tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51720756618124888382024-03-10T20:23:04.467-07:00Coins of the WorldCoins of the World is a blog about Coins of various countries but majorly focusses on India and related series. It is meant to discuss and highlight various aspects of Indian and World Numismatics in its own way. Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-16537811038509159052018-05-10T06:06:00.001-07:002018-05-10T06:26:12.317-07:00A Silver Tanka of a Holy Warrior Sultan of Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<b>Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq Shah</b> was a Turkoman soldier of humble origin who began his career as a lieutenant in the army of the Delhi Sultan, <b>Ala-ud-din Muhammad Khalji </b>(1290-1316 CE). His original name was <b>Ghazi Mallik</b>, probably a nom-de guerre essential to thrive in the army of an ambitious Muslim sultan. He was despatched by Ala-ud-din Khalji to the frontier region of Punjab during the Mongol invasion with an army of 10,000 foot soldiers. Ghazi Mallik managed to secure the frontier region of Sindh, Multan and Uch and based himself in the area of Dipalpur towards the end of Khalji's reign.<br />
He did not venture to the capital during the succession crisis after Alauddin's death in 1316 or even during the new sultan, <b>Qutb-ud-din Mubarak</b>'s four year debauched reign as he was secure in his region. However, the crisis caused by Qutb-ud-din's murder by his converted Hindu male slave who was enthroned briefly as <b>Khusro Shah</b> in 1320 CE forced Ghazi Mallik to move to the outskirts of Delhi. Ghazi Mallik easily overwhelmed the 'non-believer' sultan (a Gujarati Hindu slave converted to Islam and not believed to be a true believer by the Turkish nobility) and took over the Sultanate of Delhi as <b>Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq Shah</b>. He ruled Delhi from 1320 till his 'unnatural' death brought about the collapse of a wooden pavilion constructed to welcome him on his return from a long campaign in Bengal.<br />
Ghiyas-ud-din's reign saw the increase in thrust towards punishing and finishing off the Mongol threat on the sultanate's northwestern border. Ghiyas-ud-din also consolidated his hold over Bengal and ventured farther into the south with the help of his son, <b>Jauna Khan</b> (the future Muhammad bin Tughluq) who implemented the successful subjugation of Warangal's last Kakatiya ruler, <b>Prataprudra </b>in 1323.<br />
<br />
Numismatically, Ghiyas-ud-din's achievements were modest as his origins as he employed the staid style of his predecessors, the Khalji and their predecessors, the Slave Sultans especially for the major tankas of his reign. Ghiyas-ud-din employed the typical title legends with his religious name, <i>Laqab</i>, <b>Ghiyas-ud-din</b> (literally 'Helper of the Faith') preceded by the title, <b>Al-Sultan</b> with a minor variation, he substituted the usual adjunct title, <b>Al-Azam</b> employed by his predecessors by the title <b>Al-Ghazi</b> (literally 'The Holy Warrior') recalling his nom de guerre, Ghazi Mallik.<br />
Ghiyas-ud-din's taking of this religious title is significant for another reason. He fell afoul with the noted Sufi saint of Delhi, <b>Hazrat Nizam-ud-din Auliya</b> over more secular matters but which turned both religious in terms of the sultan's acceptance as a pious Muslim as well as political.<br />
It is stated that the differences between Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din and Nizam-ud-din Auliya turned so acrimonious that the latter was advised by his well-wishers at the court to leave the city for his own good as the Sultan planned to turn on him after his return from a campaign in Bengal.<br />
However, the Sufi refused to budge stating 'Hunuz Dilli door ast' meaning "Delhi is still far away (for the sultan)". The saying turned prophetic as the Sultan was killed outside Delhi by the collapse of the wooden pavilion constructed to welcome him! <br />
<br />
Ghiyas-ud-din issued his vastly common silver and occasional gold tankas (weighing around 10.8g) with similar titles from several mints viz. known cities like <b>Hazrat Dehli</b> and <b>Qila' Deogir</b> (later known as Daulatabad), some vague locations in the Deccan termed as <b>Mulk-i-Tilang</b> (Telangana country) and some with Islamicate names like <b>Sultanpur</b> (Warangal) and an unknown one termed as <b>Dar al-Islam</b> (probably an epithet for the new city of Tughluqabad founded by him). Interestingly, the mint name is inscribed on the reverse on its margin along with the date in words in the Arabic language.<br />
<br />
The coin featured in this post is a silver tanka issued from <b>Hazrat Dehli</b> mint in the Hijri year 724 corresponding to 1324-25 CE the last year of this ruler. The beauty of this specimen is in the complete date and legend in the margin of the reverse (see description on the jpeg).<br />
<br />
Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq was succeeded by his son, Jauna Khan who took the title <b>Muhammad bin Tughluq</b> and unleashed a number of different style coins during his 25 year long reign which ended in 1351 CE. Thus, Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq though a founder of a dynasty is not remembered due to the more spectacular and attention-seeking recollection of his successor, Muhammad's reign. However, he was responsible for preserving and continuing the political power of the Dehli Sultanate during a potentially unstable period of the kingdom's history. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_-phteQxgEe07owhvN9URdk70su7aRqoSJtDaArwrOAVjomeQ6i571DfT-O3blGeuZsyyQiDO0oS8a5UykFSe0iDSXg5M3oevCGbKtjZiVwPCZLQwNTO5aFVfBx2LyF14m-5gR1q_pUC/s1600/Ghiyas-ud-din+Tughluq+AR+Tanka++Hazrat+Dehli+724+AH+CENNUMIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_-phteQxgEe07owhvN9URdk70su7aRqoSJtDaArwrOAVjomeQ6i571DfT-O3blGeuZsyyQiDO0oS8a5UykFSe0iDSXg5M3oevCGbKtjZiVwPCZLQwNTO5aFVfBx2LyF14m-5gR1q_pUC/s640/Ghiyas-ud-din+Tughluq+AR+Tanka++Hazrat+Dehli+724+AH+CENNUMIS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-80779334392442523892018-04-29T06:03:00.000-07:002018-04-29T06:03:24.842-07:00A Nineteenth-Century Quasi-Mughal Coin issued at the Poona Mint by the East India Company<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries set off the slow decline of the Mughal Empire across the Indian sub-continent with the rise of independent powers in various regions at the cost of Mughals. These powers triggered the decline of Mughal power by usurping various aspects of executive and fiscal powers of the Mughal state handing it to local supporters of each power.<br />
The pace of this process varied from region to region but was steady enough by the middle of the eighteenth century. The period of this process spanned from 1712 on the death of Shah Alam II till 1835 when the British formally declared themselves as the formal rulers of the country.<br />
<br />
One aspect of Mughal power which changed more slowly than other insignia and symbols of power was its coinage issued in three metals of gold, silver and copper since the time of Akbar (c. 1556-1605 CE) in a standardized way from imperial mints across the country. Eighteenth century powers chose to continue Mughal coins from regional mints almost in the same fashion with the name of the Mughal emperor on the obverse and the mint's name on the reverse with the date in Hijri era and his regnal year.<br />
<br />
The coinage of the new powers however differed from the imperial Mughal coinage in two aspects. Mughal coinage at its height was centralized and the engraving of its dies in particular was the work of Master Engravers selected by the Emperor himself. The Ain'-i-Akbari names one such Master Engraver named Maulana Ali Ahmad who is described as "having no equal in any country, cuts different kind of letters in steel, in such a manner as to equal the copyslips of the most skilful calligraphers. He holds the rank of a Yuzbashi (commander of 100 and paid 500-600 rupees per month)". Thus, the Great Mughals exercised great care in the engraving as in other departments of minting from the imperial centre even for their regional mints. In many case, engraved dies were said to be despatched from the centre to ensure the quality of the die-struck coins of the imperial mints.<br />
<br />
However, as the imperial centre weakened under the Later Mughals, the quality of die engraving suffered as is evident in the coins struck by the Marathas, Rajputs and even colonial powers like the English and the French. These changed calligraphy with even corrupted Persian legends speak volumes of the fall in the calligraphic quality of later coins aptly termed as quasi-Mughal coins in modern numismatic nomenclature.<br />
Another quality of these quasi-Mughal issues was the inclusion of Mint marks and regional symbols adopted as per the local power's own heritage and cultural legacy. In the case of the Marathas, various symbols from the Hindu pantheon were adopted and included in the reverse die's design. Thus, we find Trishul, Ankush, Pharsi and Nagphani (snake hood) among various emblems seen on Maratha Rupees issued in the Peshwai period from 1740s till 1818 when the Peshwas were defeated in the Third Anglo-Maratha War.<br />
The Poona mint which functioned directly under the Peshwas from 1764 and issued the Hali Sikka Rupee with a prominent Nagphani symbol on the reverse. These Hali Sikka rupees continued to be issued in the late Peshwai period as well as by the British after 1818. An important change was the addition of Devanagari numerals on the reverse indicating the date in the Fasli era used only in the Deccan.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The featured coin is one of a Hali Sikka Rupee issued in Fasli Era year 1236 (1826 CE) with the Nagphani emblem on the reverse with an obverse and reverse set of Persian legends which show poor calligraphy as compared to a proper Mughal Rupee even in the period of Ahmad Shah (c. 1748-1754 CE) or Alamgir II (1754-1759 CE). The Quasi-Mughal Rupees increased in number and variety during the ignominious ruler of the titulary Emperor, Shah Alam II (r. 1759-1806 CE) also known by his pre-accession name, Shah Ali Gauhar on some Quasi-Mughal Rupees as this series</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF4WJkxlJK6YvpX1ii2SF51RHKHmC7_igZE3s7w66Niy9OASKnv-Azv1qupxwcTcxukwt2DladQLvYXgQwpFS0d1rPO_Ozhp9RP5Ajfsg2kQAfhAIaib91cVwhwXsQ0f4_Qk5kpd2CrEw/s1600/Shah+Alam+II+AR+Rupee+Muhiyabad+1236+F.E.+Nagphani+type+MW+T3A+CENNUMIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF4WJkxlJK6YvpX1ii2SF51RHKHmC7_igZE3s7w66Niy9OASKnv-Azv1qupxwcTcxukwt2DladQLvYXgQwpFS0d1rPO_Ozhp9RP5Ajfsg2kQAfhAIaib91cVwhwXsQ0f4_Qk5kpd2CrEw/s400/Shah+Alam+II+AR+Rupee+Muhiyabad+1236+F.E.+Nagphani+type+MW+T3A+CENNUMIS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKYZ88fwbCH3eALdGsiGsp3ySsMZ6pawj690Xbc08-F19cCyq_XepUpiRYHGmZsNowKzF-jD6ueby7YyfFrca6PYhLuOwIBrAObqIpePG-oCZryz8EbeZwaDYMz8ZLVYj4sunN-vifjsV/s1600/Shah_Alam_II%252C_1790s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKYZ88fwbCH3eALdGsiGsp3ySsMZ6pawj690Xbc08-F19cCyq_XepUpiRYHGmZsNowKzF-jD6ueby7YyfFrca6PYhLuOwIBrAObqIpePG-oCZryz8EbeZwaDYMz8ZLVYj4sunN-vifjsV/s400/Shah_Alam_II%252C_1790s.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Emperor Shah Alam II c. 1790s Image Courtesy: Wikipedia.com</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-44132277173020851752018-04-19T00:28:00.002-07:002018-04-19T00:29:02.262-07:00An Octagonal Relic of Assam's Past under the Ahom Dynasty<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Medieval Assam, also known as Kamarupa, came under the Ahom rulers in the thirteenth century during the reign of Sukapha (c. 1228-1268) when the Ahom people crossed over the Brahmaputra valley and occupied the region centred over Charaideo.<br />
The Ahom kingdom's polity was a mixed one comprising of Tai' language speakers of their homeland and native Assamese who were assimilated in the new kingdom's power structure as well as social system which was essentially Ahomese under the early Ahom Kings from the thirteenth till the sixteenth century including the Tai' language of the Ahoms.<br />
Assamese language entered the court in the sixteenth century and came to dominate the court culture from the seventeenth century along with Hinduisation of the court culture including the use of Saka era to record court events.<br />
Most of the Ahom Kings and queens (their names also featured on Ahomese coins) took Hindu names along with their Ahomese names.<br />
<br />
The Ahoms began to issue silver and gold coins essentially to monetize their economy with Tibet and other regions and also to mark the ceremonial customs of the court especially coronations of new rulers. The coronation series had legends in the Ahom-Tai script along with the date in the Ahomese calendar. These coins were supplemented with silver coins featuring Bengali and Nagari script. The earliest coins of Assam were issued by Jayadhvaja Simha (Sutamla) (c. 1648-1663 C.E.) who issued coins with Bengali and Chinese character legends on his coins. His descendants used Ahom-Tai and Bengali/Nagari legends on their coins.<br />
However, later rulers like Rajeswara Simha (1751-1769 C.E.) also issued Persian script coins in accord with the growing influence of the language around.<br />
The other marked feature of Ahom coins was their octagonal shape which was adopted, according to one theory, as it was believed that the land of Kamarupa was octagonal in shape.<br />
The Ahoms looked to the Bengal Sultanate's silver tankas as the chief inspiration for the weight of their coins and thus we have their silver units called Rajamohuri taka or rupas weighing 96 rattis followed by their half (adhuli adhataka), quarter (Siki/Maha), one-eighth (Adamaha), one-sixteenth (Charatiya) and its one thirty-second part (teeni-rattiya 3 rattis).<br />
Later Ahom coins also have the names of Ahom queens reflecting on the importance of the chief queen in the kingdom's power structure in the period. <br />
<br />
Most of the coins in Bengali script have religious invocations on one side of the Shaivite or Vaishnavite inclination and the reverse has the king's name and titles along with the date in Shaka era. The fractions do not have any date on them due to the coin's limited space and long titles of the ruler.<br />
