CNG 84, Lot: 1767. Estimate $200. Sold for $490. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ITALY, Salerno. Guglielmo I. King of Sicilia, 1154-1166. Æ Follaro (17mm, 0.77 g, 6h). Patriarchal cross set on floreate base; pellets to left and right below upper crossbar; SA NA to right and left below lower one / W/DI GRA/(Rx ligate) in three lines; pellet ot left and right of W and to left and right of Rx. CNI XVIII 2; Travaini, Monetazione type 303; MEC 14, -. Near VF, rough brown surfaces. Extremely rare.

The fourth son of Ruggero II, Guglielmo I continued the process of rule begun by his father. Guglielmo’s promotion of Maio di Bari to the position of chancellor, who continued Ruggero’s policy of excluding the nobility from rule and limiting the liberties of the kingdom’s towns, precipitated their revolt, encouraged by the Pope, Adrian IV, the Holy Roman emperor, Federico I (Barbarossa), and the Byzantine emperor, Manuel I Comnenus. Through a series of strategic military and diplomatic successes, Guglielmo was finally able to negotiate his acknowlegment by the Pope and peace with the Byzantines. Not all was a complete success, however, as Norman positions in North Africa were lost to the Almohades. The asassination of Maio di Bari in 1160 led to the first attempt to overthrow Guglielmo. Led by the king’s son, Simone, and illegitmate nephew, Tancredi, the king would have been killed, were it not one of the conspirators, Ricardo di Mandra, who had intervened. Aided by the populace and the amy, Guglielmo was freed and, in turn crushed the rebellion. From then until his death Guglielmo enjoyed a peaceful reign.