THE COINAGE OF ARSLÂN ARĠÛ, THE SALJÛQ, AND THEIR POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE (485 - 490 AH. / 1092 -1096 AD.)
Document Type: Original article
pages: 129-139
Mokhtar, O.
Assist. Prof., Islamic Archeology dept., Faculty of Arts, Sohag Univ., Sohag, Egypt
Abstract:
The present paper examines the coinage of King Arslân Arġû brother to Sultan Malik hâh the Saljûq who ruled over Khorasan in (485 490 AH. / 1092 1096 AD.) and struck coins which reflected the prevailing political conditions at the time. Arslân Arġû inscribed on his coins the name of the Abbasid Caliph, Al Muqtadi, to win his favour and guarantee that his coinage would be considered legitimate in circulation while some of his coins show that he omitted the name of Barkiyarq, Sultan Malik hâhs son and successor, to announce that he is the sole ruler of Khorasan and that he does not consider Barkiyarq the legitimate ruler of the great Saljûq lands. However, on other coins Arslân Arġû inscribed the name of Barkiyarq together with his own name to proclaim himself ruler of Khorasan and, at the same time, to avoid annoying Barkiyarq or enraging him, especially because Barkiyarq was able to defeat all his enemies and have independent rule over Saljûq lands. In this way, Arslân Arġûs coinage reflects the political conditions of the great Saljûq reign at the time when he was ruler of Khorasan.
Keywords:
Arslân Arġû; Saljûqs; coins; Barkiyarq; Inscriptions; Obverse; Reverse; Dinar; Dirham; Fals
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