In the picture above we have this months newest addition to my collection. Being relatively small and thin (16mm in diameter and only 1mm thick), the coin itself is relatively unremarkable. It dates from the late 12th century, and is a joint issue Denaro from the Kingdom of Sicily. Issued by the then Holy Roman Emperor, Henry VI, and his infant son Frederick who was crowned King of Sicily in 1198 at the age of 3.
Henry VI conquered Sicily in 1194 after successfully ransoming off the English king Richard the Lionheart after his capture and arrest whilst returning from the Third Crusade. Using the ransom money of 150,000 silver marks ($18.5 million or £14.2 million today) to pay for the expedition. After rooting out the Norman nobles who opposed his rule or fought him prior to the conquest Henry made his wife, Constance, Queen regnant.
Henry’s son, Frederick, would not however succeed to his father’s position as Holy Roman Emperor after Henry’s death in 1198. It would not be until 1220 that Frederick would attain the crown of the Holy Roman Empire after the current incumbent, Otto of Brunswick (Otto IV), would be overthrown after his defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, a conclusive battle of the 1213-14 Anglo-French war. Already recognised as Emperor a year and a half prior to the battle by the Southern states of the Empire, it didn’t take much for him to ascend to the throne.
Numismatic Exploits 