2021-05-11 Tue

Alexander was Byzantine Emperor reigning from 912-913. He was the third son of Emperor Basil I and Eudokia Ingerina. He founded the Macedonian dynasty and caused the renewal of warfare between Bulgaria and the Byzantine Empire.

He was crowned co-emperor with his brother Leo VI in 879 after the death of their elder brother, Constantine. But he remained inactive in state affairs until after Leo’s death in May 912. During his short reign, Alexander found himself attacked by the forces of Al-Muqtadir of the Abbasid Caliphate in the East and provoked a war with Simeon I of Bulgaria by refusing to send the traditional tribute on his accession.

He was the first Byzantine emperor to use the term "autocrator" on coinage to celebrate the ending of his thirty-three years as co-emperor. Depicted here is gold solidus issued under his reign from Constantinople mint.

The obverse of a coin depicts Christ, nimbate, seated facing on lyre-backed throne, wearing pallium and colobium, extending a right hand in benediction, and holding a book of Gospels on left knee. The reverse of a coin engraved Alexander, standing facing on left, wearing a crown, loros and divitsion, holding globus cruciger in the right hand, crowned by St. Alexander (to right), standing three-quarters left, wearing pallium and colobium, holding a cross in the left hand.

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