This next coins is a silver Dinar from the KINGDOM OF SERBIA. It was issued under the reign of King: Stefan Uros III~Decanski (1321-1331 AD). Decanski was the son of Stefan Uros II~Milutin and and had a very turbulent life. In 1314, after a quarrel with his father, Milutin had his son taken to Constantinople to be blinded. He wasn't blinded properly, but did have to wear a bandage around his eyes. He was permitted to return to Serbia, but had to fight many pretenders to the throne before being crowned in 1321. His neighbors Bulgaria and the Byzantine Empire formed an alliance in which they planned to invade Serbia in 1330. However, Decanski came out victorious at the Battle of Velbuzhd where he defeated Bulgaria and killed the Bulgarian tsar Mikhail Asen III. This was his biggest during his short reign. Taking advantage of the situation, Decanski was able to push the border south into Macedonia. Decanski's fortunes took a turn for the worst when some of his courtiers became discontent with his policies. They then plotted to have Decanski dethroned in favor of his son Dusan. Decanski was imprisoned at the castle of Zvecan, where he was killed by strangulation in 1331. Following his death, Decanski was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church.



SERBIA (KINGDOM)~AR Dinar 1321-1331 AD

Interesting coin and history.

Interesting coin and history.

Thanks 'regandon'. If I learned nothing else from this ruler, it really sucks sometimes to be a monarch. Even your own family tries to stab you in the back to either get the throne, keep you from the throne, or to try to put some one else on the throne. The headaches just to have power and prestige just doesn't seem worth it. This is just my opinion though.

~Daniel

I would have to agree with your opinion.

Good post Dan.

Once more informative and interesting.

Decanski's story is sadly not unique in its turbulence and conflict both with neighboring countries as well as internal intrigue.

Good post Dan.

Once more informative and interesting.

Decanski's story is sadly not unique in its turbulence and conflict both with neighboring countries as well as internal intrigue.

How true 'walmann'. Life as a monarch, or any other position of political leader can be an ugly business. Decanski's story certainly proves this point.

~Daniel.

This next specimen is a silver 5-Line Dinar from the SERBIAN EMPIRE dating from 1346-1355 AD. This was issued under the reign of the Tsar: Stefan Uros IV~Dusan. An earlier imperial issue that was the first coin to use religious reference applying to the respective ruler. Imitating Byzantine coins with similar references, this format would also be used by Serbian rulers who followed Dusan. The obverse pattern shows 5 lines of Cyrillic legend: 'СТЕ/ВФАNЬВ/ЬХАБАБ/ЛГОВРНИ/ЧРЬ=STEFAN IN CHRIST OUR LORD PIOUS TSAR'. The reverse shows Christ enthroned holding Book of Gospels with intials IC/XC and N/O in Roman legend.

SERBIAN EMPIRE~5 Line Dinar 1346-1355 AD

You know Zantetsuken............you can be a bad influence........in a good way
Because you are starting to get me interested in these coins

Please keep them coming. I really enjoy them

You know Zantetsuken............you can be a bad influence........in a good way
Because you are starting to get me interested in these coins

Please keep them coming. I really enjoy them

Thanks Stefanie. I'm glad you liked them. This design was copied by some of the following monarchs and nobles. For example, here is a silver Dinar that I posted earlier in this thread issued under Knez/Prince: Lazar Hrebeljanović. The honorific is basically similar to the coin issued under Dusan: 'IN CHRIST OUR LORD PIOUS PRINCE LAZAR'.

SERBIAN EMPIRE~5 Line Dinar 1371-1389 AD

Lazar's defeat and execution at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 would be the catalyst 600 years later. In 1989, Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia used this event (his feigned reasoning) to stir up Serbian nationalism that would ultimately tear the nation apart and cause Serbia to lose Kosovo. Bitter irony.

~Daniel

It appears that you have them in a high state of preservation as well