The coin featured in this blog post is one of the best examples of an Ahom Bengali script silver coin with legends on one side praising Lord Shiva and the reverse having the titles of the ruler, Rajeshwara Simha.<br />
<br />
Historically, Ahom coins represent the long glorious period of North-East History where two cultures of diverse origin met and assimilated in a very organic fashion with mutual respect for each other's customs. Additionally, these coins reflect the high volume of trade in the region which would have compelled the mint to issue these coins. The coins continued issuing in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries is also a reflection of the robust opposition offered by the Ahoms to the Mughals during the latter's attempts to subdue the kingdom and bring it under imperial command.<br />
Ahom power came to an end in the first quarter of the nineteenth century when they came under the Burmese influence and after the defeat of the latter in the First Anglo-Burmese war with East India Company, it passed into the hands of the East India Company in 1826 when the last ruler Chandrakanta Simha reigned under the Company's influence.<br />
The last of the Ahomese coins were issued by the dynasty's penultimate ruler, Jogeshwara Simha (1821-1824 CE) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHFXD3cBKzWGHHOHy-7wx1v4tqqt0aM8LdiNnLhe4actBQDj9uLQKTrGNM2jDfBR_thWjY7EXZJhRAsIOFYqSbNutEB8coK8BXzNiA3EgmV0Ih0fBOC3Ql-FfQUWPr03Vl4zsjpSpQ67z/s1600/Rajeshwara+Simha+AR+Adhuli+CENNUMIS+Mitra+233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHFXD3cBKzWGHHOHy-7wx1v4tqqt0aM8LdiNnLhe4actBQDj9uLQKTrGNM2jDfBR_thWjY7EXZJhRAsIOFYqSbNutEB8coK8BXzNiA3EgmV0Ih0fBOC3Ql-FfQUWPr03Vl4zsjpSpQ67z/s400/Rajeshwara+Simha+AR+Adhuli+CENNUMIS+Mitra+233.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-40249729968778571002018-04-09T01:22:00.000-07:002018-04-09T01:22:25.249-07:00A Silver 'Two Dirham' from the Mongol Ilkhanate of Persia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Ilkhanate of Persia was a Mongol state which rose in 1259 C.E. from the fragmentation of the Mongol Empire and was ruled by Hulagu Khan, the grandson of Chingiz Khan. Hulagu's armies dominated the south-western parts of the Mongol Empire majorly comprising of Iran and its neighbouring regions. Hulagu was responsible for the sack of Baghdad and killing of the last Abbasid Caliph, Al-Muta'sim in 1258. At its height, the Ilkhanate thus ruled a vast region comprising of modern day Iran, Iraq, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkeministan, parts of Turkey and Western Afghanistan.<br />
Hulagu and his immediate successors were close to Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity but embraced Islam under Ghazan in 1295 C.E. when the character of the state became decidedly Islamic, though some later rulers continued to flirt with Buddhism and other pagan faiths.<br />
The last ruler of the clan was Abu Said Khan who strangely fell to the Black Death of the 1330s with his sons thus bringing the Ilkhanate to its disintegration and eventual dissolution.<br />
<br />
Abu Said 'Bahadur' Khan lorded over the Ilkhanate for almost two decades and he issued a vast coinage in gold and silver from various mints of his vast empire. Silver coins were issued from at least 150 mints with few minor variations in their design. The silver coins were issued in three denominations, Half dirham (0.72g-0.90 g), 1 dirham (1.44g - 1.80g) and 2 dirhams (3.24g -3.60g)<br />
<br />
Shown below is a 2 Dirham of Abu Saeed probably issued from Tabriz mint (similar to S. Album # 2214 Type 'G') in the collection of our institute. It is a fairly common coin with worn out features reflecting its rich circulation history in the period of its issue. Abu Said Khan also took the epithet Bahadur the Brave not seen on this coin but seen on his other coins. The coin has the Sunni Kalima on the reverse reflecting his strong links to Sunni Islam as a ruler of the Ilkhanate. The calligraphy on the coins is late Kufic type with the geometric features of the script fast being replaced with curves and designs and the multiple-cartouche design also shows a late embellishing nature seen on Islamic coinage compared to the bland designs of the early Islamic coinage shorn of any designs or decoration.<br />
Importantly, this coin matches the later Islamic tradition of autonomous rulers issuing their own coins without any recognition of the higher authority of caliph which was a situation created by Hulagu's killing of the last Abbasid Caliph during his siege of Baghdad. The Ilkhanate's rulers' conversion of Islam did not stop their aggression towards fellow Muslim kingdoms. In fact, like most medieval empires, it sought to engulf neighbouring kingdoms and take over their resources and sovereign rights including Sikka, the right to coin independently, a pragmatic principle adopted in Islamic world after the exit of the Abbasid Caliphs. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QpKS62cPFugGTcm4cWHtHf_rdySsCtlBQwKTlLhHGroaD5qgKReJDzjo8Zb4PFCzsRsKtJQweeGaUZBgqnkGBYhFxy0URkYT32CrtxyYN57CL7rSRSMsWuTb2WQ70vMjYq7amY0IXNfi/s1600/Ilkhanid+Persia+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="775" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QpKS62cPFugGTcm4cWHtHf_rdySsCtlBQwKTlLhHGroaD5qgKReJDzjo8Zb4PFCzsRsKtJQweeGaUZBgqnkGBYhFxy0URkYT32CrtxyYN57CL7rSRSMsWuTb2WQ70vMjYq7amY0IXNfi/s400/Ilkhanid+Persia+map.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Ilkhanid Persia Image Courtesy: wikipedia </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgN3ZGYgkQ2afcAHablK5AixNRLGhkr8fwc6R5ZONe-pAAN4Mz4H7dyZegD0UvvIRFJFUo0YikWlO2vNIGWaf-5PxjrorsgqkssDiX2ICik1ukek9HIlNKuOd_eEy0jNqeo6fHoHAKdcfV/s1600/Abu+Saeed+Bahadur+Khan+AR+2+Dirham+Ilkhanid+of+Persia+Obv+Album+%2523+2214+Type+G+CENNUMIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgN3ZGYgkQ2afcAHablK5AixNRLGhkr8fwc6R5ZONe-pAAN4Mz4H7dyZegD0UvvIRFJFUo0YikWlO2vNIGWaf-5PxjrorsgqkssDiX2ICik1ukek9HIlNKuOd_eEy0jNqeo6fHoHAKdcfV/s400/Abu+Saeed+Bahadur+Khan+AR+2+Dirham+Ilkhanid+of+Persia+Obv+Album+%2523+2214+Type+G+CENNUMIS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-20685870589032240852017-07-29T09:21:00.003-07:002017-07-29T09:21:32.513-07:00Indian Coins - Courses on Indian Coins by CENNUMIS Music http://www.bens...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HnN3yqBb8lo" width="459"></iframe>Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-35625837438225393412017-07-29T09:21:00.001-07:002017-07-29T09:21:29.432-07:00Indian Coins - Courses on Indian Coins by CENNUMIS Music http://www.bens...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HnN3yqBb8lo" width="459"></iframe>Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-48539117893792808872017-07-26T12:11:00.001-07:002017-07-26T12:11:39.804-07:00Study of Indian Coins by CENNUMIS<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QowG6PvSH_U" width="480"></iframe>Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-62366352955961437852017-06-14T00:23:00.001-07:002017-06-14T00:23:41.889-07:00Peeping into the Past via a Silver Dirham of Mahmud Ghaznavi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusgMk5OdQOaORkKkKvfdBnRtpVz72PgqcRdhpzxvIfHQ-qdyJKTxEQM8erHO1dZ1lbVgDgtdWxKTEIu1RbQZa01gzUr1zgwwqsJUy5LWFNCOhPEmYDZ981-Cv81Vk-MydiSuplDEc2yI6/s1600/Mahmud+Ghaznavi+Dirham+CENNUMIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusgMk5OdQOaORkKkKvfdBnRtpVz72PgqcRdhpzxvIfHQ-qdyJKTxEQM8erHO1dZ1lbVgDgtdWxKTEIu1RbQZa01gzUr1zgwwqsJUy5LWFNCOhPEmYDZ981-Cv81Vk-MydiSuplDEc2yI6/s1600/Mahmud+Ghaznavi+Dirham+CENNUMIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusgMk5OdQOaORkKkKvfdBnRtpVz72PgqcRdhpzxvIfHQ-qdyJKTxEQM8erHO1dZ1lbVgDgtdWxKTEIu1RbQZa01gzUr1zgwwqsJUy5LWFNCOhPEmYDZ981-Cv81Vk-MydiSuplDEc2yI6/s1600/Mahmud+Ghaznavi+Dirham+CENNUMIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TaKwPyl0PIUDu8-E-YBCFtjd0ZCrvAqX3pNYGTClkgsf2SGPsMaHnMLOeNikz_dMZ9VivSquCr3SZFylO2uVMu607i6UyExL7zpUPC7Z23vX7ElughffVAiWGxM7lDkZFdID4Iv8Ls-_/s1600/Mahmud+Ghaznavi+Dirham+edited+1+CENNUMIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="1026" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TaKwPyl0PIUDu8-E-YBCFtjd0ZCrvAqX3pNYGTClkgsf2SGPsMaHnMLOeNikz_dMZ9VivSquCr3SZFylO2uVMu607i6UyExL7zpUPC7Z23vX7ElughffVAiWGxM7lDkZFdID4Iv8Ls-_/s640/Mahmud+Ghaznavi+Dirham+edited+1+CENNUMIS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sultan Yamin-ud-Daula Abul Qasim <b>Mahmud ibn Sebuktigin</b> of Ghazni (r. 998-1030 C.E.) was a zealous Islamic ruler whose entire reign was spent in expanding the authority of his kingdom on the decadent structure of the Abbasid Caliphate taking over territories captured from his ancestors' suzerains, the Samanids in Central Asia, the Shia' Buyid Empire's remnants in Eastern Iran and the kingdoms south of Hindukush into the Indian sub-continent.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mahmud almost would have taken over the Abbasid Caliphate but was restrained by the nominal suzerainty he owed to the Abbasid Caliph Al-Qadir Billah (991-1031 C.E.), who ruled the declining caliphate contemporary to Mahmud's period. Caliph Al-Qadir appeased Mahmud by recognizing his rising status in the world of realpolitik and upgrading his title from Amir to Sultan in 992 C.E.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Caliph Al-Qadir's ideological war with the Fatimids Shias of Egypt also gave Mahmud a valid reason to attack both the Ismaili kingdom of Multan as well as the Shia Buyid rulers of Eastern Persia. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mahmud was most probably inspired by the 'Golden Age' of Islam which has just passed by his reign. This is evident from his efforts to fashion his capital city, Ghazni in central-east Afghanistan in the mould of Abbasid Baghdad, enriching the capital city with his newfound riches and treasures plundered from kingdoms as far as the Caspian Sea to the Gangetic plains of North India.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As Mahmud's vast plundering raids increased, they brought him enormous riches especially in the form of bullion and coins of these foreign realms. He was thus obliged as a good Islamic ruler to issue coins in the joint name of the Caliph and him in the newly instituted tradition of <b><i>Sikka </i></b>(Coinage). Additionally, he was also obliged by Islamic law to distribute these spoils termed as <b><i>Ghanima</i></b> among his victorious soldiers after deducting one-fifth of the same as the traditional tax of <i style="font-weight: bold;">Khams </i>to be transmitted to the Caliph's treasury, the <b><i>Bait-ul-Maal</i></b> at Baghdad, though it is highly likely that in view of the Caliph's weak status Mahmud would have withheld this tribute to the Leader of the Faithful. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, like all conquerors before him, the best example being Alexander the Great, Mahmud would have converted the captured treasuries of his opponents into his own coinage thus expanding the volume of Ghaznavid currency exponentially.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Thus, the coin above represents the basic raison d'etre of Ghaznavid currency as well as its propensity to survive the long period that has passed by since Mahmud's era.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If we look at the weight of the coin, it is fashioned on the Greek drachm, thus the name dirham which is not the only Greco-Roman legacy connected to this Islamic currency. The coin's legend begins with the word <i style="font-weight: bold;">Adl </i>(Arabic for Justice), which was a term used by Abbasid Caliphs on their coinage as well. The term is philologically similar to the Latin <i style="font-weight: bold;">Ideal </i><span style="font-weight: bold;">(Adl also lends to the term, <b><i>Adil</i></b> to describe a just ruler as well as recalls the English description 'ideal and just' ruler) </span>which again points to the use of the phrase inspired from Greco-Roman coinage where the rulers were supposed to dispense Justice. As a further pointer, I have shown a commemorative coin of Livia 'Julia Augusta' with the image/legend 'IUSTITIA' issued by her son, Emperor Tiberius.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another highlight of the dirham illustrated here is that it gives the major title of Mahmud, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Yamin-ud-daula </i>(literally ~ right hand of the realm) which again point to the borrowing of the concept of Satraps of Greco-Roman rulers both in ancient and early medieval times. In fact, Mahmud's kingdom comprised of Eastern Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan and North-West India which matched the ancient Satrapal kingdom of Greco-Bactria which rose by breaking away from the Seleucid Empire just like Mahmud grew on the remains of the Abbasid Caliphate. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Thus, this single dirham of Mahmud of Ghazna helps us understand the various theoretical underpinnings of his tumultous reign which though controversial and bloody, contributed immensely to the History of the world, adding a new thrust to Islam's growth in the Indian sub-continent. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I thank Stan Goron, Senior Numismatist and Author of the catalogue, 'COINS OF THE INDIAN SULTANATES' for his help in deciphering this coin especially in view of lack of resources like the Tuebingen Catalogue</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A good online catalogue for Ghaznavid coinage can be seen on this link</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
http://ghaznavid.ancients.info/Mahmud/mahmud.htm </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
http://ghaznavid.ancients.info/index.html#Table</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLpKzz-4ZGC1i4qnChk5OKjTDWO0ysTPUfv1ZCgF_i0LG3EBAH20ztBUMVHQsyhvCeIBq72ff84eR1ISxG9ND-a7SQ7h-hbK3cm9zB2Je78hmOX5syQOXAx4RbqWGUKEZEbX58s62BqjZ/s1600/Ghaznavid_Empire_975_-_1187_%2528AD%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="620" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLpKzz-4ZGC1i4qnChk5OKjTDWO0ysTPUfv1ZCgF_i0LG3EBAH20ztBUMVHQsyhvCeIBq72ff84eR1ISxG9ND-a7SQ7h-hbK3cm9zB2Je78hmOX5syQOXAx4RbqWGUKEZEbX58s62BqjZ/s640/Ghaznavid_Empire_975_-_1187_%2528AD%2529.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ghaznavid Empire c. 1030 at the end of Mahmud's reign. Image Courtesy: Wikipedia Commons<br />
