A.D. 1195–1203 Byzantine Bronze Aspron Trachy Alexius III NGC F

Behold! Beautiful Byzantine Bronze

These coins were minted under the rule of Byzantine Emperor Alexius III, who ruled between 1195 and 1203. In a shameless act of political maneuvering, the design shows him standing next to Constantine the Great—the deified founder of Constantinople and founder of the Empire.

The Shocking Story Of Byzantine Emperor Alexius III

Alexius III’s story is shocking. Hungry for the throne, he betrayed his younger brother Isaac II, who had himself seized the throne from their first cousin, the cruel and unpopular Andronikos I. Himself threatened with execution by the old emperor, Alexius was restored to the Imperial court by his brother and lavished with all titles, benefits and honors befitting the beloved brother of the emperor. Thus, when Isaac went on a hunting trip in 1195, it came as a surprise that Alexius conspired with his brother’s wife to have him overthrown. He wasn’t just satisfied with deposing his brother, however. He also blinded and imprisoned him! To pull this coup off, he drained the treasury and bribed high-ranking army officers and politicians, leaving the empire’s coffers more bare than Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard—a poor financial position that came back to bite him in the coming years.

When Diplomacy Doesn’t Work…

While Muslim Turks were biting off hunks of the Empire’s eastern lands, Alexius refused to use what little money was left in the treasury on the defense of the empire, spending it on himself instead. His poor efforts at diplomacy and lack of funds finally came to head in 1203 during the 4th Crusade. Instead of heading straight to Egypt and the Holy Land, Isaac’s son convinced the Crusaders to take down his corrupt uncle’s regime and establish a firm buffer against further Muslim invasion. Instead of fighting, Alexius tied to buy his way out of trouble. Unsuccessful in these efforts and left with nothing more than an ill-prepared and unmotivated army, Constantinople soon fell to the Crusaders. Sensing the end was near, Alexius fled the city with as much gold as he could carry leaving behind his wife and two of their daughters. He bounced around under the “protection” of a series of petty tyrants before he was finally exiled to a monastery at Nicaea where he died in 1211.

This classic Byzantine Bronze Aspron Trachy of Alexius III is a fabulous piece of history from those tumultuous times. Featuring very classic designs, it comes certified, graded, and encapsulated by the Numismatic Guaranty Company in Fine (F) condition with moderate-but-even wear and lots of detail. Treason, betrayal, adultery, and the lavish life of a spoiled emperor. It’s all there on this 1195–1203 Byzantine Bronze Aspron Trachy of Alexius III. Order it now before it’s history!