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Cilician Armenia. Gosdantin/Constantine I (1298-1299)
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Nercessian 417-18 var., Bedoukian 1730
AE kardez. Sis (now Kozan, Turkey) mint. 1.99 g., 20.18 mm. max., 0°
Obv: King standing, facing, wearing royal vestments, holding cross in left hand and sword in right hand, +ԿՈՍՏԱՆԴ -- ԻԱՆՈՍ Թ[ԱԳ] with the ՈՍ ligate (= Gosdantin King).
Rev. Ornate cross with dots at ends of three of the arms, ՇԻՆԵԼ Գ[ԱՂ]ԱԳՆ ՍԻՍ Է (Shineal I Kaghakn I Sis = Struck in the City of Sis).
Nercessian rarity for type 7R/rare (less than 62 known)
Gosdantin was one of the sons of Levon/Leo II (1270-1289). In 1296 his brother, King Hetoum II (1289-1303) placed Armenia under the regency of their brother Smpad, and traveled to Constantinople for the wedding of their sister to the Byzantine Emperor Michael IX Palaeologus. During his absence Smpad (1296-1298) usurped the throne with the aid of Gosdantin. Hetoum was imprisoned upon his return and was partially blinded. Gosdantin then turned against Smpad, usurped the throne for himself, imprisoned Smpad and freed Hetoum. In 1299, Hetoum ousted Gosdantin and again resumed the crown. Smpad and Gosdantin were imprisoned for the rest of their lives. Gosdantin ruled for less than a year.
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