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Ghaznavid_Empire_975_-_1187_%28AD%29.PNG<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMUf5qvc57Ggg1OmyU0F_mgI_phqwjhiDnMrPaXlakQjDFULc_4xqIiQGu_sHo1BuJiwFEkMtvkgX1kE5sO7SWbNI7DvE3DvMhta_gBurLXGq6_ubWwYlqa35E-VOT6KuYy1kK9xO2_1N/s1600/Julia+Augusta+Commemorative+Coin+with+image+of+Justicia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="800" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMUf5qvc57Ggg1OmyU0F_mgI_phqwjhiDnMrPaXlakQjDFULc_4xqIiQGu_sHo1BuJiwFEkMtvkgX1kE5sO7SWbNI7DvE3DvMhta_gBurLXGq6_ubWwYlqa35E-VOT6KuYy1kK9xO2_1N/s640/Julia+Augusta+Commemorative+Coin+with+image+of+Justicia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roman Commemorative Coin in honor of Livia 'Julia Augusta' with the legend 'Justicia' issued by her son, Emperor Tiberius</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-87950728211159766772017-06-08T05:55:00.000-07:002017-06-08T05:55:24.632-07:00A Bull-headed Huna ruler's coin issued in Kabul-Gandhara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The fifth century of the Common Era saw tectonic changes in the fortunes of the Gupta Empire of the Indian sub-continent and the Sassanid Empire of Persia due to the increasing incursions of the White Huns from the North-West border of India. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Originating like the earlier dynasty of Kushans on the outskirts of China, the Shweta Hunas rose from the Eastern border of Persia and probably spoke a variant of Eastern Iranian language. They first took over Tokharistan (Central Asia) from the Kidarite Kushans (Later Kushans) soon driving them out of areas around modern day Afghanistan and Pashtun belt of Pakistan. The Hunas soon attacked the outposts of the Gupta dynasty in the second half of the fifth century with a prominent defeat at the hands of Emperor Skanda Gupta and a later expedition defeated by a coalition of Narasimhagupta (Baaladitya) and King Yashovarman in Central India. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
However, the Hunas overall succeeded in subduing the Later Guptas' chieftains in Northern India under Toramana and his son, Mihirakula forming their major base in Kashmir which became a refuge for them after the defeats and reverses at the hands of local rulers in the mainland. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
According to most experts, the Hunas spoke a variant of Iranian language which is attested by the legends on the coins of the initial rulers whose coins have a monolingual Pehlavi legend followed by later bilingual and trilingual legends. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The coin on display in this post is a billon drachm issued in the name of 'NAAPKI MALLEKA' inscribed in Pehlavi script, as described by Michael Mitchiner in his book, 'ANCIENT CLASSICAL WORLD' </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The Coin is no doubt inspired by Sassanid drachms of the period in terms of fabric of the coin with the King's bust on the obverse with winged head-dress and the reverse having a fire altar with two attendants. However, the iconography of the Huna ruler, Naapki Malleka has a Bull's head surmounted on the king's head which is quite an unique feature of this series. The Bull's head could be indicative of Tantric worship by the Hunas or merely indicate a cultic practice of sacrificing bulls as indicated by a Chinese Buddhist traveller, Song Yun who visited Hunnic regions in A.D. 540 and states that the Huns <span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">did not recognize the Buddhist religion and they preached pseudo gods, and killed animals for their meat." </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The Nezaka Malleka coinage's period would be guesswork but in view of its use of Pehlavi legend, one is inclined to place it in sixth century C.E. rather than a later period. The preference to Pehlavi over Brahmi legends would also place it in the far northern part of Kabul-Gandhara region. Additionally, the use of Pehlavi also indicates the coin's issue by Iranian dialect speaking people to the later Turkic people who replaced the Huns.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Napki Malleka coins were issued in probably two series, one in pure silver and the second in billon (with more copper than silver); our coin belongs to the latter series which would have been again issued in a later era of lesser prosperity with plateauing of the resources of the Huna Empire. The Napki Malleka series would thus have been issued as a continuum coinage by a series of rulers who could have the title, Napki Malleka (Malleka meaning King) with variant legends seen in the series. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Thus, the Huna Coinage issued in the interim by Huna rulers represents a transitional coinage between two cultures, Sassanid Persian and Indian where the series was adopted by Huna rulers, Toramana and Mihirkula to transplant the series in the Indian mainland leading to a unique series called Indo-Sassanian. It also represents the power of coinage to convey religious messages by an alien people whose hybrid faith borrowed from other faiths but yet tried to impress its individual features upon posterity </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRtS66G8YkAxfJnhnu66RV5Gz3hfnypgXC6PIbFEKZ_3XfYgpzqZ2LRW7I_Ekqs20T9VrKhA__IDavvs-mpap0vtkiNCV-EhxzulgVUyLpBK7DefYOi2WAITJEzi4ldHGkb7S0nSRLMBt/s1600/Napki+Malek+Huna+Billon+Drachm+CENNUMIS+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRtS66G8YkAxfJnhnu66RV5Gz3hfnypgXC6PIbFEKZ_3XfYgpzqZ2LRW7I_Ekqs20T9VrKhA__IDavvs-mpap0vtkiNCV-EhxzulgVUyLpBK7DefYOi2WAITJEzi4ldHGkb7S0nSRLMBt/s640/Napki+Malek+Huna+Billon+Drachm+CENNUMIS+.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8F91UTE6ps_Lpt2PUzJq3fYlE-3R54-4oRDyRlYE72vdBzes9CLqY-FKj3WtSaXrSoi6AUESrpd0E44HMkwjdIO9HuD7ow6InFSLYs50yJkVgKn8uS7kGZy-4GV6fdBmCq16HRNPyGsT/s1600/IMG_4058+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="1078" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8F91UTE6ps_Lpt2PUzJq3fYlE-3R54-4oRDyRlYE72vdBzes9CLqY-FKj3WtSaXrSoi6AUESrpd0E44HMkwjdIO9HuD7ow6InFSLYs50yJkVgKn8uS7kGZy-4GV6fdBmCq16HRNPyGsT/s400/IMG_4058+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pehlavi Legend 'NAAPKI MALEKA'</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.1196773 72.9050809000000319.0596683 72.824399900000031 19.1796863 72.985761900000028tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-18493999916623942202017-04-19T23:34:00.000-07:002017-04-19T23:35:31.063-07:00Experiential Teaching in Numismatics - CENNUMIS Style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Necessity is the Mother of all invention. I experienced the truth in this adage when I was forced to launch a new institution in the aftermath of losing a prestigious university position in June 2014 in view of no new jobs on the horizon in the rarefied field of Numismatics! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today, CENNUMIS is a two-and-a- half-year old institution which though doesn't have its own premises, is always on the move and open to new experiences in conducting courses on Indian Numismatics.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have been particularly blessed to have an experience of a better part of the last decade in teaching Numismatics with lectures, specialised sessions, etc. in various parts of the country on various fora. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, CENNUMIS has been a special forum as we decided to give it a distinct USP of having an actual collection of 'teaching coin specimens' for all its courses with the idea of imparting an authentic experience for the audience. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The only problem was that I did not possess any coins to begin with as I was a numismatic researcher and not a collector. However, we worked around the problem by purchasing actual coins from coin dealers in the beginning, then coin auctions always trying to procure the best specimen from the viewpoint of the student. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Beginning our journey in August 2014, we had our first course called 'Primer Workshop in Numismatics' at a well-wisher's office in Central Mumbai. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The success of the Workshop (it was full to my surprise!) gave me the confidence to invest more into coins and soon organize a specialized Workshop on the Arabic-Persian Script as seen on Indian Coins in January-February 2015. It was not my first experience at teaching the script but I improvised on my earlier experience by teaching it from the viewpoint of a collector who wanted to decipher a Mughal coin for his own sake. Thus, we did away with the formal teaching by an Arabic teacher and taught each letter as it appeared on Indian coins from Day One. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Needless to say, the Workshop had its own challenges as it was to teach others the difficult script. We took 4-5 sessions of 4 hours each (a week apart) to give the participants time to practice the script and its variant forms.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The results were amazing as most of the participants who diligently practiced the script learnt it quite well. We also encouraged the participants to make eye copies of important coins during surprise tests conducted during the Workshop. This boosted many a participant's confidence as it led them to know that the script was not as alien and out-of-reach as they had imagined. Thus, CENNUMIS has conducted 3 Arabic-Persian Script Workshops and 4 Primer Workshops and numerous 'Introduction to Numismatics' Workshops all over the country. During our courses, we also take students and participants to actual coin galleries (especially in Mumbai and New Delhi where the RBI Museum and the National Museum have fantastic Numismatic Galleries.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
CENNUMIS Coin Collection has burgeoned to numerous coin albums of high quality teaching coins which are taken for lectures on Arabic-Persian, Brahmi, Kharoshti and Greek Script on Indian Coins. Even our simple Introduction to Numismatics have around 20 odd coins from different periods of Indian History to make the participants aware of India's unbroken 2500 year plus numismatic history. We also carry a tool kit to make students aware of the various equipment necessary to examine and record coins as research data viz. digital weighing scale (under 200 grams), vernier calipers, magnifying glass, etc.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The most satisfying part of the CENNUMIS' experience is watching students enthusiastically examine a Gandhara Punch-marked coin or hold a 20 gram plus Mughal paisa with great awe. Watching these students, I feel that my investment on these coins has been paid back to me many times over!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>CENNUMIS is a dynamic and active organization which is ready to travel to any part of the country especially if our modest financial conditions are met with equal enthusiasm at the other end. To contact us, write to us on drkalra1@gmail.com</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8tgIgE2t2ppBlpbOlUO5UfmyJ3UDBbzxTQRFb8czVnu9FiuWGC98I_01sYFhYjjlWlGC6xmPLCQGri6L3NNujdyOgIZCJaiydnb0FXd5fhGrpRVbo4Zmq7CUbG51ElWluxLHloaBt2B4/s1600/SNDT+Students+Group+Photo+RBI+Museum+20.01.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8tgIgE2t2ppBlpbOlUO5UfmyJ3UDBbzxTQRFb8czVnu9FiuWGC98I_01sYFhYjjlWlGC6xmPLCQGri6L3NNujdyOgIZCJaiydnb0FXd5fhGrpRVbo4Zmq7CUbG51ElWluxLHloaBt2B4/s400/SNDT+Students+Group+Photo+RBI+Museum+20.01.16.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A Group of Mumbai Undergraduate Students visiting RBI Museum with the author</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJF7S-f27RvvjDttDTv9a93sCUXIKb6uQzNeHSg-N_ihcULtsQePx22faVOKmv31W6T2ShFihluvGUY-g2jlij2x8y8t-BH3T8bI98M-JnBj0vIuPJyYmAr7bBoVHVTmHxicPmwcr2YW8/s1600/coins+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJF7S-f27RvvjDttDTv9a93sCUXIKb6uQzNeHSg-N_ihcULtsQePx22faVOKmv31W6T2ShFihluvGUY-g2jlij2x8y8t-BH3T8bI98M-JnBj0vIuPJyYmAr7bBoVHVTmHxicPmwcr2YW8/s400/coins+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Participants at our 1st Arabic-Persian Script Workshop in Mumbai in January 2015 examining a coin specimen</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9Nk_Yf18e0tsocarrrTIRzif7XxQNOr4TTE8LlpcX5XXTImh7YSz2moWJCazNeH2I7B8dSWOgYmVNk3c3-3jWE2LFQ9y3gPL8H41D1JpHsX6PQ2ASze196_4EFup7wQTBkN2qH3M37zN/s1600/Correct+way+to+hold+a+coin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9Nk_Yf18e0tsocarrrTIRzif7XxQNOr4TTE8LlpcX5XXTImh7YSz2moWJCazNeH2I7B8dSWOgYmVNk3c3-3jWE2LFQ9y3gPL8H41D1JpHsX6PQ2ASze196_4EFup7wQTBkN2qH3M37zN/s400/Correct+way+to+hold+a+coin.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The right way of holding a coin being taught to participants at a workshop</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5vtcO2xLwiCnV0t-28I7DOMiIc46ilkxY4ORi-nlbrW3_EXvzyYsca80yekXWUWTbRbAhfp5W2BcUp0QFKFUZ38IU0QjJBl0WshPVqwCwbsv01aDyyipjSp3rPaRTWRNjylr5P-w8djs/s1600/IMG_20170116_103655284_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5vtcO2xLwiCnV0t-28I7DOMiIc46ilkxY4ORi-nlbrW3_EXvzyYsca80yekXWUWTbRbAhfp5W2BcUp0QFKFUZ38IU0QjJBl0WshPVqwCwbsv01aDyyipjSp3rPaRTWRNjylr5P-w8djs/s400/IMG_20170116_103655284_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Coins and other artefacts for a CENNUMIS 'Introduction to Numismatics' Workshop</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh___28yoqUWcpeW0FA7g99PVoUaRpGKJ6yjffVNjaykD2f_4I_ktULOC3BSc1Ks9hm0s5TDFWacZlIv1us8oPJAYlQOGrNqqZCkoriV5FN5_Y5g_1oEGdo1AyrCiHjxokKBqhP6xHfuvmI/s1600/Participant+drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh___28yoqUWcpeW0FA7g99PVoUaRpGKJ6yjffVNjaykD2f_4I_ktULOC3BSc1Ks9hm0s5TDFWacZlIv1us8oPJAYlQOGrNqqZCkoriV5FN5_Y5g_1oEGdo1AyrCiHjxokKBqhP6xHfuvmI/s640/Participant+drawing.jpg" width="409" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eye Copies of Mughal Coins drawn by a participant at CENNUMIS' 2nd Arabic-Persian Script Workshop</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-13502631532455306042014-07-22T10:01:00.000-07:002014-07-22T10:10:38.694-07:00Story of Indian Money - Part XX British India Coinage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The English East India Company (EIC) was established on the last day of the year 1600 A.D. and was just one of the European companies to flock to India to benefit from the spice trade. The EIC soon set up bases in three corners of the Indian sub-continent with one in Eastern India centered on Bengal with headquarters at the new found city of Calcutta, another located in Western India initially centered upon Surat and later Bombay and the last one based in South India centered at Madras. These centres eventually were named Presidencies viz. Bengal Presidency, Bombay Presidency and Madras Presidency after the EIC won a series of wars against European competitors including the Portuguese, the Dutch and lastly the French in the last part of eighteenth century.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
