Հեթում Բ, թե՞ Հեթում Ա

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive study of silver, billon and copper coins bearing the name Hethoum, which leads to the following conclusions: a. Hetum II did not issue any coins. The following types were mistakenly attributed to him: billons with the facing bust of the king and a two-barred cross; billons with a facing bust of the king and a cross with equal bars; coppers with a facing head of the king and a two-barred cross; coppers with a seated figure and a cross with equal bars. b. All coins with the name Hethoum were issued only under the reign of Hethoum I, during the years 1226-1268/9. Hethoum II was the only one in the whole series of Kilikian kings who refused to be crowned, which is mentioned in Armenian and foreign sources, and in 1293 had become a Franciscan monk, taking the name Hovhannes. Refusing to wear a crown and adopting a religious name explain the reason why Hethoum II did not issue coins․