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• 1 media/flander front.jpg 2022-10-30T16:29:58-07:00 Seal of Latin Emperor Henry of Flanders (DO BZS.1958.106.636) 34 plain 2023-01-17T14:41:31-08:00 41.03088613850273, 28.980563018227038 By Alexandra Berardelli '25
  

  
  The crusaders of the Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) defeated the Byzantine Empire, based in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) and founded the Latin Empire in its place. This seal belonged to the second Latin Emperor, Henry of Flanders, who ruled the Latin Empire in Constantinople from 1206 to 1216. This seal was used for protecting and authenticating imperial documents. 
  
  This seal articulates the Latin emperor's religious and military authority in the crusader world. The obverse displays the emperor, wearing a crown and imperial garments, sitting on a throne holding a cross-headed scepter and a globus cruciger (the cross-bearing orb), with the Greek inscription, ερρɩκοσ δεσποτης ("Henry, despotes"). On the reverse side, the emperor is in a military stance, in armor on horseback, holding a sword and shield, with the Latin inscription, Henricus Dei gratia imperator Romanie ("Henry, by the Grace of God, emperor of the Roman realm").  The circular image of the ruler on horseback surrounded by his title in Latin recalls the representation of Richard the Lionheart on the Chertsey tiles. The combination of both Latin and Greek text suggests that the coin was meant for a multilingual audience.

  
   

• 1 2022-11-02T13:18:06-07:00 What is this? 32 plain 2022-12-21T06:27:19-08:00

  
  
  
  This is the seal of the second Latin Emperor of Constantinople, Henry of Flanders, who ruled from 1206 to 1216. This circular lead seal has two sides (obverse and reverse), with different images and inscriptions on each side. On the obverse side of the seal, there is a central image of the emperor with a complimentary circular inscription. The inscription, found between a double border of dots, reads in Greek, “ερρικοσ δεσποτης.” This translates into English as, “Henry, despotes,” meaning someone of great power, like an emperor.
  
  
  
  In the center, the emperor sits on a throne, which is decorated with animal heads, probably lions. The emperor wears imperial garments and a crown. Of the two images on the seals, this one is connected to religious aspects of Emperor Henry’s power. In his right hand, he holds a scepter with a cross on top of it, and in his left, he holds a globus cruciger, also known as ‘the orb and cross,’ which is another religious symbol. This image presents the emperor in a straight-up position with his head up, seated in a grounded and strong position in a formal manner and attire on his throne, emphasizing an honorable and controlled rule.
  
  
  There is a similar format on the reverse side of the seal. On this side, there is another circular inscription between a double border of dots, this time reading in Latin, “Henricus Dei gratia inperator Romanie.” This translates into English as, “Henry, by the Grace of God, emperor of the Roman realm.” Again, it asserts the emperor’s authority in a religious context.
  

  
  
  
  
  
  The image still depicts the emperor, but this time in a militaristic stance. The emperor, wearing armor, is on horseback. He holds a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left hand. He looks chivalric and successful as if he is in motion on horseback, fighting for his empire during the crusades. The horse is shown in a flying gallop with all of its hooves off the ground. The emperor drives his horse with so much power that he and the horse are emerging from the central field of the seal and overlapping with the inscription.
  
  These two images work together to show the dual role of the emperor, a strong-willed ruler in his intellect as a ruler of thousands, and a military leader in war with impressive physical abilities. They concurrently stress the emperor’s ability to maintain control over his empire by a balanced and static order, as seen in his straight-up and focused stance on his throne. He also controls his empire through active progression as he is shown in a forward movement on horseback.

  The dual language of the inscriptions also presents an image of the people under his rule. It shows that Henry, as an emperor of a newly founded empire, rules over two groups of people. The Greek inscription on the obverse side is closely related to the Greek-speaking members of the former Byzantine Empire. In contrast, the Latin inscription on the reverse side connects to the Latin-speaking crusaders who founded the new Latin Empire. Notably, both languages are present on this seal because it shows that the emperor is ruling over both people. They belonged to different cultures and did not voluntarily wish to come together. Still, they are being ruled under one ruler.

  
   

  
   

• 1 2022-11-02T13:18:54-07:00 Who made this? 17 plain 2022-12-21T07:18:41-08:00

  
  To create a seal, an artist would first create a sketch of the image and inscription. Then a metalworker would create the seal dies, which are pieces of metal that bear the image of the obverse and the reverse of the seal. Once the seal dies were created, another individual would impress the images from the seal dies onto metal blanks. That would create the seal. Then the same or a different individual would attach the seal to a string and to a document. These craftspeople and document handlers were likely elite and connected to the government. 
  
  Innate Conservatism of Seals
  
  Similar designs on seals over time reveal the innate conservatism of an emperor's public-facing image. The seals of the first three emperors of the newly founded Latin empire in Constantinople have similar images and inscriptions. On the seals of both the first Latin emperor, Baldwin I (r. 1204-1205) and his brother Henry, on the obverse side, the emperor sits on a throne and holds religiously-symbolic objects, and on the reverse side, the emperor in his military guise rides horseback. Both seals contain Latin and Greek inscriptions. The final Latin emperor, Baldwin II, who ruled from 1228 until the empire's fall in 1261, also has a similar seal. All of these seals are rooted in the same religious and military imagery, which are foundational to the emperor's power. The conservatism of imagery on seals can be noted in many seals throughout history, including the Seal of Amalric, also in this exhibition.  
  
  The most notable difference in Baldwin II's seal is the increasingly "Byzantinized" image of the emperor on the obverse side of the seal. When compared to the seals of his predecessors, the western throne has been traded for a traditional Byzantine throne. 
  

  The seals of the Latin Emperor also remain consistent in using dual-language inscriptions in Greek and Latin, gesturing toward the two peoples living in the Latin empire, Greek-speaking members of the former Byzantine empire and Latin-speaking crusaders of the newly founded Latin empire. 
  
  

  However, the inscriptions are also slightly different on the final emperor's (Baldwin II's) seal. The obverse side of his seal contains a nearly identical Latin inscription regarding the emperor's divine authority, but this time connecting him to the first Roman Emperor Augustus. The addition of Augustus in this inscription highlights the emperor's connection to the imperial Roman tradition.  Augustus was one of the most influential rulers of one of the greatest empires of all time. 

  On the reverse side of Baldwin II's seal, the image of the emperor on horseback is retained. However, the inscription in Greek adds a Byzantine title. Both inscriptions in Greek and in Latin on Baldwin II's seal, then, add more layers of authority, from Romand and Byzantine traditions, in an attempt to prop up the failing Latin Empire.