After emerging supreme over its European rivals, the EIC began encircling its Indian rivals in a long drawn process stretching from 1755 till 1856 when the Indians put up a combined armed resistance with a coalition of various rival powers. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The First War of Independence or the Mutiny as it is named failed to dislodge the British army which was far superior in terms of technology, regimental discipline and resources and the movement collapsed in the summer of 1858. However, it did manage to highlight the disaffection of the Indian masses to the British Parliament which resolved to dissolve the EIC with immediate effect in August 1858 and transfer the ruling powers to the British Crown under the Government of India Act 1858.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The British Crown created a new department the India Office in London headed by the Secretary of State to handle the India affairs and the Governor-General was renamed the Viceroy of India.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Importantly the Uniform Coinage introduced by the EIC in 1834 and 1840 was continued with the fixed date of '1862' on the coinage continued for a period of a decade or longer to break the nexus of moneychangers who charged a commission called 'Batta' to exchange older coins at lower value than coins of the current year. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The coins were minted at the modern machinized mints of Bombay and Calcutta which issued machine-struck coins of uniform weight, fineness and metallic content. The Imperial coinage had the crowned bust of Queen Victoria with a Roman legend on the obverse and the name of the denomination with the name 'INDIA 1862' on the reverse.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This series had issues in gold, silver and copper replicating the Mughal tri-metallic idiom to a 'T' and was made current throughout the Indian Empire for the entire decade while the two mints recalled old coins for recycling into the imperial currency in a manner akin to the Mughal imperial mints. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The gold mohur valued at fifteen silver rupees was issued with the dates of 1862, 1870 and 1875 with fractions valued at ten and five silver rupees also being issued between 1870 and 1879. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The silver rupee was also issued in a fashion similar to the mohur with the image of the Queen and the fixed date 1862 but with a unique system of dots which was used from 1863 till 1875. These dots occur on the reverse below the date,
above the word 'ONE', or in both positions. From 1874, this practice was
halted and coins began to be dated continuously. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The silver rupee had its lower denominations viz. the half rupee, the quarter rupee and 2 Annas.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The copper denominations were issued for the lower denominations with the Half Anna, the Quarter Anna, the Half Pice and the one-twelveth Anna with the Rupee having 12 Annas or 64 pice or 192 pies. The Copper denominations did not have the dotting system in place probably as the Batta was not applied to copper denominations. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Importantly in 1877, Queen Victoria assumed the title 'Empress of India' which was used on the coins from this date for all British sovereigns till 1947 to indicate their imperial status over the sub-continent. The coinage was then issued every year till 1901 when Victoria died and her son, Edward VII ascended the British throne and assumed the title 'King-Emperor' for his reign.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Coins in the name of Edward VII have the king's right profile with the legend 'EDWARD VII KING& EMPEROR' on the obverse and the reverse has a crown on the top with English and Persian legends denoting the denomination flanked by flower stem designs, was followed on his silver coinage whereas the copper coins retained the old pattern of the Indian Victorian era.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The important economic change in relation to British India at the end of the nineteenth century was the shift of Indian currency to the gold exchange standard which led to easy conversion of Indian currency with British standards which only furthered the drain of Indian money abroad. The Indian Rupee was fixed at one shilling and four pence (1s 4d) Sterling. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Coinage of Edward VII adoption of Persian legends was the only unique feature adopted during his reign of less than a decade ending in 1910 with his death as he had ascended the throne at a ripe old age of 60 years (it was ripe old age in the early modern period when modern medicine was yet to make a mark) and had little time for his Indian territories which saw the rise of political movements calling for the end of colonial rule. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
His successor, George V on the other hand travelled to India in December 1911 and held a 'Delhi Darbar where he and his royal consort, Queen Mary were presented to an assembly of Indian princes and dignitaries as 'Kaisar-i-Hind'. It was incidentally the 1911 issues of George V which created a major issue which had a portrait of the King-Emperor with an elephant pendant (encircled) which was believed to be a 'pig' and this led to a major row with the Muslim populace taking exception to the portrayal of a taboo animal on the coinage of the Empire. The coins were removed from circulation and most issues melted which has led to their rare status in comparison with other issues of George V. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The reign of George V saw the First World War with its own consequences for the Indian economy. It also saw the introduction of Government of India banknotes towards the end of the Great War with the issue of One Rupee Banknote in 1917 and a Two-and-half Rupee Banknote in 1918. The process of introduction of official coinage and banknotes was shifted from the Government of India to a new authority towards the fag end of George V's reign with the establishment of the Reserve Bank of India on 1 April 1935 just few months before George V's death on 20 January 1936. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
His immediate successor, Edward VIII did not rule long enough to merit a
coinage though some Indian Princely States like Kutch enthusiastically
issued coinage in his name. Edward's abdication led to the installation
of his younger brother on the British throne as George VI. The new king
began his reign on 11 December 1936 with the Second World War looming
over the horizon which became apparent when the War was declared in
1939. The main impact of the War was seen on British Indian coinage as
the silver rupees were melted to match the demand of the war-time
economy. Thus, the 1940 Rupee had 50 percent silver and a security edge
was introduced to prevent its forgery by the Axis Powers. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The use of half silver continued till 1944 and was totally suspended in 1945 when the use of nickel in place of silver began. George VI's final issue was in 1947 when a Nickel Rupee with the obverse image of the King-Emperor and his titles while the reverse had the image of a lion marching to the left in defiance of the British losses in the War. This issue was continued in circulation of the newly independent states of India and Pakistan which were formed by the partition of the British India till the evolution of the Republic of India's coinage under the new Constitution and President in 1950.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6Hz9O5P_jKDNf0hI4XZxIxuyYbySx-VBF8zYyk2KXr4Jc7UnSVRSqflrwGaLEAGgoiFoZYBbt_Gz20h2wdwDZRgRA-5GB43lselcHZsBNuXoebPVJLXG7zwaLtH1NerKoT4oFfgj2JdV/s1600/Queen_Victoria_1862_%2528C%2529_Mohur_Pridmore_6+wikipedia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6Hz9O5P_jKDNf0hI4XZxIxuyYbySx-VBF8zYyk2KXr4Jc7UnSVRSqflrwGaLEAGgoiFoZYBbt_Gz20h2wdwDZRgRA-5GB43lselcHZsBNuXoebPVJLXG7zwaLtH1NerKoT4oFfgj2JdV/s1600/Queen_Victoria_1862_%2528C%2529_Mohur_Pridmore_6+wikipedia.jpg" height="155" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British India Gold Mohur 1962 Image courtesy www.wikipedia.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGwHrymsq8elqQ4Jx7QPZ4MGn5Rgm7LilRTEa6JEh_6di_xJoivYKElaN5XL9TEBOF5Mdt0_ZhWU-1XTu_Txn58DhVQUeUULJUH3njSGc_nzcanw_yWMEh1RPuAbLjMSpG6jg0SGAx7Ko/s1600/british-india-victoria-ten-rupee-coin+scintillatingsilver.wordpress.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGwHrymsq8elqQ4Jx7QPZ4MGn5Rgm7LilRTEa6JEh_6di_xJoivYKElaN5XL9TEBOF5Mdt0_ZhWU-1XTu_Txn58DhVQUeUULJUH3njSGc_nzcanw_yWMEh1RPuAbLjMSpG6jg0SGAx7Ko/s1600/british-india-victoria-ten-rupee-coin+scintillatingsilver.wordpress.com.jpg" height="158" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British India Queen Victoria Ten Rupee Gold coin Image courtesy www.scintillatingsilver.wordpress.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0bF_jYoSv6Hsu21Adb-lV74RF4ZXLsaK_JAWeOklBnSxOPCwxtS5maPJCUzkeahecDMgrtldirxeM0OCBOSkEAepTf-tTB8OF0o18p_DnjVRPCDFZ2KPXQIcl3V4Q1z9c5_8Jy8LoSpM/s1600/quarter-re+indiacoin.wordpress.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0bF_jYoSv6Hsu21Adb-lV74RF4ZXLsaK_JAWeOklBnSxOPCwxtS5maPJCUzkeahecDMgrtldirxeM0OCBOSkEAepTf-tTB8OF0o18p_DnjVRPCDFZ2KPXQIcl3V4Q1z9c5_8Jy8LoSpM/s1600/quarter-re+indiacoin.wordpress.com.jpg" height="165" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British India Quarter Rupee 1862 Image courtesy: www.indiacoin.wordpress.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBI-MExGwQwaFwbyHDG5-CCfo9GfBjktTVMnMvf_dps4y-t-gbIssvCorIHb8g5IpRW3bxxeAVEXm0nni1h6RUguJ8N3qvs2xNgUsWnNwOiO6gHeels7ccCu3afOLuzSqp5kYm7HtTyg6/s1600/edward+vii+silver+rupee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBI-MExGwQwaFwbyHDG5-CCfo9GfBjktTVMnMvf_dps4y-t-gbIssvCorIHb8g5IpRW3bxxeAVEXm0nni1h6RUguJ8N3qvs2xNgUsWnNwOiO6gHeels7ccCu3afOLuzSqp5kYm7HtTyg6/s1600/edward+vii+silver+rupee.jpg" height="158" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edward VII Silver Rupee 1907 Image courtesy www.icollector.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjed-WKNLu2Dml1A6U1zVlJC4dRD7CZ1cYABsvP7GV8qLgd3iT2E2FRh20HU19TYuhavEt1OMM69dyInsyBiRgVGarbXzSdCtzN6dJAzx_EYiIZhpo6NLAkRukqJKRM157UerG0L_oyYP9x/s1600/george+v+1911+obv.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George V 1911 'Pig' Rupee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjed-WKNLu2Dml1A6U1zVlJC4dRD7CZ1cYABsvP7GV8qLgd3iT2E2FRh20HU19TYuhavEt1OMM69dyInsyBiRgVGarbXzSdCtzN6dJAzx_EYiIZhpo6NLAkRukqJKRM157UerG0L_oyYP9x/s1600/george+v+1911+obv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwjkzrNLzOB-9CQ6v28hHzkPmTsF7J0fw2Nmiev616Ht_BjMGJ_wu4zr8N4FgL9hAoddgVQSiZi7xftC4Dak5uqwpBrjsHyx9A7se5Bi_Hzb7fRrOd08gicFaG2KJpM6GitLSBuJ4kdZH/s1600/george+v+1911+rev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwjkzrNLzOB-9CQ6v28hHzkPmTsF7J0fw2Nmiev616Ht_BjMGJ_wu4zr8N4FgL9hAoddgVQSiZi7xftC4Dak5uqwpBrjsHyx9A7se5Bi_Hzb7fRrOd08gicFaG2KJpM6GitLSBuJ4kdZH/s1600/george+v+1911+rev.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwjkzrNLzOB-9CQ6v28hHzkPmTsF7J0fw2Nmiev616Ht_BjMGJ_wu4zr8N4FgL9hAoddgVQSiZi7xftC4Dak5uqwpBrjsHyx9A7se5Bi_Hzb7fRrOd08gicFaG2KJpM6GitLSBuJ4kdZH/s1600/george+v+1911+rev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZI9qLIblGljP-wE1Gl3K4ijyez68ARDufA9bJWTxsIWWuf3Pf0Xwfxm48n5r1sYoDHDFNYva0xmTOrId5pxN7oV8Wj7dy-DeILI97fIaoi0cKHvNLhXleKNpQLiVAD_2LuJdrW1KlG8z/s1600/3.1C-O+George+VI+TWO+AND+HALF+RUPEES+1918+indianbanknote.blogspot.in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZI9qLIblGljP-wE1Gl3K4ijyez68ARDufA9bJWTxsIWWuf3Pf0Xwfxm48n5r1sYoDHDFNYva0xmTOrId5pxN7oV8Wj7dy-DeILI97fIaoi0cKHvNLhXleKNpQLiVAD_2LuJdrW1KlG8z/s1600/3.1C-O+George+VI+TWO+AND+HALF+RUPEES+1918+indianbanknote.blogspot.in.jpg" height="182" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Two-and-Half' Rupee Banknote issued in 1918 Image courtesy indianbanknote.blogspot.in</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74fC4zOEQ3ERYY9YSt3Lc2_UnSVEK9NHKI_VkyEsylwMvRsvFDU5-dB-chifz96okHRxMxz5YKOKRE5AIRYfr7_iVvkKiwVHNsLbwuPsheaFZ4vH5WWp1A2pY7LUIlWjSRxBVyhi0mPXs/s1600/g1009+ennumista.com+george+vi+1939+rupee+obv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74fC4zOEQ3ERYY9YSt3Lc2_UnSVEK9NHKI_VkyEsylwMvRsvFDU5-dB-chifz96okHRxMxz5YKOKRE5AIRYfr7_iVvkKiwVHNsLbwuPsheaFZ4vH5WWp1A2pY7LUIlWjSRxBVyhi0mPXs/s1600/g1009+ennumista.com+george+vi+1939+rupee+obv.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George VI Silver Rupee of 1939 Image Courtesy Heritage Auctions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVrlp7RD3xDBduvcyEKPtrF8WcCZGQLtgqj8XxfnO9JNVtK2a6HqB5T3azTYsNjCD6m6y4n2sVqKgjE-SpWGo4J_Kf1v-puGyhLXTKNc00H8NKQy49_PK2GQTxswOtAen9e-uqBeT3D0xN/s1600/g1009+ennumista.com+george+vi+1939+rupee+rev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVrlp7RD3xDBduvcyEKPtrF8WcCZGQLtgqj8XxfnO9JNVtK2a6HqB5T3azTYsNjCD6m6y4n2sVqKgjE-SpWGo4J_Kf1v-puGyhLXTKNc00H8NKQy49_PK2GQTxswOtAen9e-uqBeT3D0xN/s1600/g1009+ennumista.com+george+vi+1939+rupee+rev.jpg" height="199" width="200" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOrbp67ZRYZtnOWu4otN4Hsi_XsvJcvBzWEkbwglGXquW4fZw3JvVkvrotKmbnI-eiz0RKgU0pgs5rrC8JzhJnZXZGEEuYx6XbA58fNGeplMM-m49XQpp2Do5TNmFV73axreNwBwRz9ve/s1600/m-04-2-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOrbp67ZRYZtnOWu4otN4Hsi_XsvJcvBzWEkbwglGXquW4fZw3JvVkvrotKmbnI-eiz0RKgU0pgs5rrC8JzhJnZXZGEEuYx6XbA58fNGeplMM-m49XQpp2Do5TNmFV73axreNwBwRz9ve/s1600/m-04-2-O.jpg" height="196" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George VI Nickel Rupee of 1947 Image Courtesy: National Museum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4hMShoiRYr5GYCo7h7K38bKDmX8WFzjB6NBnqtKf6wLE9AO6d9LUiH4rd5Udo_HS81BRG8nIfFqZj3U0mV8CoJDHU2zsMA3rzt4lekkf9ODnsWaSOhUaqg-AIHpRFoLSBWdroAZYnrxb/s1600/m-04-2-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4hMShoiRYr5GYCo7h7K38bKDmX8WFzjB6NBnqtKf6wLE9AO6d9LUiH4rd5Udo_HS81BRG8nIfFqZj3U0mV8CoJDHU2zsMA3rzt4lekkf9ODnsWaSOhUaqg-AIHpRFoLSBWdroAZYnrxb/s1600/m-04-2-R.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-62066785350387377012014-05-14T08:02:00.000-07:002014-05-14T08:12:40.350-07:00Story of Indian Money - Part XIX - Colonial Coinage <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Indian subcontinent saw a rush of European powers who sent semi-trading agencies which doubled up as military cum naval representatives of their homeland in Asia at the end of the sixteenth century. However, the process began at the beginning of the sixteenth century with the establishment of the Portuguese in Goa in 1510 followed by Diu, Daman and Bassein in Western India. The Portuguese were zealous about their religion and initiated a local base currency with Christian motifs, Roman legends dated in the Christian era in contravention to the existing coinage with Islamic era dating and Persio-Arabic legends.<br />
