Catalog
Light Follis - Baldwin II
| Issuer | County of Edessa (Crusader and Christian states in the Eastern Mediterranean) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1108-1118 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Reverse description | A Latin cross pattée with a bifurcated lower arm and a pellet at the termination of each of the remaining three arms, prominently displayed in the central field. A Greek inscription encircles the cross, reading partially (S)TAY9I-C NIXACI, referencing the Holy Cross or a victory invocation in the Byzantine tradition. The overall design reflects the hybrid Crusader artistic vocabulary, blending Latin heraldic cross forms with Greek epigraphy in the manner characteristic of early twelfth-century Edessan civic coinage. |
| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Baldwin II governed Edessa twice — first as count from 1100, then after a gap during which he was held captive by the Artuqids following the catastrophic defeat at Harran in 1104. The "light" follis series is a product of that second phase of his rule, distinguished from earlier Edessan copper by a marked reduction in fabric weight that reflects the county's diminished revenues and persistent military strain after Harran effectively ended any Crusader ambition east of the Euphrates.
Baldwin went on to become King of Jerusalem in 1118, making this issue the last coinage struck in his name as count of Edessa.