Byzantine Coins of Andronicus II

Obverse of Andronicus II/Michael IX Hyperpyron

Reverse of Andronicus II/ Michael IX Hyperpyron

Gold Hyperpyron of Andronicus II/ Michael IX (father and son co-emperors) 1295-1320.

Andronicus II was raised to the purple in 1261, as co-emperor to his father Michael VIII. Upon his father's death, he ruled alone until 1295, when his son, Michael IX was crowned as co-emperor. Andronicus II presided over a sharp decline in the Empire's fortunes, when he foolishly decided to vastly reduce the Byzantine Army and do away with the Navy altogether in order to save money, relying instead on mercanaries as and when required. This proved unsatisfactory as the Empire lost territory to the Ottomans whilst the Catalan mercanaries he had hired turned on their Byzantine employers and ravaged Thrace.
In spite of this, the Byzantine economy still faltered and revenues went down, no doubt in part due to the defencelessness of the Empire brought about by the policies of Andronicus II and his son. When Michael IX died in 1320, a civil war broke out between Andronicus II and his grandson, also named Andronicus, whom the old emperor refused to recognise as his father's heir to the throne. Eventually, the grandson triumphed over the grandfather, and Andronicus II was compelled to abdicate in 1328 and retire to a monastry, where he died four years later.

Note: The gold hyperpyron was 20 carats until the reign of John III (1222-1254) whereupon the gold fineness was reduced to 16 carats.

Obverse:
Christ standing between two emperors

Reverse:
Christ enthroned.

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Year	Description	Availability	Price £	Price $
13th Century	AVF	Yes	£185	$ask

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