<div>
Thus, the Portuguese were the first colonial power to issue their own coinage on the Indian sub-continent interestingly before the Mughals became supreme rulers of North India.</div>
<div>
The other powers arrived later with the English arriving in 1608 and opening its first factory at Masulipatnam in South India in 1611 and Surat on the Western Coast in 1612. </div>
<div>
The other colonial powers competing with the English viz. the Dutch, the French also established their outposts in South India with the Dutch concentrating on the Malabar coast around Cochin and the French in Pondicherry, Mahe and Yanam.</div>
<div>
Another smaller colonial power was the Danish who established a small colony cum fort called Dansborg at Tharangambadi called Tranquebar with the support of the local chieftain and survived till 1845 despite almost zero support from its homeland and hostility of the other European powers.</div>
<div>
All these European powers were forced to issue baser currencies to support their soldiery in their exchange with the local populace and hence their initial coinage tended to be hand-struck coins in lead, copper, tin and pewter with European symbols from their national heraldry and few inscriptions. </div>
<div>
The European powers issued higher denominations in the first half of the eighteenth century when the Mughal Empire went into decline testing their currencies and its acceptance against other indigenous currencies. In many instances like the English East India Company with its three Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay and Madras, they were forced to strike copies of prevalent local currencies with some variations like the Star Pagoda at Madras, the Bombay 'Mughal' Rupee in the name of the Mughal Emperors with Zarb Mumbai 'Struck at Mumbai' inscribed on the reverse to denote its origin or the Sicca Rupee at Murshidabad in the name of Shah Alam II. </div>
<div>
The EIC was the only colonial power whose currency went from strength to strength mimicking the tri-metallic currency of the Mughals with the other powers sticking to baser currencies and barely graduating to silver as in the case of the French with their silver fanons and the Portuguese which even survived into the twentieth century adopting machinized coinage for its protectorates.</div>
<div>
The acceptance of the colonial currency remains suspect with various sources claiming too high or too poor acceptance; however the small number of surviving specimens of certain currencies and the higher number of others in both private and museum collections tell the facts that the acceptance was majorly dependant on two factors; the market perception of both the power and the metallic purity of the currency decided by local moneychangers called the Shroffs.</div>
<div>
The East India Company's currency was the only currency which merged into a centralized Uniform Currency in 1835 which sought to replace all major Indian currencies including the Mughal currency which was the dominant form of currency of the Indian sub-continent. The East India Company implemented this major change in 1835 issuing gold mohurs, rupees and lower denominations in the name of William the Fourth with his portrait and continuing it in 1840 with the ascension of Victoria on the English throne in 1840. This change may have been one of the trigger factors for the rebellion of the Indian feudal class which was tied to the interests of the Mughal Emperors in the subcontinent.</div>
<div>
The French colony of Pondicherry also survived and switched to Banknotes as well though issued at Macau by the <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banque_de_l%27Indochine" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080;" title="Banque de l'Indochine"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Banque de l'Indochine</span></a><i style="font-family: sans-serif;"> (</i></span>Bank of Indo-China) with the denomination Roupie adopted in 1871.</div>
<div>
In case of the East India Company, its currency was replaced by the British India currency which was issued in the name of Queen Victoria for the first time in 1862 and later the title Empress of India in 1877.</div>
<div>
Thus, the colonial currencies form a very important resource of knowledge of Indian History pointing to the presence of various European powers on the Indian mainland as challenge to Indian powers right from their initial stage. The colonial coinage demolishes the oft-repeated and fallacious assumption that the European powers had entered India with the intention of mere trade since the issuing of coinage is almost certainly assumption of sovereignty in all cultures including Asian cultures. </div>
<div>
The colonial currency however is also a pointer to the failure of Indian powers to gauge the threat to their territories from the earliest stage; they also point to the tolerance of Indian traders who saw the currency as a mere tool of trade exchanges with these powers.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvmwU2Bw7oMymX5yXwxnGd1xUu_gfZ7xTI7fxoXIN0AMgxLnEoUcYYGcV0U09wDp1PCyuM8miTN87ymVFUx6Z5EbjBdycPQ7Zh4Q2AueioMgh7NpQVoinoZQg08874HcUSgHou3Hsfb6V/s1600/63-1-8336-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvmwU2Bw7oMymX5yXwxnGd1xUu_gfZ7xTI7fxoXIN0AMgxLnEoUcYYGcV0U09wDp1PCyuM8miTN87ymVFUx6Z5EbjBdycPQ7Zh4Q2AueioMgh7NpQVoinoZQg08874HcUSgHou3Hsfb6V/s1600/63-1-8336-R.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portuguese Lead early issue from Goa mint dated 1777</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsi_iRNg-5kWn4fblbCA6vsgRo8DbL5fKBWpakJtXrdB_a-y6gONupuSdD-OLJaJSz7Iwq6IihyphenhyphenTfGRoiefelF34uCj8W-yWcfAHrpG4evUWwM-jVGbnjCZiZ_fBOjFyuE9bqo3tZnnCq/s1600/63-1-8336-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsi_iRNg-5kWn4fblbCA6vsgRo8DbL5fKBWpakJtXrdB_a-y6gONupuSdD-OLJaJSz7Iwq6IihyphenhyphenTfGRoiefelF34uCj8W-yWcfAHrpG4evUWwM-jVGbnjCZiZ_fBOjFyuE9bqo3tZnnCq/s1600/63-1-8336-O.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyryd1FxgcMZJ3qVXVNVbunkHJsqTiUo1Bmj2aaGINUCG9g0DoryYxEhmZjXqIv-QEGqnjNgVsuYUwOMNeVPDOlBKFwZV10GupuwcwqFVOwJiDDhVubygPne5hi4Z6LyLjLvT6QRrFYNmz/s1600/56-122-1520-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyryd1FxgcMZJ3qVXVNVbunkHJsqTiUo1Bmj2aaGINUCG9g0DoryYxEhmZjXqIv-QEGqnjNgVsuYUwOMNeVPDOlBKFwZV10GupuwcwqFVOwJiDDhVubygPne5hi4Z6LyLjLvT6QRrFYNmz/s1600/56-122-1520-O.jpg" height="200" width="194" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indo-Danish 20 Kas issued in 1831 at Tranquebar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NMMdraGRWmppv08YD-DXvcJWtfK-cNGh56q9xlKPG-B5eXUBenBbQY4YlD7vJrwoe12GFck45k9tYD32XdDHFjyKmf68jXydCfznyv31x6m68Eb0HdqKFXWWbwu5gbeubICY6DK5e61Z/s1600/56-122-1520-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NMMdraGRWmppv08YD-DXvcJWtfK-cNGh56q9xlKPG-B5eXUBenBbQY4YlD7vJrwoe12GFck45k9tYD32XdDHFjyKmf68jXydCfznyv31x6m68Eb0HdqKFXWWbwu5gbeubICY6DK5e61Z/s1600/56-122-1520-R.jpg" height="200" width="197" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmcaTzJlisvObIng_rO98kgqivOGto5GmmN8Q8i7H5djn0N9ae1pbmKp4np_UM0OqiLLB2pBpuyPSlI0I4W4PK-tkpTc9M9mnDAZgYZhMPm_vCcxpJqYLcwHkcPBlVOYp14YbAZA9VLgq/s1600/75-432-1109-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmcaTzJlisvObIng_rO98kgqivOGto5GmmN8Q8i7H5djn0N9ae1pbmKp4np_UM0OqiLLB2pBpuyPSlI0I4W4PK-tkpTc9M9mnDAZgYZhMPm_vCcxpJqYLcwHkcPBlVOYp14YbAZA9VLgq/s1600/75-432-1109-O.jpg" height="200" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Issue by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) with Tamil Inscriptions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDK0gFG4m-lGxOrbUAqIXYlKy9iGUWcbz4VyiNe4Ihu036KdPpDCnCQQpgF0q229gfLwJXP-BqW0pBE6gbf3LTelxjeUMK4i78pRnSAlShwC79PWMPOVhD10aPEedKKxdPzFD4ozZH_Gn/s1600/75-432-1109-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDK0gFG4m-lGxOrbUAqIXYlKy9iGUWcbz4VyiNe4Ihu036KdPpDCnCQQpgF0q229gfLwJXP-BqW0pBE6gbf3LTelxjeUMK4i78pRnSAlShwC79PWMPOVhD10aPEedKKxdPzFD4ozZH_Gn/s1600/75-432-1109-R.jpg" height="191" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77vdhWFIz6zzL4KH-8FmWjkaVmTxotfXsdPhuMO59Y-Cph5h5D_lXDYn-BTdzn8uqMTXrvt6gmY7HONdSp2DaO_954yg8-niztp2RiLb0o7yKN66TDH6uufF4UoOf60qqYB_OEXgQBeNU/s1600/56-122-1513-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77vdhWFIz6zzL4KH-8FmWjkaVmTxotfXsdPhuMO59Y-Cph5h5D_lXDYn-BTdzn8uqMTXrvt6gmY7HONdSp2DaO_954yg8-niztp2RiLb0o7yKN66TDH6uufF4UoOf60qqYB_OEXgQBeNU/s1600/56-122-1513-O.jpg" height="190" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indo-French Copper Doudou issued at Pondicherry with Tamil Inscriptions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphen9AQj3T5RzqBfT43uJKI2QaG2odxLFuXdkVLI8pwUULodbQ4Sv2WqziqmUXvPqj94aCXOYsM0MGrZqqGJ6SLknkKOVGQMCaD3Bg8bAysKSd6HqYKTw7QB2mNjE1F7wUVqNItzDH-J8r6/s1600/56-122-1513-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphen9AQj3T5RzqBfT43uJKI2QaG2odxLFuXdkVLI8pwUULodbQ4Sv2WqziqmUXvPqj94aCXOYsM0MGrZqqGJ6SLknkKOVGQMCaD3Bg8bAysKSd6HqYKTw7QB2mNjE1F7wUVqNItzDH-J8r6/s1600/56-122-1513-R.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYItC9AhOP6xPrVPbKvelI8iAzyBwrsXP9vWfNx8WWKVsVffOaFj8nHl1xiMBACJKYSvabCkGyIvFaP7LgarkLXLjQ_zNGonD-v6Fj58NDB-fP2FlGFM546RXH61vR5F9FVjAuKkeLssB0/s1600/77-40-2324-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYItC9AhOP6xPrVPbKvelI8iAzyBwrsXP9vWfNx8WWKVsVffOaFj8nHl1xiMBACJKYSvabCkGyIvFaP7LgarkLXLjQ_zNGonD-v6Fj58NDB-fP2FlGFM546RXH61vR5F9FVjAuKkeLssB0/s1600/77-40-2324-O.jpg" height="200" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mechanized East India Company Copper Pice for Bombay Presidency issued at Soho Mint, Birmingham 1796</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6E_uTI0SwDMx1UosKeFZ1aCS1MZL6RUQJqS_P-2wkm9g85Kay-mGY6IJGdrMJgnnN3KgdzJIqPalKwKHJlLMh79DZorQAUy8bdKsTaxUszGuAmCZ80FSb053D88MkfEIidq1axeG9CXvX/s1600/77-40-2324-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6E_uTI0SwDMx1UosKeFZ1aCS1MZL6RUQJqS_P-2wkm9g85Kay-mGY6IJGdrMJgnnN3KgdzJIqPalKwKHJlLMh79DZorQAUy8bdKsTaxUszGuAmCZ80FSb053D88MkfEIidq1axeG9CXvX/s1600/77-40-2324-R.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Balemark of the EIC on reverse with 'cartwheel' design a patented design of Soho Mint used in many English coins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4DrBtKvPTXmdlAyr5kpiDwXib64Yp9jQuLddzvqpR97-5jdTC_TgYgz0EHpsuag113SUZE8TGrki-sex28JSK4Hk0xCw0Mja8vIWUzuCBXz8Gajtk1WO-6-PhO5hMMyWC-CDkzEWtATQ/s1600/56-130-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4DrBtKvPTXmdlAyr5kpiDwXib64Yp9jQuLddzvqpR97-5jdTC_TgYgz0EHpsuag113SUZE8TGrki-sex28JSK4Hk0xCw0Mja8vIWUzuCBXz8Gajtk1WO-6-PhO5hMMyWC-CDkzEWtATQ/s1600/56-130-O.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EIC Uniform Currency Silver Rupee with portrait of William IV and EIC's name first issued in 1835 </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kh74iYpb0T6IzGF4xfjszHM3jnK_JexHNOFCUcGQP5CSftbgGQuvQv0wirY3m82l6Ny-5sNTB9WwI-X4i88M9QCkzarZMSa6PCYd77HgaKXotmz7169jh3OJujidiq6OoMVi1ub5A7V8/s1600/56-130-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kh74iYpb0T6IzGF4xfjszHM3jnK_JexHNOFCUcGQP5CSftbgGQuvQv0wirY3m82l6Ny-5sNTB9WwI-X4i88M9QCkzarZMSa6PCYd77HgaKXotmz7169jh3OJujidiq6OoMVi1ub5A7V8/s1600/56-130-R.jpg" height="200" width="196" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlt1sRhPE03p8QBKZugRp8iI2na-Z5Gv2qdOIdhWI6zL4Ik8Vo6ZEjd666HXQDH4Qm2vv2OzmMyVU9wGSdRSGgrnEecWS2qMF7BLXuvDEB8Y4gFQ4eCBJPbZiVL-lotTpuKU-tj0DVeKjA/s1600/French1rupee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlt1sRhPE03p8QBKZugRp8iI2na-Z5Gv2qdOIdhWI6zL4Ik8Vo6ZEjd666HXQDH4Qm2vv2OzmMyVU9wGSdRSGgrnEecWS2qMF7BLXuvDEB8Y4gFQ4eCBJPbZiVL-lotTpuKU-tj0DVeKjA/s1600/French1rupee.jpg" height="205" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indo-French Roupie issued by Bank of Indo-China</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
Image Courtesy: National Museum, New Delhi and Wikipedia</div>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-12788242479275081252013-11-20T18:54:00.001-08:002013-11-20T18:54:53.415-08:00Story of Indian Money - XVIII- Princely State Coinage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Mughal Empire underwent a decline after the death of the last Great Mughal, Aurangzeb 'Alamgir in 1707 because of its overstretch in terms of land mass and incessant succession wars at the death of each emperor between his sons and other royal claimants. The weakening at the centre led to the growth of regional powers of different types like successor states in form of Bengal, Hyderabad and Awadh, resuscitated ancient powers like the Rajputana States, warrior states like the Marathas and Sikhs and more importantly colonial powers like the British, Dutch, Danish, French and the oldest, the Portuguese.<br />
