The First Crusade

Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 1213. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $4750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Richard of Salerno(?). Regent of the County of Edessa, 1104-08. PB Seal (30mm, 20.39 g, 11h). Richard on horseback, advancing left, wearing armor, holding long spear in right hand and Norman shield in left; tendrils below / + KE BQHQH RI/BDRD KONOCTAC (sic), facing bust of Christ (?), holding cross in right hand, and book of Gospels in left. BLS I -; DOCBS -; Seyrig -; Vatican -; Orghidan -; Jordanov -. Good VF, gray patina, earthen deposits. Exceptional.

From the Robert E. Hecht Collection.

This seal may belong to Richard of Salerno (also known as Richard of the Principate), participant in the First Crusade and Regent of Edessa from 1104-1008. Richard governed Edessa, the first and one of the largest Crusader states, ineffectually, failing to gain the loyalty of his Armenian subjects.