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780, Byzantine Empire, Constantine VI with Irene.  Silver Miliaresion Coin. (XF-) R!

Mint Period: 780-797 AD Mint Place: Constantinople Reference: DO 3, SB 1595.  Denomination: AR Miliaresion Rulers: Constantine VI with Irene (780-797 AD) Condition: Thick dark oxidation deposits cover  1/3rd of the coin´s surface, otherwise XF!  Diameter: 23mm   Weight: 2.13gm  Material: Silver

Obverse: Cross potent on three steps within triple border. Legend: IhSUS XRISTUS NICA ("May Jesus Christ conquer.”)

Reverse: Legend in five lines within triple border. Legend: COhS TANTINO SSIRIhIE CΘEybA SILIS

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Constantine VI (Greek: Κωνσταντῖνος Ϛ΄, Kōnstantinos VI; 771 – before 805) was Byzantine Emperor from 780 to 797. The only child of Emperor Leo IV, Constantine was named co-emperor with him at the age of five in 776 and succeeded him as sole Emperor in 780, aged nine. His mother Irene exercised control over him as regent until 790, assisted by her chief minister Staurakios. The regency ended when Constantine reached maturity, but Irene sought to continue her participation in government. After a few years of sole rule Constantine named his mother Empress in 792, making her his official colleague.

Constantine suffered military defeats and made controversial decisions, such as illicitly marrying his mistress, Theodote. Taking advantage of her son's unpopularity, Irene had Constantine deposed, blinded and imprisoned in 797 and seized power for herself, becoming the first Empress regnant of the Empire. Constantine likely died shortly thereafter.

Constantine VI was the final ruler to be universally recognized as Roman emperor, being recognized as such by both the Empire which he ruled in the east, the papacy and the Western European powers over which the pope held suzerainty. With his mother becoming Empress regnant upon his deposition, the papacy crowned Charlemagne as a new Emperor in Western Europe, asserting that a woman could not be Empress in her own right. This laid the foundations of a new polity, independent of the East, that would evolve into the Holy Roman Empire.