The currency of the regions assumed a sovereign role and soon became independent of the Mughal currency system in a gradual but sure manner. This trend led to a variety of regional currencies which led to difficulties in inter-regional trade caused by inferior types of local currencies.<br />
The regional coins were in many cases issued in the name of the Mughal Emperor who became a titular figure but the right to coin either began to be literally sold 'farmed out' as in the period of the desperate Mughal emperor, Farrukhsiyar or taken as a right since the Emperor could not supervise or resist as in the case of all emperors after Muhammad Shah 'Rangeela' who lost the peacock throne and its attendant prestige to the Persian invader, Nadir Shah in 1739.<br />
The Nadir of Mughal currency was the periods of Shah Alam II and Muhammad Akbar II stretching from 1759 to 1835 when the East India Company began to issue coins in the name of the English monarch formally.<br />
The Princely States were soon goaded into discontinuing the Mughal Emperor's name altogether especially after the Revolt of 1857 which saw a revival of token coins in the name of the founthead of the rebellion, Emperor Bahadur Shah 'Zafar' II who was duly packed off to Rangoon.<br />
However, the decline of the Mughals encouraged the other powers to exercise their right to issue coinage to exhibit their sovereignty and hence the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw an exponential growth in Princely States' Coinage. What began as an imitative currency acquired its own strength through modern innovations of mechanized coin minting which was introduced by the East India Company at its mints in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras Presidencies. The Princely States were offered facilities to mint their own coins or even encouraged to employ English Mint Masters. However, the East India Company and the Imperial Government that followed it after the 1857 Revolt tried to suppress the local mints giving various reasons like the coins gave trouble to local merchants in exchange, encouraged the money lenders to exploit the poor farmers, encouraged counterfeiting of coins, was a loss of revenue to the Government of India or plain that the coins were made by melting the Imperial coinage! <br />
These reasons however did not deter the Native States from continuing their coinage as is apparent by the multitude of coinage of these powers. Additionally, though expected by the Imperial government, several Princely States like Baroda, Hyderabad did not acknowledge the British monarch as their superior though several of their peers took to using titles like Qaiser-i-Hind or Mallika-i-Hind for Victoria the Empress of India to impress the Imperial government of their support to the colonial project. The modernization of Princely State coinage led to improvement in their standards as opposed to their earlier shoddy monitoring of metallic content, design and market exchange value of the coinage. Hence, we come across the most beautiful samples of coinage from states like Hyderabad, Bahawalpur, Kutch, Baroda, Gwalior, Travancore and Indore with realistic images of their rulers and state emblems like the Char Minar in the case of Hyderabad. Even religious images were used in the coinage of smaller states of North India. However, all Princely States' could not survive to the modernization and closed the local mints or restricted them to ceremonial issues in case of accession or marriages to exercise their nominal power.<br />
Another important aspect of the Princely States' Coinage was the use of English legends along with local languages and script<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
s on the coins like Tamil in case of Travancore, Urdu in case of Hyderabad and Bahawalpur, Hindi with Devanagari legends in case of Indore, Gwalior and Baroda. Mewar came up with the most innovative Devanagari legend of 'Dosti Landhan (London)' to show its solidarity with the British!<br />
Another important cultural aspect of the Princely States' Coinage was the employment of local calendars or the Hindu Vikrama Samavat dates as earlier only the Islamic Hijri calendar dates were permitted by the Mughals. Some Princes also used the coinages to exhibit important events like the completion of 50 years of rule in the case of Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner<br />
Thus, the Princely States' Coinage represents one of the most colourful chapter in the Numismatic History of the Indian sub-continent which has often been neglected.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszGz88JTtnpFxDDUysNmrspAbuOr9ZNxtpwxtkwoa_898vLCx0Kv5WU9FUjwU5t9iT59JqbusEu_4z_BxBYHnm99UQjlu_kmUIk6oZGDh9xR64_bhuR7QHYV5ucQWJMVk-Zv-cJBlsFLZ/s1600/60-1165-2320-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszGz88JTtnpFxDDUysNmrspAbuOr9ZNxtpwxtkwoa_898vLCx0Kv5WU9FUjwU5t9iT59JqbusEu_4z_BxBYHnm99UQjlu_kmUIk6oZGDh9xR64_bhuR7QHYV5ucQWJMVk-Zv-cJBlsFLZ/s200/60-1165-2320-O.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVMxcRCV5lpkntQzJKYWXSUwnGMosrmJlC74ParCyNaZ1RsI0CCHBlCkdFilEmfI710c1QCfoc4GzkMNsreF-JPaoNFUNfGdgnjJbBDfww72jUjHyBzqYi2YurZMg820IKrh1tsRdVOSn/s1600/60-1165-2320-R.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVMxcRCV5lpkntQzJKYWXSUwnGMosrmJlC74ParCyNaZ1RsI0CCHBlCkdFilEmfI710c1QCfoc4GzkMNsreF-JPaoNFUNfGdgnjJbBDfww72jUjHyBzqYi2YurZMg820IKrh1tsRdVOSn/s200/60-1165-2320-R.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqjebFufjgpdXauehb_0OunYgjk7xAEpAgwZ2mLNG4siKiLyW2cZXvWm6H7YOfuDja1Iq3Fc9fkCdQSnwDGMlHB1M_IeMVaR6UXzTcy2ScwTfT0sZm1dF_B_BfABT5F2o_CF7ozX_KKH-/s1600/59-152-1298-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqjebFufjgpdXauehb_0OunYgjk7xAEpAgwZ2mLNG4siKiLyW2cZXvWm6H7YOfuDja1Iq3Fc9fkCdQSnwDGMlHB1M_IeMVaR6UXzTcy2ScwTfT0sZm1dF_B_BfABT5F2o_CF7ozX_KKH-/s200/59-152-1298-O.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGK3kZOx_K6bPAhiBzy7Cjm0SuULk6yXaolbgOc4sylCoaSdUhr6TTMwzR8ZNYlKKimPeKL2TrcyTEuHX9ydzN4goa1axgj-fyzW0mlqelIrgC3btAX2F_3WKDCafkphDIgUqpxPa609O/s1600/59-152-1298-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGK3kZOx_K6bPAhiBzy7Cjm0SuULk6yXaolbgOc4sylCoaSdUhr6TTMwzR8ZNYlKKimPeKL2TrcyTEuHX9ydzN4goa1axgj-fyzW0mlqelIrgC3btAX2F_3WKDCafkphDIgUqpxPa609O/s200/59-152-1298-R.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7u9yawRkNzz6gVy51cuT1ZmHt9n9FqcjfWdL90k5qIomKPAdn-PgCLvLZS3pdYxaQOiNh3ai0n-XvSpfgsGDvElk9Pz0X1pmhKw2JJC3CscYyz9ue9wSmL-BXAqC3ph7Fyzfge3oyjg2/s1600/63-1-2130-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7u9yawRkNzz6gVy51cuT1ZmHt9n9FqcjfWdL90k5qIomKPAdn-PgCLvLZS3pdYxaQOiNh3ai0n-XvSpfgsGDvElk9Pz0X1pmhKw2JJC3CscYyz9ue9wSmL-BXAqC3ph7Fyzfge3oyjg2/s200/63-1-2130-O.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MyjNniwUJ2lEL1T8DVXXyRCzz9m9T7Q2iW-8EZCjwTCvAl9J6rF8sNn1Od_desqqBM655Lf0mSlPC1QsyvI8m-ThUe7oz1_doeMP80TOshqV2r5nE6gU6xcAVgJGa8zxXd3mp0pacco6/s1600/63-1-2130-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MyjNniwUJ2lEL1T8DVXXyRCzz9m9T7Q2iW-8EZCjwTCvAl9J6rF8sNn1Od_desqqBM655Lf0mSlPC1QsyvI8m-ThUe7oz1_doeMP80TOshqV2r5nE6gU6xcAVgJGa8zxXd3mp0pacco6/s200/63-1-2130-R.jpg" width="196" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MyjNniwUJ2lEL1T8DVXXyRCzz9m9T7Q2iW-8EZCjwTCvAl9J6rF8sNn1Od_desqqBM655Lf0mSlPC1QsyvI8m-ThUe7oz1_doeMP80TOshqV2r5nE6gU6xcAVgJGa8zxXd3mp0pacco6/s1600/63-1-2130-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW27Zb1AJujBsdgJOB0y1ue8wMQEV-qbY7nATy7yORdvmnyKJonifhXqknp7ggZKAQhPaPvVlYtfGyHDNnLsty6JJzBu0Jtm1WfnWUQJQS8cROrFU2BoGqKkoKKecQQmmicVFDBH1IaGz/s1600/63-1-1963-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW27Zb1AJujBsdgJOB0y1ue8wMQEV-qbY7nATy7yORdvmnyKJonifhXqknp7ggZKAQhPaPvVlYtfGyHDNnLsty6JJzBu0Jtm1WfnWUQJQS8cROrFU2BoGqKkoKKecQQmmicVFDBH1IaGz/s200/63-1-1963-O.jpg" width="194" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRproh4WhJk1pwdJJPJ7oekS7qnl6BVIqG3E_B-MIktAdHNlRrSEBUs2ukjVv3UC34bNnqX1EaCpwOhOLSdcKxrp7Ity-4nD-qZXLgw8TQxK5xaefZdV1L0Loo9AaVBKPkGvCeysFtx3fV/s1600/63-1-1963-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRproh4WhJk1pwdJJPJ7oekS7qnl6BVIqG3E_B-MIktAdHNlRrSEBUs2ukjVv3UC34bNnqX1EaCpwOhOLSdcKxrp7Ity-4nD-qZXLgw8TQxK5xaefZdV1L0Loo9AaVBKPkGvCeysFtx3fV/s200/63-1-1963-R.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj56HhCIuILbgJad5_tE676CMQPYIj_41cK-xWfnJpy5WcEWzHqoWiX-OOLqs_y0ClPz7PDfCvhESBpd-20SbIWV04hf5esW8iPOWk5x7eJODdM8_Eu65oykOFIdtY4rcxSaYnAftybEYD/s1600/63-1-2040-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj56HhCIuILbgJad5_tE676CMQPYIj_41cK-xWfnJpy5WcEWzHqoWiX-OOLqs_y0ClPz7PDfCvhESBpd-20SbIWV04hf5esW8iPOWk5x7eJODdM8_Eu65oykOFIdtY4rcxSaYnAftybEYD/s200/63-1-2040-O.jpg" width="199" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIF8bD7IhZ8rA2lzI9flMrmSI828F9UyP1rcKxAEZMSN76c-9rOzB5AqUfZs_4WliAbE6QQQkefjLt_PvSFo0vXyZDP55xKqjf6bQFKrMsdAdqJhvnrqr1ORBcgNIkDvw1yzEYl2orPx0/s1600/63-1-2040-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIF8bD7IhZ8rA2lzI9flMrmSI828F9UyP1rcKxAEZMSN76c-9rOzB5AqUfZs_4WliAbE6QQQkefjLt_PvSFo0vXyZDP55xKqjf6bQFKrMsdAdqJhvnrqr1ORBcgNIkDvw1yzEYl2orPx0/s200/63-1-2040-R.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldpeqmkeV3S_E0v-LEaBUFdtXgjJbV6lZoqZoUFzpq7dkqx7ZkVShXesOLg_kHF_OiSdtMw5BL_PamcFqJS499whAGY7fiOoBqsZq_qubemNlz_XRfGtxRE6O_jto1oEL5CJgSo2c1wOA/s1600/56-122-1607-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldpeqmkeV3S_E0v-LEaBUFdtXgjJbV6lZoqZoUFzpq7dkqx7ZkVShXesOLg_kHF_OiSdtMw5BL_PamcFqJS499whAGY7fiOoBqsZq_qubemNlz_XRfGtxRE6O_jto1oEL5CJgSo2c1wOA/s200/56-122-1607-O.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruXtvufv-ha5_TKKD_jQDVNRc6PmfiFNs51-Wsw8A5S1qEqiuiTgbaaH0MbeS7g5nnNXVqg9HSM6jMs5pw4wFb8kfwo2p5JsZ1IWCmRe9qKG9E8MMKZ_iqRlFAurRBB2p1zzg_loZRXAh/s1600/56-122-1607-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruXtvufv-ha5_TKKD_jQDVNRc6PmfiFNs51-Wsw8A5S1qEqiuiTgbaaH0MbeS7g5nnNXVqg9HSM6jMs5pw4wFb8kfwo2p5JsZ1IWCmRe9qKG9E8MMKZ_iqRlFAurRBB2p1zzg_loZRXAh/s200/56-122-1607-R.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSiqZ5I3XTpIDAfknk2-RXtdwsK6mJ7GGx5way4Vki1tPrwnBkZJXTVTv0pl4S6eV5pTFrY1IycqkDsbN2z7tg6rlUIGs9qrqyQmw1tq9-ROtRD8z6cYAwfHAvhCDbYIhGZnfR3MnQyev/s1600/63-1-1825-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSiqZ5I3XTpIDAfknk2-RXtdwsK6mJ7GGx5way4Vki1tPrwnBkZJXTVTv0pl4S6eV5pTFrY1IycqkDsbN2z7tg6rlUIGs9qrqyQmw1tq9-ROtRD8z6cYAwfHAvhCDbYIhGZnfR3MnQyev/s200/63-1-1825-R.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4sIEFZxDMQgKUqMcAtbc38LbyXQYh3hpkf0rxejeoiecrWEXhSBJuwEDKLtKZ0Mjis_43Z5raWom2cg2v7m-0qMXelcOzhqg7dAgT6RL4nZTRJKQMhFuj9y9McXXo0dOnqmQVQzXNY21/s1600/63-1-1825-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4sIEFZxDMQgKUqMcAtbc38LbyXQYh3hpkf0rxejeoiecrWEXhSBJuwEDKLtKZ0Mjis_43Z5raWom2cg2v7m-0qMXelcOzhqg7dAgT6RL4nZTRJKQMhFuj9y9McXXo0dOnqmQVQzXNY21/s200/63-1-1825-O.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2ub1E2N_Q5TgZFechUC4wTq6d2xHUOs5SoEc79Ti2QSlpZwdJT3kqyKrEg-r8QCwOxNka5tZjaKwM5iljPv7VhKCUMvWFOUNVrzVl6Y_0AT7Cj35yeW_D7kfYSGKYgJIrWX5xrVWjTic/s1600/73-284-60-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2ub1E2N_Q5TgZFechUC4wTq6d2xHUOs5SoEc79Ti2QSlpZwdJT3kqyKrEg-r8QCwOxNka5tZjaKwM5iljPv7VhKCUMvWFOUNVrzVl6Y_0AT7Cj35yeW_D7kfYSGKYgJIrWX5xrVWjTic/s200/73-284-60-O.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpiTeDwM3uWy14QigQrRFYggvAIpa7-SocSugtZHFV48UfuwWCRevLDgdJO_IR-1bekj_aC9zHSrLDLKkeYZe7uGuR4JiOxYYVMbwYJPjB7VXmI30tdRJXXAcX86OgM4bpPcZ2AE-xQ7_/s1600/73-284-60-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpiTeDwM3uWy14QigQrRFYggvAIpa7-SocSugtZHFV48UfuwWCRevLDgdJO_IR-1bekj_aC9zHSrLDLKkeYZe7uGuR4JiOxYYVMbwYJPjB7VXmI30tdRJXXAcX86OgM4bpPcZ2AE-xQ7_/s200/73-284-60-R.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhSpMc_67hEsO2U0DQF6lmfVBQDw1zygrv1FThgyc1hF3Ecn5RF3BLCv_8rO2su7DBu3mPc7qOUgHbnA9OdDCXCqTaGNzIkYZNo5wNii9o3Gj8oWFhDbmWkr51t4dirpOrDoE1aZwCHP5/s1600/60-1165-1813-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhSpMc_67hEsO2U0DQF6lmfVBQDw1zygrv1FThgyc1hF3Ecn5RF3BLCv_8rO2su7DBu3mPc7qOUgHbnA9OdDCXCqTaGNzIkYZNo5wNii9o3Gj8oWFhDbmWkr51t4dirpOrDoE1aZwCHP5/s200/60-1165-1813-O.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirrnz5ds4NjIq-66V-jrl-JgGTMNOuXKvyH8Um_Jy5H8r7E6DzyVEkvTm0dQEY4jMBNKMrSQuZxlQf5c_cOzQ8LTKNWpi5EMF1sMZb1nKmnecqpbDWI_eNaMI9XmppFaWzEnXNG5PKtZ1/s1600/60-1165-1813-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirrnz5ds4NjIq-66V-jrl-JgGTMNOuXKvyH8Um_Jy5H8r7E6DzyVEkvTm0dQEY4jMBNKMrSQuZxlQf5c_cOzQ8LTKNWpi5EMF1sMZb1nKmnecqpbDWI_eNaMI9XmppFaWzEnXNG5PKtZ1/s200/60-1165-1813-R.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Coin Images (Top to bottom left to right) 1 & 2 Late Mughal Rupee in name of Muhammad Akbar II issued from Delhi (Umbrella symbol may represent a local power</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images 3 & 4 Gold Hun issued by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his coronation in 1674 with Devanagari legend</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images 5 & 6 Pseudo-Mughal Rupee issued by Marathas with Devanagari 'Shri' as mint marker</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images 7 & 8 Sikh Rupee issued by Maharaja Ranjit Singh with legend praising Guru Gobind Singhji</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images 9 & 10 Machine struck Silver Rupee issued by Baroda State with image of Maharaja Sayaji Rao III Gaekwad with Devanagari legend/Reverse: State emblem 'Sword' and Vikrama Samavat 1949 (1893 A.D.) in Devanagari</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images 11 & 12 Machine struck Copper denomination issued by Mewar with Devanagari 'Chitrakoot Udaipur/Dosti Landhan V.S. 2000 (1944)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images 13 & 14 Silver Machine struck Kutchi Kori issued in 1898 in name of Victoria 'Qaisar-i-Hind from Bhuj mint with twin dates of 1898 A.D. (in Persian) and 1954 V.S. in Devanagari</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images 15 & 16 Silver Machine struck Rupee issued by Alwar State with names of Queen Victoria 'Empress' with image/Rev. Persian legend with name of Maharaja Mangal Singh date 1880 A.D. in Persian and English denomination and State name</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images 17& 18 Silver Rupee issued by Hyderabad State with name of Nawab Asaf Jah Nizam ul-Mulk Mir Mahbub Ali Khan (indicated by Persian 'MEEM' in the gate of Char Minar with Hijri dates and reverse circular Mughal 'Sanah Julus' formula</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images Courtesy: National Museum, New Delhi</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MyjNniwUJ2lEL1T8DVXXyRCzz9m9T7Q2iW-8EZCjwTCvAl9J6rF8sNn1Od_desqqBM655Lf0mSlPC1QsyvI8m-ThUe7oz1_doeMP80TOshqV2r5nE6gU6xcAVgJGa8zxXd3mp0pacco6/s1600/63-1-2130-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-62909160319552902752013-09-01T07:13:00.000-07:002013-09-01T07:13:57.695-07:00Imperial Mughal coinage (1526-1835 A.D.)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">The foundation of the Mughal Empire
