable theologians have suggested that Jesus will bring about a
universal reconciliation
. The great majority of  Christians worship Jesus as the
incarnation
of
God the Son
, the second of three
persons
of a
Divine Trinity
. A few Christian groups
reject Trinitarianism
, wholly or partly, as  non-scriptural.
In Islam
, Jesus (commonly transliterated as
Isa
) is considered one of
God's
important
prophets
and the Messiah, second in importance  only to
Muhammad
. To
Muslims
, Jesus was a
bringer of scripture
and was born of a virgin,  but was not the Son of God. According to the
Quran
, Jesus
was not crucified
but was physically
raised into Heaven
by God.
Judaism rejects
the belief that Jesus was the  awaited Messiah, arguing that he did not fulfill the
Messianic prophecies
in the
Tanakh
.
Michael VII  Doukas
or
Dukas
/
Ducas
(
Greek
:  Μιχαήλ Ζ΄ Δούκας,
Mikhaēl VII Doukas
), nicknamed
Parapinakēs
(Παραπινάκης),  was
Byzantine emperor
from 1071 to 1078.
Life
Michael VII was born
c.
1050 in
Constantinople
, the eldest son of
Constantine X Doukas
and
Eudokia Makrembolitissa
. He was associated with  his father on the throne late in 1059, together with or shortly before his newly  born brother
Konstantios Doukas
. When Constantine X died in  1067, Michael VII was 17 years old and should have been able to rule by himself.  He exhibited little interest in politics, however, and his mother Eudokia and  uncle John Doukas governed the empire as effective regents.
On January 1, 1068, Eudokia married the general
Romanos Diogenes
, who now became senior  co-emperor alongside Michael VII, Konstantios, and another brother,
Andronikos
. When Romanos IV was defeated and  captured by
Alp Arslan
of the
Seljuk Turks
at the
Battle of Manzikert
in August 1071, Michael VII  remained in the background, while the initiative was taken by his uncle
John Doukas
and his tutor
Michael Psellos
. They conspired to keep Romanos  from regaining power after his release from captivity, while Michael felt no  obligation to honor the agreement that Romanos struck with the Sultan. After the  dispatch of Eudokia to a monastery, Michael VII was crowned again on October 24,  1071 as senior emperor.
Although still advised by Michael Psellos and John Doukas, Michael VII became  increasingly reliant on his finance minister
Nikephoritzes
. The emperor's chief interests,  shaped by Psellos, were in academic pursuits, and he allowed Nikephoritzes to  increase both taxation and luxury spending without properly financing the army.  As an emperor he was incompetent, surrounded by sycophantic court officials, and  blind to the empire collapsing around him. In dire straits, imperial officials  resorted to property confiscations and even expropriated some of the wealth of  the church. The underpaid army tended to mutiny, and the Byzantines lost
Bari
, their last possession in
Italy
, to the
Normans
of
Robert Guiscard
in 1071. Simultaneously, they  faced a serious revolt in the Balkans, where they faced an attempt for the  restoration of the
Bulgarian
state. Although this revolt was  suppressed by the general Nikephoros Bryennios, the Byzantine Empire was unable  to recover its losses in
Asia Minor
.
After Manzikert, the Byzantine government sent a new army to contain the
Seljuk Turks
under Isaac Komnenos, a brother of  the future emperor
Alexios I Komnenos
, but this army was defeated  and its commander captured in 1073. The problem was made worse by the desertion  of the Byzantines' western mercenaries, who became the object of the next  military expedition in the area, led by the
Caesar
John Doukas. This campaign also  ended in failure, and its commander was likewise captured by the enemy. The  victorious mercenaries now forced John Doukas to stand as pretender to the  throne. The government of Michael VII was forced to recognize the conquests of  the Seljuks in Asia Minor in 1074, and to seek their support. A new army under  Alexios Komnenos, reinforced by Seljuk troops sent by
Malik Shah I
, finally defeated the mercenaries  and captured John Doukas in 1074.
These misfortunes caused widespread dissatisfaction, exacerbated by the  devaluation of the currency, which gave the emperor his nickname
Parapinakēs
,  "minus a quarter". In 1078 two generals,
Nikephoros Bryennios
and
Nikephoros Botaneiates
, simultaneously revolted  in the Balkans and Anatolia, respectively. Botaneiates gained the support of the  Seljuk Turks, and he reached Constantinople first. Michael VII resigned the  throne with hardly a struggle on March 31, 1078 and retired into the
Monastery of Stoudios
. He later became
metropolitan of Ephesus
and died in  Constantinople in c. 1090.
Usurpers
Various usurpers attempted to overthrow Michael VII or rule parts of the  empire. These included:
Nestor – A former slave of
Constantine X
, Nestor had been promoted to  become the
dux
of
Paradounavon
, a region bordering the  Danube. Having had much of his property and wealth confiscated by the  minister Nikephoritzes, he rebelled in around 1076, placing himself at the  head of the garrisons under his command, which were already in a state of  mutiny due to an arrears in their pay. The troops were eager to plunder the  Bulgarians, and Nestor obtained the assistance of one of the chiefs of the  Patzinaks before marching onto
Constantinople
. The rebels demanded the  dismissal of Nikephoritzes, but discovering that he didn't have the numbers  to attack the capital, Nestor's troops separated into smaller parties and  proceeded to plunder Thrace. Defeated by Alexios Komnenos in 1078, Nestor  remained with the Patzinaks, and retreated with them back to Paradunavum.
Philaretos Brachamios
Caesar John Doukas
Nikephoros Bryennios
Nikephoros Botaneiates
Family
Michael VII Doukas married
Maria of Alania
, daughter of King
Bagrat IV of Georgia
. By her he had at least  one son,
Constantine Doukas
, co-emperor from c. 1075 to  1078 and from 1081 to 1087/8. He died c. 1095.
