Crusader Coin - Bohemond III - Circa 1163-1201 CE
$615
Denomination: Denier
Date: Circa 1252-1268 AD
Reign: Bohemond VI
Mint: Tripoli
Mount: 14K Gold
Description: Obverse: 8-point star within octofoil. Legend;
+C.I.V.I.TAS: TR.I.POL.I, Translation (City of Tripoli).
Reverse:Cross in lobated square. Legend; +BOEMVUNDVS: COMES,
Translation (Count Bohemund).
History: The Crusades were a series of eight military campaigns organized by Christian kings and religious leaders in order to retake Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim control. They took place over a period of almost 200 hundred years from 1096, with the last remaining Christian territory falling into Islamic hands in 1291. This coin was issued under Bohemond VI ‘The Fair’, the ruler of the County of Tripoli, one of the final Crusader States in the Levant. He had succeeded his father at the young age of 15 in 1252, becoming Count of Tripoli and Prince of Antioch. His reign coincided with the 7th and 8th Crusades, marking a turbulent period of political and military struggle. Bohemond VI was also recognized for his alliance with the Mongols, particularly Hulagu Khan. However, his efforts to maintain control were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1271, the Mamluk Sultan Baibars laid siege to Tripoli, leading to the loss of Antioch and a weakened Crusader presence. Bohemond VI ruled until his death in 1275, leaving behind a son, Bohemond VII, and three daughters. His descendants were among the last true rulers of the Crusader States. These silver gros coins were among the last of their kind minted in Tripoli before its eventual fall to Muslim control. They are highly sought after as artifacts of a fading Crusader era.