was by Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur (r.1526-1530) who adopted the central Asian ‘Shahrukhi’
(named after Timur’s son Shahrukh Mirza) as the prototype for his silver
currency and minted silver Shahrukhis from Kabul initially and finally from
Agra which was captured by him from the last Lodhi Sultan, Ibrahim Lodhi in the
first Battle of Panipat on 21 April 1526. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">The Shahrukhi standard was adopted by both Humayun and Akbar (in his initial
years). The Shahrukhis are thin broad pieces of silver with Kalima and the
names of the first four caliphs on obverse and the king’s regnal titles with
date and mint place on the reverse. The mint names on the reverse help indicate
the extent of each emperor’s actual domains. The Mughal Empire was unsteady in
its initial period and Humayun the second Mughal emperor was deposed by Sher
Shah Suri in 1540 A.D till he regained his power after 15 years with the
Persian ruler, Shah Tahmasp’s help. Humayun’s later issues from Qandahar bear
the name of Shah Tahmaspa as a formal acknowledgement along with the Shia
Kalima which was a compromise accepted by Humayun to survive at the Shia Safavid
Court. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">His rival, Sher Shah began his coinage by employing newer weight standards
and terms; the silver coin was christened ‘Rupaiya’ a term still current in modern
India! He stopped the use of billon and introduced tri-metallic coinage which
was adopted by Akbar and the later Mughals. Thus Sher Shah can be considered as
a pioneer of Indian monetary system as his system was adopted till the British
took charge in 1835 A.D. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">Akbar (r.1556-1605) began his reign by adopting the Shahrukhi standard but reformed
the Suri standard to issue gold coins called Muhars, silver Rupees and copper
coins called Dams; 40 dams were equal to one rupee; 9 silver rupees were equal
to 1 Muhar. He also issue heavier Muhars fetching 10 and 12 rupees. His coins
were issued in square and polygonal shapes called ‘Mehrabi’ in addition to the circular. </span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
The coinage of the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Mughals<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>can be divided into three phases on
the basis of the place of issue and condition of Mughal authority:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">v<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Wandering or
regional phase<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b>(1526-1556) Babur and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Humayun
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">v<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Classical phase<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b>(1556-1707)
Akbar, Jahangir,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Shahjahan<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and Aurangzeb<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">v<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Decadent phase<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b>(1707-1720)
late Mughal Emperors beginning with Shah<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Alam<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I and his successors ending with the
beginning of Muhammad Shah’s reign<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background-color: #f8fcff; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">v<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Quasi-Mughal phase<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b>(1720-1835)
issuing of ‘Mughal’ coins under regional powers like the erstwhile<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Nawabs<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Awadh,
Hyderabad,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Rohilkhand, enemy
powers like Marathas, Sikhs,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Rajputs<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and European colonial powers like the
French, the English, etc.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanZYoPLIFAUGp00zUdJX0ZG9rGAhsEiQ_aIQMjbR884L_KUi-VndjLaYI6Fnjz9DYrefcxAk8mNX7Qrej1tDAtAIzeD0JEiajPwL0HXA7_cOxKKWZ9SG4Ntm3L8ODsTpX-M48Wj0jwSZn/s1600/60-1165-5202-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanZYoPLIFAUGp00zUdJX0ZG9rGAhsEiQ_aIQMjbR884L_KUi-VndjLaYI6Fnjz9DYrefcxAk8mNX7Qrej1tDAtAIzeD0JEiajPwL0HXA7_cOxKKWZ9SG4Ntm3L8ODsTpX-M48Wj0jwSZn/s320/60-1165-5202-O.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukSdeJDYO-mDHJqyMpN_0rrjUPlXyegpInIrG3oGIH_di7HYRuO6tQOvjboIdzTgnegUd7DXSeUvUurQnPq-1QVXAElCczK6xBXeR5vs0wdZmu9GuFI8-g_Kv45BPZZbt69ySePgpOo83/s1600/60-1165-5202-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukSdeJDYO-mDHJqyMpN_0rrjUPlXyegpInIrG3oGIH_di7HYRuO6tQOvjboIdzTgnegUd7DXSeUvUurQnPq-1QVXAElCczK6xBXeR5vs0wdZmu9GuFI8-g_Kv45BPZZbt69ySePgpOo83/s320/60-1165-5202-R.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Babur's Silver Shahrukhi with Kalima on obverse (top image) and name, title of the Emperor along with mint name on reverse (bottom image)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBNLltfUh_KcnkbHs88NNcq7-MCaPvKKpQtfb64aYwgWNgsyWFQOE0qaacgOikg3Xc9Zgnkn39ZmF6hVxNT4qJ3PptVMQeAsfb8DRBYlXPoEbTCcrNlDfbI56tv97V4AewgaQCP8u6MCU/s1600/60-1165-3546-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBNLltfUh_KcnkbHs88NNcq7-MCaPvKKpQtfb64aYwgWNgsyWFQOE0qaacgOikg3Xc9Zgnkn39ZmF6hVxNT4qJ3PptVMQeAsfb8DRBYlXPoEbTCcrNlDfbI56tv97V4AewgaQCP8u6MCU/s320/60-1165-3546-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0jyFpFoj6S59vgjSzTw5NQnM4dPFW_agGus9Ra2ZmCaTjtEwpj77DkewSfagdBhRuUugC2ZgDd7yIS9EJmFHipIu_f6Fd9GhOx3cAqhNxpIdO9a5RBXqAb6CZz6GfsOwRO6ANyX2vcv_/s1600/60-1165-3546-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0jyFpFoj6S59vgjSzTw5NQnM4dPFW_agGus9Ra2ZmCaTjtEwpj77DkewSfagdBhRuUugC2ZgDd7yIS9EJmFHipIu_f6Fd9GhOx3cAqhNxpIdO9a5RBXqAb6CZz6GfsOwRO6ANyX2vcv_/s320/60-1165-3546-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gold Mihrabi of Akbar from Agra Mint c. A.H. 981 with Kalima on obverse (top image) and Names and titles on reverse (bottom image)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFFaRTyR975rBEgOdC7mdbQspeXuNZV_6xANsB8LXMYpB7SH9ZQM4a47zmqq6TS943hGf0DWJwIhp90od0RYxQnunnEp0LcV0FUJf-FxBP1tpIGGw1QY47xAOAmBIZTAtCYIx6dU7Jigg/s1600/63-1-35-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFFaRTyR975rBEgOdC7mdbQspeXuNZV_6xANsB8LXMYpB7SH9ZQM4a47zmqq6TS943hGf0DWJwIhp90od0RYxQnunnEp0LcV0FUJf-FxBP1tpIGGw1QY47xAOAmBIZTAtCYIx6dU7Jigg/s320/63-1-35-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIedLcIbljhShKclvuf-cqk3QO4Prt3-RM5EKDit9hyphenhyphenwcQSseKXPP5cCV1aAnpvb5_iecyzusaiIQ4yzLzfjSSeA_wvL_P58WQFhGn6itF8IUlxTTRfJMiyGR4ZoO-J0c9jxQOGlUEd3D/s1600/63-1-35-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIedLcIbljhShKclvuf-cqk3QO4Prt3-RM5EKDit9hyphenhyphenwcQSseKXPP5cCV1aAnpvb5_iecyzusaiIQ4yzLzfjSSeA_wvL_P58WQFhGn6itF8IUlxTTRfJMiyGR4ZoO-J0c9jxQOGlUEd3D/s320/63-1-35-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Akbar's Gold Illahi Mohur from Lahore Mint with Illahi credo on obverse (top image) and date Illahi 39 Tir Month on reverse (bottom image)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVHlQiQ4nmxtdMDO-pEtzy6V6-qi8Jn9AiU2UQMx1embVtToDXVtmm631A76saKu6_0IQGev9YuLlogYIK4HDPiAdJ43FX6Ub2UAe9ea5n-XjQ0yyHsz8eVzUhHLpbs73br5ADfmfP6mN/s1600/63-1-37-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVHlQiQ4nmxtdMDO-pEtzy6V6-qi8Jn9AiU2UQMx1embVtToDXVtmm631A76saKu6_0IQGev9YuLlogYIK4HDPiAdJ43FX6Ub2UAe9ea5n-XjQ0yyHsz8eVzUhHLpbs73br5ADfmfP6mN/s320/63-1-37-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HlNIaOmdiLl8p-paTZ4gH9wlOzNW0QExFG-RfPBxOgYzEuyGOy79_NTanjKgPc7pADbWkfkDd8nQ1uEpU2wlUsTwssbe5LJ5trUEDylcCQ7zFv2NWBRC4O08urcKClJqpzoJPqR2guY1/s1600/63-1-37-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HlNIaOmdiLl8p-paTZ4gH9wlOzNW0QExFG-RfPBxOgYzEuyGOy79_NTanjKgPc7pADbWkfkDd8nQ1uEpU2wlUsTwssbe5LJ5trUEDylcCQ7zFv2NWBRC4O08urcKClJqpzoJPqR2guY1/s320/63-1-37-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jahangir's Libra Gold Mohur issued in A.H. 1033 (1624-25 A.D.) with image of Libra on obverse representing the month 'Dii' in Persian Caledar (top image) and reverse legend with date, mint (Agra) and regnal year 19 (bottom image)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5kpP12t8iXSVz0n3Jd8P0PEeWh5fcYTdzLyZDFYagcWYkSQ7eRC72gpE5jKGffJitRkn0B9mVx2amuNGNB_BqzJx7UZ-i6l6NMjiYMTIgPbgAfKaiEH1NW_Se79D31BS47AZmlP6PkML/s1600/60-1165-3593-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5kpP12t8iXSVz0n3Jd8P0PEeWh5fcYTdzLyZDFYagcWYkSQ7eRC72gpE5jKGffJitRkn0B9mVx2amuNGNB_BqzJx7UZ-i6l6NMjiYMTIgPbgAfKaiEH1NW_Se79D31BS47AZmlP6PkML/s320/60-1165-3593-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ohxrQTno1WYyzlNggOobtw5qiMoy4CVBf_iQDrM6ZYTmKaPB84l_qD3Gyr-IYg5b1TjPbxX6DAsdfnFEoH2_rphS-E7HYeyfcpaXnRceTR5aZurk0iQTPl3YmtvaZ8-GXw2hrGz31mad/s1600/60-1165-3593-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ohxrQTno1WYyzlNggOobtw5qiMoy4CVBf_iQDrM6ZYTmKaPB84l_qD3Gyr-IYg5b1TjPbxX6DAsdfnFEoH2_rphS-E7HYeyfcpaXnRceTR5aZurk0iQTPl3YmtvaZ8-GXw2hrGz31mad/s320/60-1165-3593-R.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shah Jahan's Agra Gold Mohur dates A.H. 1042 (1632-33 A.D.) with Kalima on obverse (top image) and names and title of the Emperor including Sahib-e-Qiran Sani on reverse (bottom image)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaNqACAkEqQR3oafnKikNRHHOT0J6EELLin9nChdmYTflBdZQt95p7HP4nr-2TXq1TWF5B0GBVORQO0n0BEhjnBd-S6oENy4f9lupVc5Uy2yiwJUrG1sQaQM19dvaAbs5LutwFe-X37pc/s1600/59-152-3437-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaNqACAkEqQR3oafnKikNRHHOT0J6EELLin9nChdmYTflBdZQt95p7HP4nr-2TXq1TWF5B0GBVORQO0n0BEhjnBd-S6oENy4f9lupVc5Uy2yiwJUrG1sQaQM19dvaAbs5LutwFe-X37pc/s320/59-152-3437-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R9VHxtgUGz0ag1E25weiMpnuja2hbRBSyeICavJd7DODTQq1QCDevYPfWd7bJqiPOGJ7Ip22YrkgPLFq0M_jnXC-v1s9U6K6BA62uxvWj1BB-N7EiP_KGhWdNG2HACbUSM8r4v8BF1A0/s1600/59-152-3437-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R9VHxtgUGz0ag1E25weiMpnuja2hbRBSyeICavJd7DODTQq1QCDevYPfWd7bJqiPOGJ7Ip22YrkgPLFq0M_jnXC-v1s9U6K6BA62uxvWj1BB-N7EiP_KGhWdNG2HACbUSM8r4v8BF1A0/s320/59-152-3437-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aurangzeb's Silver Rupee of Itawah mint dated A.H. 1102 (1690--91 A.D.) Regnal Year 34 with poetic legend replacing the Kalima in praise of Aurangzeb on obverse (top image) and formulaic legend containing Mint name, Regnal year, etc. on reverse (bottom image)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUqCnoYr0r0a9pW4tVvBUb5PYuUsAJ7pB0XPs2rzlP_g4oT3hZYxxF1efIfDbHK_cpuadICO3HTuHgVr-oRB3c4U6jafe1BTkLTGlggcPAhSOoEe1P8KJ_0YgIGhwzVMU34PugUp7qJT9/s1600/73-1-2588-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUqCnoYr0r0a9pW4tVvBUb5PYuUsAJ7pB0XPs2rzlP_g4oT3hZYxxF1efIfDbHK_cpuadICO3HTuHgVr-oRB3c4U6jafe1BTkLTGlggcPAhSOoEe1P8KJ_0YgIGhwzVMU34PugUp7qJT9/s320/73-1-2588-O.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZOFCSG1kZTCbZj_kQDof2faSr6t7A4O_tOCdBv8BOD-aI9GBlnf7Ie3p1F0mlrHT_eNBvFtW6n6Kf3Tnh_jWyD0K1xi3hHRdl-o7DWVc7A9YC4HhTyJRiIVOow9ePbkHJ7y5S1U5BhAJ/s1600/73-1-2588-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZOFCSG1kZTCbZj_kQDof2faSr6t7A4O_tOCdBv8BOD-aI9GBlnf7Ie3p1F0mlrHT_eNBvFtW6n6Kf3Tnh_jWyD0K1xi3hHRdl-o7DWVc7A9YC4HhTyJRiIVOow9ePbkHJ7y5S1U5BhAJ/s320/73-1-2588-R.jpg" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Rupee issued by East India Company in the name of Shah Alam II from Murshidabad with Fixed Regnal Year 19 with obverse legend praising Shah Alam II (top image) and date and mint name on reverse (bottom legend)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.38in; margin-top: 4.8pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.38in; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">Akbar initially issued coins with the Kalima till 1585 A.D. but in the
thirtieth year of his reign he found the new religious creed ‘Din-i-Illahi’ and
issued coins with the Illahi credo ‘Allah hu Akbar Jalla Jalaalah’ (God is great,
may His glory be glorified). He also began dating his coins as per his regnal
era called Illahi era replacing the earlier Hijri era. He also introduced the
practice of issuing coins with Persian verses praising the ruler which was
emulated by all his successors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">Akbar’s successor, Jahangir (r.1605-1627) began his reign by issuing
commemorative coins with portraits of his father and then issued coins with the
image of various zodiac signs to illustrate the date; he resumed the use of
Hijri era on his coins. Jahangir also bestowed upon his royal consort, Nur Jahan,
the royal privilege of issuing her own coins, making her the first queen after
Raziyya Sultan to issue her own coins. Jahangir also issued heavy gold coins as
mementos to various dignitaries at his court. One such coin weighing around
1000 tolas (around 12 Kg) has been found making it the heaviest gold coin in
the world! It is currently in the Museum
of Islamic Art in Kuwait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) began his rule by reintroducing the Kalima on his
coinage and using the title ‘Sahib-e-Qiran Sani’ (the Second Lord of Fortunate
Astronomic Conjunctions) based on an earlier title used by Timur on his coins.
