2019-12-03 Tue

Berengar I was the king of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor reigning from 915 till his death in 924. Today on 3rd December in the year 915 Pope John X crowned Berengar I of Italy as Holy Roman Emperor.

Berengar was born in 845 at Cividale to Eberhard of Friuli and Gisela. When his older brother Unruoch III died in 874, Berengar succeeded him in the March of Friuli. After the fall of the emperor Charles III the Fat, Berengar, margrave was elected king of Italy in 888 at Pavia.

His reign is usually characterized as "troubled" because of the many competitors for the crown and because of the arrival of Magyar raiders in Western Europe.

Depicted here is silver Denar issued during his reign from Papia (Pavia) mint. The obverse of a coin depicts the large Christogram with pellets in angles. The reverse of a coin engraved inscription in PA/PIA/CI in three lines.

Image Source: Heritage Auctions