Page 347

Ch. X THE KINGDOM OF CYPRUS, 129 1—1369 347 
acting at the instigation of Philip IV of France, into the affairs of the
Knights Templar, which was to culminate in that order's dissolution in 1312;
the other was the acquisition of the island of Rhodes by the Knights Hospitaller,
operating from Cyprus, which had been their temporary headquarters since
the fall of Acre.5 
 During the four years of his governorship Amairic struck coins of two distinctive
types, both now of the greatest rarity. The earlier type retained Henry's
name on the obverse, combined with Amairic's on the reverse, which bears
the legend Amairicus Gubernator Cipri. The second type, reflecting the deterioration
of Henry's position, omits all mention of him. The obverse bears the inscription
Amal ricus Tirensis Dominus Cipri Gubernator et Rector, surrounding the Lusignan
lion in two concentric circles; on the reverse the words Jerusalem et Cipri
Regis Filius encompass a shield impaling the arms of Jerusalem and Cyprus.
The gros and demi-gros of the second type are from the artistic point of
view among the handsomest examples of the Lusignan coinage. 
 Necessarily the first concern of the restored king Henry, thirty-nine years
old on his return from dispossession and exile, was to secure the persons
of Amalric's principal supporters. Some of these com plied with his command
to give themselves up, others had to be sought out: the king's brother Aimery
the constable, Balian of Ibelin, titular prince of Galilee, Philip of Ibelin,
titular count of Jaffa, with other disloyal knights, made submission and
public confession of their treason and threw themselves on the royal mercy.
They were not immediately put to death, although this might have proved a
more clement fate: they were committed to rigorous confinement in the castles
of Kyrenia and the more inaccessible Buffavento. The Ibelins perished in
Kyrenia in 1316, the constable probably about the same time. 
 Toward his sister-in-law Isabel, the usurper Amalric's widow, on the other
hand, Henry showed more leniency than was characteristic of the age. Nine
weeks after his restoration he allowed her and three of her sons to reenter
Cyprus and in the following year, 1311, to return with her family and household
to Cilicia. She might have done better to remain where she was, for she ultimately
met her death (in 1323) in an Armenian prison at the instance of the regent
of her own country, Oshin of Corycus. 
 Three major matters of external importance engaged Henry's atten tion after
his restoration, in addition to the local one of striving to 
5. See above, pp. 278—283.