Manuel I




	1143 - 1180

Son of John II. Manuel was a strong and capable ruler, and his reign saw the height of the Comnenian revival of Byzantine civilisation, and witnessed the last high point of Byzantium before 1204. The empire saw threats from the second crusade, the Normans in Greece and an unholy alliance between the Holy Roman Emperor Frederic Barbarossa and the Sultan of Iconium. There were also significant victories, in Italy (lost to the empire over a century before) and against the Crusader States of Jerusalem and Antioch. At the battle of Myriocephalon (1176), however, saw total victory for the Iconian Turks, and Manuel's spirit was broken. He died four years later, a shadow of his former self.

	AE Trachy Obv : Virgin enthroned. Rev : Manuel, standing, holding labarum and globe topped with Patriarchal cross. BCV 1964, 1143 - 1180 Constantinople mint. 28mm diameter
	AE Trachy Obv : Christ enthroned, with nimbus cruciger and IC XC in field. Rev : Manuel, standing, holding labarum and globus cruciger. The Virgin stands in benediction on the right BCV 1966, 1143 - 1180 Constantinople mint. 28mm diameter
	AE Trachy Obv : Christ enthroned, with nimbus cruciger and IC XC in field. A star above each arm of the throne. Rev : Manuel, standing, holding labarum and globus cruciger. The Virgin stands in benediction on the right BCV 1966, 1143 - 1180 Constantinople mint. 28mm diameter
	AE Trachy Obv : Christ enthroned, with nimbus cruciger and IC XC in field. A star above each arm of the throne. Rev : Manuel, standing, holding labarum and globus cruciger. The Virgin stands in benediction on the right BCV 1966 (small module), 1143 - 1180 Constantinople mint. 22mm diameter. A poorly and unevenly struck specimen.
	AE Trachy Obv : Christ enthroned, with nimbus cruciger and IC XC in field. A star above each arm of the throne. Rev : Manuel, standing, holding labarum and globus cruciger. The Virgin stands in benediction on the right BCV 1966 (small module), 1143 - 1180 Constantinople mint. 23mm diameter. Another poor specimen.