Owner Comments:
The close of the 9th century witnessed the wane of the Carolingian dynasty and the disintegration of its Frankish Empire. Even so, the resurgence of culture initiated by Charlemagne the Great - and his aspirations to restore ancient Rome’s glory – endured. For among those regional princes inspired by Charlamagne’s example was Otto of Saxony, whose dynasty fostered an Ottonian Renaissance and a reconstituted realm that would become known as the Holy Roman Empire.
Upon his father’s death in 936 AD, Otto inherited the titles of Duke of Saxony and King of Germany. From day one, Otto made his wider ambitions clear. He held his coronation with great fanfare in the Palatine chapel within Charlemagne’s former palace at Aachen, the largest building complex north of the Alps and former capital of Charlemagne’s Frankish Kingdom. As if that wasn’t enough to make his point, Otto, donning Frankish clothes and his newly acquired regal insignias, topped off the affair by literally sitting upon Charlemagne’s former throne.
Like Charlemagne, Otto set out to unify central Europe through strategic marriages and appointments as well as through strength in battle. In 951 AD, Otto married Adelaide of Italy, who became a trusted advisor and powerful ally. Otto himself proved to be an effective military commander and consensus builder, whose choices often yielded good fortunes. By 962 AD his reach extended to Rome, and the Pope bestowed onto him the title of Emperor. Otto took up residence in the Eternal City, turning his attention to the south and east, lands under the dominion of the more sophisticated and powerful Byzantine Empire. Otto also turned his attention to the question of his succession. A decade later, in a mutual attempt to solidify the regional balance, a marriage was arranged between Byzantine princess Theophanu and Otto’s youngest and sole surviving son, Otto II (955-983 AD), who by this time held the title of Co-Emperor.
Upon his father’s death the follow year, the teenaged Otto II fully ascended to become sole Emperor. He continued his father’s policies of power consolidation over Germany, attempted expansion into southern Italy, and support of cultural revival. He could not, however, match the level of seemingly divine providence enjoyed by his father. In 983 AD, following a disastrous defeat in southern Italy, Otto II suddenly died, and the rights to the German throne passed on to his three year old son, Otto III. Until the latter came of age, the German Kingdom was ruled by a series of reagents, including Theophanu and the Dowager Empress Adelaide. Meanwhile, the position of Emperor remained vacant, at least for a while.
When he came of age, Otto III earned the right to independently rule Germany, and, after quelling the inevitable regional rebellions, he set out to regain the imperial throne. Like his forebears, Otto III needed the support of the Church, and he did not hesitate to seek its subjugation. Upon the death of Pope John XV in 996 AD, Otto III took the opportunity to promote his imperial chaplin and cousin, who was subsequently consecrated as Pope Gregory V. Rome had its first ever German Pope, who returned the favor by declaring Otto III as Emperor.
Like his predecessors, Otto III had now earned the right to advertise all his praenomens from REX (King) to IMP (imperator) on coinage. To this end, all three Ottonian dynasts maintained the same basic monetary system introduced by Charlemagne. This system was based on the silver penny (alternatively called the denarius, denier, or denar). Denar struck by all three Ottonian dynasts employed similar designs and legends, albeit often struck weakly and/or off center, making precise attribution challenging. On this interesting denar, the epithet OTTO is clearly discernable on the observe, encircling a short cross pattée with pellets in quarters. The reverse features a holzkirche (a wooden church) with a central cross inside, along with an enigmatic partial legend. NGC attributes this denar to the reign of Otto II - Otto III and the Maintz mint, although a previous determination favored Otto I – Otto II and the city of Speyer. In any case, this particular specimen has survived in a remarkably high state of preservation (MS63), earning it the status of top NGC graded population for its type (Note that this determination was made at the time these Owner’s Comments were posted.)
Besides striking coinage, Otto III also shared with his father and grandfather the desire to re-establish ancient Rome’s glory. Otto III arranged for his imperial palace to the built on Palatine Hill, and planned the restoration of the Senate to its former prominence. He revived the Eternal City’s ancient governmental system, including the appointment of a patrician and prefect. He even made a pilgrimage to Aachem, dug up Charlemagne’s tomb, recovered several key Carolingian artifacts, and carried them back to Rome for safekeeping. Otto III also re-instituted other old imperial customs - although he conveniently dismissed former Emperor Constantine’s decree to grant the Pope’s secular authority, and instead set a new precedent that the Emperor could elect the Pope.
Given more time, the cunning and ruthless Otto III might indeed have steered Rome back down the path of renewed glory. Certainly, Otto III was gifted with a vast intellect, nurtured by some of the greatest teachers of his time. His contemporaries nicknamed him
mirabilia mundi, or the “wonder of the world” (similar to the moniker bestowed a century later to another Holy Roman Emperor featured on this page of the Collection, Frederick II). Despite all his intellect, Otto III would fall short of his vision. In 1002 AD, as the 21-year-old Otto III awaited the arrival of his future wife, the Byzantine princess Zoe, he suddenly fell ill and died.
Since Otto III died without issue, a succession crisis ensued. It took a dozen years before Henry II, second-cousin to Otto III, garnered enough support to ascend as the fourth Ottonian Emperor. Henry II died a decade later, and, like his predecessor, he also lacked an heir. This time, the Ottonian line came to its end.
Like many ancient dynasties, the Ottonians left behind a complex legacy. Besides diplomacy and conquest, the Ottonian rulers also spread thier influence by patronizing scholarship and the arts. They establishing cultural centers of learning across their realm. Leading theologians, literati, and other artists flourished within their courts; a prominent example was Hrosvitha, the earliest-known female poet and playright in Germany. Notable cultural objects of the period included elaborately detailed illuminated manuscripts, luxurious liturgical objects, and finely crafted jewelry that fused German sensibilities and abstract patterns with the pomp and opulence of Byzantium. Besides the arts, there were also significant scientific developments during this time. Particularly prolific was Gerbert of Aurillac, who, thanks to Otto III’s nomination as Gregory V’s successor, took on the name of Pope Sylvestor II. Gerbert combined Greco-Roman and Moorish concepts to create wooden terrestrial spheres that modeled the paths of the earth, planets, and constellations with impressive accuracy. Other works include a clock, a water organ, and even an early calculation device build upon the principal of the abacus. Most importantly, Gerbert and his students promulgated the decimal system based on Hindu-Arabic numerals (have you ever tried long division with Roman numerals!?).
These developments in the arts and science were significant to the point that modern historian refer to the period as an Ottonian Renaissance. Although they failed to complete the Carolingian quest of Rome’s restoration, Otto and his descendants succeeded in perpetuating Charlamagne’s cultural revival and setting the stage for an even more extensive Renaissance to come.
Coin Details: GERMANY, Maintz, Otto II – Otto III (973-1002), AR Denar (or Pfennig) (17mm, 1.38 g, 10h), NGC Grade: MS63, Obverse: Short cross pattée with pellets in quarters, + OTTO R [EX + IMP ?], Reverse: Wooden church, [SPIRA CIVITAS?], Reference: Dannenberg 825.
COIN DETAILS: GERMANY, Speyer (Royal and imperial mint city). Otto II, with Otto I, 962-973, AR Pfennig (17mm, 1.38 g, 10h), NGC Grade: MS63, Obverse Short cross pattée with pellets in quarters, + OTTO REX + IMP, Reverse: Wooden church, SPIRA CIVITAS. References: Dannenberg 825, Numista Rarity Index: 94.
Image: NGC Photo Vision Plus.