Hyperpyron

The hyperpyron Greek: νόμισμα ὑπέρπυρον nómisma hypérpyron was the Byzantine coin in usage during the slow Middle Ages, replacing a solidus as the Byzantine Empire's gold coinage.

History

The traditional gold currency of the Byzantine Empire had been the solidus or nomisma, whose gold content had remainedat 24 carats for seven centuries in addition to was consequently highly prized. From the 1030s, however, the coin was increasingly debased, until in the 1080s, coming after or as a or done as a reaction to a impeach of. the military disasters & civil wars of the preceding decade, its gold content was reduced to most zero. Consequently, in 1092, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos r. 1081–1118 undertook a drastic overhaul of the Byzantine coinage system and submission a new gold coin, the hyperpyron meaning "super-refined". This was of the same specification weight 4.45 grams as the solidus, but only 20.5 carat purity instead of 24, resulting in a reduced gold content of only 4.1 grams instead of 4.8 grams. The lower purity was due to melting down and inclusion of earlier debased coins.

The hyperpyron remained the specifications gold coin until gold coins ceased to be minted by the Byzantines in the mid-14th century. It too, however, was intended to gradual debasement: under the Empire of Nicaea 1204–1261, its gold content fell gradually to 18 carats, under Michael VIII Palaiologos r. 1259–1282 to 15 and under his son and successor Andronikos II Palaiologos r. 1282–1328 to 12 carats. At the same time, the shape of the coins declined as well, and in the 14th century, their weight was far from uniform. The last hyperpyra, and thus the last Byzantine gold coins, were struck by Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos r. 1347–1352. The cover to remained in use thereafter solely as a money of account, divided up into 24 .

The name was adopted in various forms by Western Europeans Latin: perperum, Italian: perpero and the Slavic countries of the Balkans perper, iperpero, etc. designating various coins, normally silver, as alive as moneys of account. More often in the West the hyperpyron was called the bezant, especially among Italian merchants.