From the 11th century AD until the 13th century AD, the Christian Latin Church initiated, supported, and occasionally directed the Crusades, a series of religious wars. The main, striking difference between these wars and previous Christian religious wars was that participation would be seen as penance, wiping away all confessed sins. The first Crusade was proclaimed by Pope Urban II in 1095 with the intention of providing military support to the Byzantine Empire. It was also to help reclaim the Holy Land and previously formed Christian territories from Muslim rule. Although there were many successes from the earlier crusades, the latter were unprosperous, with the capture of Acre by the Mamluk sultan in 1291 ending the Crusader rule.
Selection of Silver Hammered Coins from the Crusades
£ 150.00
A selection of fine silver hammered coins from the Crusades, minted under Bohemond VI, Bohemond VII, and Philippe IV. The obverse, reverse, and legends of the coins differ between the selections, depending on who they were minted under.
Pilgrims and crusaders carried their money on them on their journey to the Holy Land in order to pay any expenses that came up while travelling and when they reached their destination. Hoards of coins discovered might contain anywhere from fifty to thousands of coins, with the sums such as the latter likely belonging to feudal lords. The former could have belonged to crusaders, who sometimes buried their coins for safety and may not have survived to retrieve them, with hoards found in and around historic battlefields.
The County of Tripoli, where selections A and B were minted, became one of the Crusader states in 1102. Tripoli was a fertile region, with easy access to the sea via the coast to the west and a mountain range beyond. Several castle forts were built upon this mountain range to defend the county, with one of the most famous, the Citadel of Tripoli, built by Raymond of Saint-Gilles between 1102-1109. Raymond of Saint-Gilles had spent more than two years attempting to capture the region, which is said to have reminded him of his home in Southern France. He passed away before Tripoli fell into Frankish hands in 1109. When the Frankish crusaders captured the region, Bertrand of Toulouse became Tripoli’s first Count, a vassal of Baldwin I. After over 200 years as a crusader state, the county eventually fell, merging with the Sultan Qalawun’s empire, in 1289.
Priced individually, for a single coin or set of three. Please note this is a general lot and individual selection is not available.
Condition: Fine condition. Legends are largely clear and legible.
| Weight | N/A |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | cm |
| Culture | |
| Region | |
| Metal | |
| Choice of item | A, B, C, Set of Three |
