CNG 85, Lot: 115. Estimate $150. Sold for $150. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ARMENIA, Cilician Armenia. Royal. Hetoum II. 1289-1293 and 1295-1296, and Regent, 1301-1305. BI Denier (14mm, 0.53 g, 6h). Crowned bust facing / Cross potent. AC 394 var. (rev. legend); CCA 1577. VF.

From the R.A. Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group XXVII (9 September 1993), lot 174.

Upon the death of his father Levon II, Hetoum II inherited a country balancing fragilely between the friendly relationship with the Christian Europeans and Byzantine Empire to the far west, the constant aggression of the Sultanate of Rum to the near west, the vassal relationship with the Mongol Empire to the east, and the ongoing attacks of the Mamluks of Egypt to the south. In 1292, the Mamluk aggression forced Hetoum to abandon some cities in order to stave off further invasion. Following these omnipresent diplomatic problems, Hetoum abdicated the following year and entered a monastery, leaving his brother Toros III as king.

As the political situation continued to deteriorate, Toros asked Hetoum to resume his role as king in 1295 in order to aid in the renewal of an alliance with the Mongols. With this important task completed, Hetoum returned to Armenia in 1296 to discover that a marital alliance with the Byzantine emperor Michael IX Palaeologus had been offered. Accompanying Toros and their sister Rita to Constantinople, Hetoum left their brother Smpad as regent in their absence. During this time, however, Smpad, along with the help of yet another brother, Gosdantin I, usurped the throne, having Hetoum and Toros captured and imprisoned upon their return. Having Hetoum partially blinded and Toros murdered, Smpad was later betrayed by Gosdantin, who placed himself upon the throne, imprisoned Smpad, and released Hetoum.

After recovering at least partially from his injuries, Hetoum deposed Gosdantin, exiling his treacherous brother to Constantinople, and retired yet again to a monastery, though continuing in administrative affairs as regent for Toros’ son Levon III. Matters once again deteriorated in 1307, however, as Hetoum attended a banquet with Levon and other Armenian nobleman in Anazarba, all of whom were massacred by a group of Mongol soldiers under the command of the general Bilarghu. Upon their deaths, Oshin, yet another brother to Hetoum, became the fifth son of Levon II to succeed to the Armenian throne.