Maria Doukaina Palaiologina, empress

BYZANTINE SEALS. Maria Doukaina Palaiologina, empress, 1294-1320. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 41 mm, 31.86 g, 12 h), in use during the reign of her husband, Michael IX Palaiologos, Constantinople. ΜΗΡ ΘΥ The Virgin Platytera or Theotokos, nimbate, wearing maphorion and holding with both her hands the facing and nimbate Christ child on her lap, seated facing on elaborate thokos. Rev. +/MAPI/A EYC/EBECT/ATH A/YΓOY/CTA - ΔOY/KAIN/A H ΠA/ΛAIO/ΛOΓH/NA The empress, standing facing, wearing ornate jewelled crown with pendilia and jewelled loros, and holding a jewelled scepter with her right hand. Zacos 126a (same boulloterion). An extremely rare late imperial seal. Flan faults on the reverse, and minor scuffs and marks, otherwise, very fine.
From the collection of a scholar.

Maria, originally named Rita, was the daughter of the famous Armenian king, Levon II. At the age of sixteen, she was married to Michael IX, who was also 16, in a ceremony presided over by the patriarch John XII in the great church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. At the same time she was renamed Maria and became Empress.

Nomos 24 Lot 473
21.05.2022