Sources
Primary Sources
Michael Psellus
,
Chronographia
.
The
Byzantine Empire
, or
Eastern Roman Empire
, was the  predominantly
Greek
-speaking eastern half continuation and  remainder of the
Roman Empire
during
Late Antiquity
and the
Middle Ages
. Its capital city was
Constantinople
(modern-day
Istanbul
), originally founded as
Byzantium
. It survived the
fragmentation and fall of the Western Roman Empire
in the 5th century AD and continued to exist for an additional thousand years  until it
fell
to the
Ottoman Turks
in 1453. During most of its  existence, the empire was the most powerful economic, cultural, and military  force in Europe. Both "Byzantine Empire" and "Eastern Roman Empire" are  historiographical terms created after the end of the realm; its citizens  continued to refer to their empire as the
Roman Empire
(
Ancient Greek
:
Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων
,
tr.
Basileia Rhōmaiōn
;
Latin
:
Imperium Romanum
),  or
Romania
(
Ῥωμανία
), and to themselves as  "Romans".
Several events from the 4th to 6th centuries mark the transitional period  during which the Roman Empire's
east and west
divided
. In 285, the
emperor
Diocletian
(r. 284–305) partitioned the Roman  Empire's administration into eastern and western halves. Between 324 and 330,
Constantine I
(r. 306–337) transferred the main  capital from
Rome
to
Byzantium
, later known as
Constantinople
("City of Constantine") and
Nova Roma
("New Rome"). Under
Theodosius I
(r. 379–395),
Christianity
became the Empire's official
state religion
and others such as
Roman polytheism
were
proscribed
. And finally, under the reign of
Heraclius
(r. 610–641), the Empire's military  and administration were restructured and adopted Greek for official use instead  of Latin. Thus, although it continued the Roman state and maintained Roman state  traditions, modern historians distinguish
Byzantium
from
ancient Rome
insofar as it was oriented towards  Greek rather than Latin culture, and characterised by
Orthodox Christianity
rather than
Roman polytheism
.
The borders of the Empire evolved significantly over its existence, as it  went through several cycles of decline and recovery. During the reign of
Justinian I
(r. 527–565), the Empire reached  its greatest extent after reconquering much of the historically Roman western
Mediterranean
coast, including north Africa,  Italy, and Rome itself, which it held for two more centuries. During the reign  of
Maurice
(r. 582–602), the Empire's eastern  frontier was expanded and the north stabilised. However, his assassination  caused a
two-decade-long war
with
Sassanid Persia
which exhausted the Empire's  resources and contributed to major territorial losses during the
Muslim conquests
of the 7th century. In a  matter of years the Empire lost its richest provinces, Egypt and Syria, to the  Arabs.
During the
Macedonian dynasty
(10th–11th centuries), the  Empire again expanded and experienced a two-century long
renaissance
, which came to an end with the loss  of much of Asia Minor to the
Seljuk Turks
after the
Battle of Manzikert
in 1071. This battle opened  the way for the Turks to settle in
Anatolia
as a homeland.
The final centuries of the Empire exhibited a general trend of decline. It  struggled to
recover during the 12th century
, but was  delivered a mortal blow during the
Fourth Crusade
, when Constantinople was sacked  and the Empire
dissolved and divided
into competing Byzantine  Greek and
Latin realms
. Despite the eventual recovery of  Constantinople and
re-establishment of the Empire in 1261
,  Byzantium remained only one of several small rival states in the area for the  final two centuries of its existence. Its remaining territories were
progressively annexed by the Ottomans
over the  15th century. The
Fall of Constantinople
to the
Ottoman Empire
in 1453 finally ended the  Byzantine Empire.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long until my order is shipped?
Depending on the volume of sales, it may take up to 5 business days for shipment of your order after the receipt of payment.
How will I know when the order was shipped?
After your order has shipped, you will be left positive feedback, and that date should be used as a basis of estimating an arrival date.
After you shipped the order, how long will the mail take?
USPS First Class mail takes about 3-5 business days to arrive in the U.S., international shipping times cannot be estimated as they vary from country to country. I am not responsible for any USPS delivery delays, especially for an international package.
What is a certificate of authenticity and what guarantees do you give that the item is authentic?
Each of the items sold here, is provided with a Certificate of Authenticity, and a Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity, issued by a world-renowned numismatic and antique expert that has identified over 10000 ancient coins and has provided them with the same guarantee. You will be quite happy with what you get with the COA; a professional presentation of the coin, with all of the relevant information and a picture of the coin you saw in the listing.
Compared to other certification companies, the certificate of  authenticity is a -50 value. So buy a coin today and own a piece  of history, guaranteed.
Is there a money back guarantee?
I offer a 30 day unconditional money back guarantee. I stand  behind my coins and would be willing to exchange your order for  either store credit towards other coins, or refund, minus shipping  expenses, within 30 days from the receipt of your order. My goal is  to have the returning customers for a lifetime, and I am so sure in  my coins, their authenticity, numismatic value and beauty, I can  offer such a guarantee.
Is there a number I can call you with questions about my  order?
You can contact me directly via ask seller a question and request my  telephone number, or go to my About Me Page to get my contact information only in regards to  items purchased on eBay.
When should I leave feedback?
Once you receive your  order, please leave a positive. Please don't leave any negative feedbacks, as it happens many times that people rush to leave feedback before letting sufficient time for the order to arrive. Also, if you sent an email, make sure to check for my reply in your messages before claiming that you didn't receive a response. The matter of fact is that any issues can be resolved, as reputation is most important to me. My goal is to provide superior products and quality of service.