Shah Jahan turned to appease the orthodox clergy by ordering the melting of
Jehangir’s portrait coins and employed the Kalima almost exclusively on the
coinage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">His successor, Aurangzeb (r.1658-1707) forbade the use of Kalima to prevent
its defiling as they passed through the hands of men! His coins used poetic
verses to praise his rule on the obverse and the reverse had a formula that was
copied by all succeeding Mughals including the regnal year of the Emperor along
with the name of the minting town. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">Aurangzeb’s death in 1707 A.D. began the downward slide of the great Mughal
Empire with the emergence of regional and foreign powers who slowly usurped the
minting privileges of the Mughal emperor. Farrukhsiyar (r.1713-1719) began the
policy of issuing Farmaans for minting rights to interested powers. The East
India Company obtained the rights to mint coins in the name of the Mughal
Emperor from Bombay in 1717.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">The Mughal power further reduced during the reign of Muhammad Shah when
Delhi was sacked by the Persian adventurer Nadir Shah in 1739 A.D. Muhammad Shah’s subordinates like the Nizam-ul-Mulk
of Hyderabad and Saadat Ali Khan, Nawab of Awadh retreated to their provincial
capitals to create their own kingdoms and issue their own coinages. The Mughal
power was totally shattered when Shah Alam II (r.1759-1806) lost the Battle of
Buxar in 1764 A.D. to the East India Company’s army and became a puppet in the
hands of the British when the British entered Delhi in 1803 A.D. The British
continued to issue coins in Shah Alam’s name till his death and his successor
Muhammad Akbar II (r.1806-1837) forfeited the minting rights in 1835 A.D. when
the British East India Rupee became the official currency of the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN">His successor, Bahadur Shah ‘Zafar’ (r. 1837-1858) became the central
figure of the revolt of 1857 when his coin was issued by the rebel soldiers after
crowning him the ‘Emperor of Hindustan’. However, he was finally deposed by the
British in September 1857 and exiled to Rangoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-70527775305251755702013-07-05T00:21:00.000-07:002013-07-05T00:21:19.381-07:00Story of Indian Money - XVI - Regional Sultanates' Coinage c. 1347-1687 A.D.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Dehli Sultanate reached its zenith under Muhammad bin Tughluq almost covering the entire Indian sub-continent under him as the South Indian Hindu kingdoms collapsed under sustained campaigns by the Sultanate's cavalry. However, the empire grew too unwieldy and the centre couldn't hold the vast and remote areas. However, another factor which worked against it was Muhammad bin Tughluq's eccentric and cruel nature which alienated his nobility and created the right atmosphere for dissensions both during and after his reign.<br />
Thus, the Bahamani Sultanate and the Madura Sultanate came to be born in his lifetime. The former was born under the patronage of his Deccani nobles who combined forces under a Persian soldier-of-fortune, Zafar Khan who replaced the hesitant leader of the initial rebellion Ismail Shah and ascended the throne as Alauddin Bahaman Shah. The latter was too short-lived yet has left good numismatic evidence of the same. <br />
Thus began the Bahamani Sultanate with its own coinage majorly in silver and copper of which the latter was more profuse during one hundred and eighty years of existence which saw its fragmentation into five Deccani Sultanates of Ahmadnagar, Berar, Bidar, Bijapur and Golconda.<br />
The coinage of these successor states was as colourful as their chequered history with variation in legends related to their Shiite faith and even adoption of South Indian gold pagodas and Persian larins (hairpin shaped coins with the name of the king originated in Laristan region of Persia) as testimony of their existence. <br />
<br />
After Muhammad bin Tughluq's death more successor states evolved in his Northern and Western territories in the form of Jaunpur in North India, Gujarat, Khandesh and Malwa in Western and Central India respectively.<br />
Even the erstwhile Rajput kingdoms regrouped under Rana Kumbha (d. 1468) and Rana Sanga (d. 1527) later but have left little numismatic evidence. <br />
The successor states of Gujarat, Khandesh and Malwa lasted longer till the rise of the Mughals under Akbar the Great while their coinage evolved on local pattern. Malwa was under the Khaljis evolved its own coinage in the three metals, gold, silver and copper tankas with square shape as the preferred shape and beautiful mint marks as the hallmark of their coinage.<br />
Gujarat on the other hand, developed its own coinage, popularly known as Mahmudis (after Mahmud Begada I, the Great Sultan of Gujarat) which had a longer circulation than the Sultanate due to its forging by later rulers as a defiant gesture to the Mughals!<br />
<br />
Bengal Sultanate had its own long history of defiance of the central rule of the Dehli Sultans and had its own history of two hundred and thirty odd years from the period of Illyas Shah (r. 1342-1358) to the Afghan dynasty of Karranis. The Sultanate also had an uninterrupted coinage in silver which was intermittently transmitted to the coffers of the Dehli Sultans or held back for circulation. The coinage from Bengal was the probable inspiration for Illtutmish's silver tanka which became the standard coin of the Slave dynasty.<br />
<br />
Kashmir was the only sultanate which did not come under the sway of the Dehli Sultans probably on account of its inaccessible location. It however had its own unique silver coinage called Sasnu (square in shape weighing around 6 grams with a twisted wire border around its legends) ; the Sasnu was complemented by the copper Kaserah (also weighing 5.5 to 6 grams having a line with a central knot between its legends)<br />
<br />
Thus, each regional sultanate of the pre-Mughal period tried to lend a unique stamp on the numismatic history of the Indian sub-continent by playing around with metrology, calligraphic styles and shapes of the coins. The coins are a reflection of local calligraphic development as in the case of Jaunpur Sultanate whose sultans preferred the use of Tughra calligraphy a convoluted form of writing style developed in Turkey under the Ottoman Sultans.<br />
The regional sultanates were gradually absorbed into the growing Mughal Empire which engulfed all of them in stages of its own evolution in a period stretching from 1530-31 when Humayun beseiged Malwa and Gujarat and also temporarily took over Bengal till 1686-87 when Aurangzeb engulfed and absorbed the Deccan Sultanates of Bijapur and Golkonda in 1686 and 1687 respectively.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ElWzba2BhOPm5QKZmQP61Yt7ailryeylLD2Ppg0GXlYg3J7g90hWeUVZfjuQj-XVRJC9eyHBpIIyZxo32tBs9MKE24SypE2ygq3z5kFwrysZIvUPvJnOt5JfXwbfhxKGiU0tl0QFj_lb/s408/63-1-2170-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ElWzba2BhOPm5QKZmQP61Yt7ailryeylLD2Ppg0GXlYg3J7g90hWeUVZfjuQj-XVRJC9eyHBpIIyZxo32tBs9MKE24SypE2ygq3z5kFwrysZIvUPvJnOt5JfXwbfhxKGiU0tl0QFj_lb/s320/63-1-2170-R.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yDSSInvbiFO7Mftb4KnEeP_YC7Chf92r5nG5t3j0kK1CIh4MfY3vePvMYYZH8D6pJKMSbutNgnsK9Lf8E-iXu-LaUvZofBi4e3SE1N5_3QQTov6Ax6neecxu4yLBkCIZlFoWjdbd2-T4/s409/63-1-2170-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yDSSInvbiFO7Mftb4KnEeP_YC7Chf92r5nG5t3j0kK1CIh4MfY3vePvMYYZH8D6pJKMSbutNgnsK9Lf8E-iXu-LaUvZofBi4e3SE1N5_3QQTov6Ax6neecxu4yLBkCIZlFoWjdbd2-T4/s320/63-1-2170-O.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Tanka of Ala-ud-din Bahaman Shah founder of Bahamani dynasty styled on Ala-ud-din Khalji's tanka A.H. 758 c. 1357-58 A.D. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyqdJvznfLc08puItKhdIZICAJCCQvsu8WjpFtX8wAcMlPGQxscWOuqYY_SnbzbGYMz6KpGsn2w3NywRnkVMgt8W6aq9_VS-7IgMTs4Xg21szTpalB4VhGsWb8nrYHxNYpmgo5p68mjzQ/s724/51-195-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyqdJvznfLc08puItKhdIZICAJCCQvsu8WjpFtX8wAcMlPGQxscWOuqYY_SnbzbGYMz6KpGsn2w3NywRnkVMgt8W6aq9_VS-7IgMTs4Xg21szTpalB4VhGsWb8nrYHxNYpmgo5p68mjzQ/s320/51-195-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Larin of Ali Adil Shah II 1071 A.H. c. 1660-61 A.D.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8bD_tHGazJKvZCxDJk0I4pc3fjYlU11auMMp8bj6m1iSj8E5GANRqj3vRccsufgpOBDZmmls5GdS_iw7c5o2nqMjXTnZy8zTHj9inOdYpSy0xXHJ_LBISzSndqTP4ktCu0U8_o-3-Piq/s414/60-1165-3800-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8bD_tHGazJKvZCxDJk0I4pc3fjYlU11auMMp8bj6m1iSj8E5GANRqj3vRccsufgpOBDZmmls5GdS_iw7c5o2nqMjXTnZy8zTHj9inOdYpSy0xXHJ_LBISzSndqTP4ktCu0U8_o-3-Piq/s320/60-1165-3800-R.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lTgR98pwbjj94gv90hnzQUxfpp8U1nFj8FnS3mPMMFAXqldPkAjMcdipRN1kBOZvm6XPlbqLSL-LP298OlchZYI1KQAqU3A3kUu_CxEQRBCabofEyPGS9BDqKM0LMuTGA-ughzsposZB/s414/60-1165-3800-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lTgR98pwbjj94gv90hnzQUxfpp8U1nFj8FnS3mPMMFAXqldPkAjMcdipRN1kBOZvm6XPlbqLSL-LP298OlchZYI1KQAqU3A3kUu_CxEQRBCabofEyPGS9BDqKM0LMuTGA-ughzsposZB/s320/60-1165-3800-O.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gold Tanka of Jaunpur Sultan Ibrahim Shah with Tughra Calligraphy on obverse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT44G7ydw5LirEefD2Iq2LIcZ-StPdFKRsRuVdspvTDDGT0gmOoPnouaXD46SngodVvRdvLz5xaTtydQ4hz5qXPYKHKwfU17GafbehARneEW8jebE2WU_Xal6tJoqgck3Dwebsay1D85xR/s340/60-1165-1219-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT44G7ydw5LirEefD2Iq2LIcZ-StPdFKRsRuVdspvTDDGT0gmOoPnouaXD46SngodVvRdvLz5xaTtydQ4hz5qXPYKHKwfU17GafbehARneEW8jebE2WU_Xal6tJoqgck3Dwebsay1D85xR/s320/60-1165-1219-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuWz38yPoGWtg_Ic_h_b88XhP_eKPUqrg7uraO8oNAYn1pkwBDI2Q7G8v1DpBHQW_46rZk44bADlr1iWJqmB_kEgTINqxzVWTQEexQlLCgONSXOHEE0_Vx5QqP3pxaTUrfC5euYzAuBHf/s339/60-1165-1219-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuWz38yPoGWtg_Ic_h_b88XhP_eKPUqrg7uraO8oNAYn1pkwBDI2Q7G8v1DpBHQW_46rZk44bADlr1iWJqmB_kEgTINqxzVWTQEexQlLCgONSXOHEE0_Vx5QqP3pxaTUrfC5euYzAuBHf/s320/60-1165-1219-R.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Half Tanka of Mahmud Shah 'Begada' from Muhammadabad Champanir with long drawn out legends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzRxVU0w8rYzttDbnz4aVUeqtPYM9Rrk403auaE4wWfLGfRtIjAEtPxAt3dKbxkKKC_2xry7wHmac78kp5ntJ4F37xYjY5ge8Uc8BhIEAB9DAJcxRuLl2R2j_6vPKCGQ6mivHk-6LDPrD/s386/60-1165-3820-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzRxVU0w8rYzttDbnz4aVUeqtPYM9Rrk403auaE4wWfLGfRtIjAEtPxAt3dKbxkKKC_2xry7wHmac78kp5ntJ4F37xYjY5ge8Uc8BhIEAB9DAJcxRuLl2R2j_6vPKCGQ6mivHk-6LDPrD/s320/60-1165-3820-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50mJPVX_ESRk9rWxWoo-Kz8zSifs9B7ntpYdNWGrIHrIAgJZVV6Sf_g7lpqDf1uyypzhbxNS7HE3vJJIaj55VGutf8AfmiWZ0T6vmV7MVVDIZup_QZOqZLVq8-1sMMGiWXYJC8hgwvQz8/s400/60-1165-3819-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50mJPVX_ESRk9rWxWoo-Kz8zSifs9B7ntpYdNWGrIHrIAgJZVV6Sf_g7lpqDf1uyypzhbxNS7HE3vJJIaj55VGutf8AfmiWZ0T6vmV7MVVDIZup_QZOqZLVq8-1sMMGiWXYJC8hgwvQz8/s320/60-1165-3819-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtojpFoXndntkk-2aNbobzU7N4oCCyGz8155ipXLGvp6uwKxpz-rBAmna9scN31JRelkGrK3mAULdVFrbWYDUzOAK5VrwLMIjHnpLw2sSq8gdW5iG8J0tuv-1CrrDGWwTKCLWAGlt4zW_t/s353/83-369-7-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtojpFoXndntkk-2aNbobzU7N4oCCyGz8155ipXLGvp6uwKxpz-rBAmna9scN31JRelkGrK3mAULdVFrbWYDUzOAK5VrwLMIjHnpLw2sSq8gdW5iG8J0tuv-1CrrDGWwTKCLWAGlt4zW_t/s320/83-369-7-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdZv_08slJJsAdrdmNUxlm-BVFOoNj7i6IR4pcIde-9Mbak5JPRIDfPXNYncfjTuqiiyoeyuw2-oUKJ4qNS7vouPHZcFp8tzwdTwLp1xjoeIWUYufxiti2uvYuMdapXDUlXlimBWOQay8/s349/83-369-7-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdZv_08slJJsAdrdmNUxlm-BVFOoNj7i6IR4pcIde-9Mbak5JPRIDfPXNYncfjTuqiiyoeyuw2-oUKJ4qNS7vouPHZcFp8tzwdTwLp1xjoeIWUYufxiti2uvYuMdapXDUlXlimBWOQay8/s320/83-369-7-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Tanka of Bengal Sultan Fakhr-al-din Mubarak Shah Hazrat Sunargaon Mint</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xx8_jzdTEFNlealsYBJTsiMd_E0tdfb8mP2hHfOYgBsC0G8A0Vsn29mOSnQZDcZObmCcX2QNMCV76cB2kSMgTgZwPED1rBnEiFOAXLObljsglb-e1_uQW58Fh4_pivNxNaXLSryFp8-k/s319/60-1165-1069-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xx8_jzdTEFNlealsYBJTsiMd_E0tdfb8mP2hHfOYgBsC0G8A0Vsn29mOSnQZDcZObmCcX2QNMCV76cB2kSMgTgZwPED1rBnEiFOAXLObljsglb-e1_uQW58Fh4_pivNxNaXLSryFp8-k/s319/60-1165-1069-O.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCSJTk456gbb4VVmbtQYX4JLKTBDwQXjFrr9WtbOCzM1Fb-4jrM5we3jbYjVQF9oUQj_9se463IwG7r8C0OIE_7Pc0Fb2xvx2oYs3ICX1g5TsbTkkH1qsQ7CmSIXf8c8Ws6EW4wmL1lmS/s391/60-1165-1069-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCSJTk456gbb4VVmbtQYX4JLKTBDwQXjFrr9WtbOCzM1Fb-4jrM5we3jbYjVQF9oUQj_9se463IwG7r8C0OIE_7Pc0Fb2xvx2oYs3ICX1g5TsbTkkH1qsQ7CmSIXf8c8Ws6EW4wmL1lmS/s320/60-1165-1069-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Sasnu of Hussain Shah of Kashmir Sultanate A.H. 970 c. 1562-63 A.D.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-18245738957528991042013-07-02T23:24:00.004-07:002018-09-10T05:22:34.526-07:00Story of Indian Money XV - Islamic States of Dehli Sultanate & their Coinage c. 1192 - 1555 A.D.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Mahmud Ghazni (r. 998-1030) began
raiding the Indian territories on a regular basis between 1001 and 1021 A.D.
and established a Ghaznavid province in Punjab consistent with his Afghan territories
in 1028 A.D. He issued coins with the Kalima (Islamic expression of faith)
inscribed in Arabic with the title ‘Leader of the faithful’ on the obverse. His
Indian coins have reverse inscriptions stating ‘dinara struck for cities
captured during the Holy War with India’. One Silver Dinara issued by Mahmud in
1028 A.D. from Mahmudpur (Lahore) has a unique bilingual legend with the Kalima
in Arabic on the obverse and its translation in Sanskrit on the reverse! </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Mahmud’s successors adopted the
‘Bull-and-Horseman’ type modifying it into a ‘Bull-and-legend’ type with the
name of the ruler in Kufic Arabic script. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The Ghaznavids were deposed by
Ghorids in Ghazni and finally evicted from Lahore by the Ghorid brothers,
Ghiyath-uddin and Muizz-uddin in 1186 A.D. Muizzuddin or Muhammad Ghori (known
as Muhammad bin Sam on his coins) succeeded in laying down the foundations of the
Dehli Sultanate by defeating Prithviraj Chauhan at the Battle of Tarrain in
1192 A.D. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Muhammad bin Sam copied the
‘Bull-and-Horseman’ coin called Dehliwalas with either side devoted to Arabic
inscriptions and issued them in billon and copper. Muhammad<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>also copied the Lakshmi type gold coin when
he captured Kashi from Jayachandra, the famed rival of Prithviraj Chauhan, with
the Nagari legend ‘Sri Mahamada bini saam’! In Bengal, his general Bakhthiyar
Khilji initiated a new gold prototype with the obverse image of a charging
Turkish horseman with a mace and the Nagari legend ‘Gaud Vijaye’ and a reverse
Arabic inscription with Muhammad’s titles.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Muhammad was succeeded by his
slave general Qutb-uddin Aibak (r. 1206-1210); however, no coins are found in
his name or his immediate successor, Aram Shah. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Aibak’s ultimate successor, his manumitted slave, Shams-uddin Illtutmish (r.1211-1236) reintroduced the
Islamic coins with Kalima as silver tankas while continuing the copper and
billon Dehliwalas. The most important feature of these ‘Islamic’ coins was the total
abhorrence of images and the use of exact date and place of issue. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Illtutmish
also began the trend of invoking the Abbasid Caliph on his coins to ensure his religious
sanction. This trend was continued by all his successors; notably Rukn-uddin
Firoz his son (r.1236) Jalalat Raziya his daughter and the first woman to
ascend the Dehli throne (r.1236-1240). </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The Dehli Sultanate's 'Slave Dynasty' continued
under Illtutmish’s clan till 1266 when the last ruler, Nasir-uddin Mahmud was replaced by Balban, the Chancellor of the Sultanate. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Balban was succeeded by his grandson, Qaiqubad who was replaced by his minor son, Kayumarth. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The dynasty was finally replaced by a rank outsider, Jalal-uddin Firuz Khilji (1290-1296); Firuz and his successor, Rukn-uddin
Ibrahim (r.1296) continued the coinage of the previous regime. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">However, Ibrahim
was soon deposed by Firuz’s ambitious nephew, Ala-uddin Muhammad Khilji (r.1296-1316)
who soon embarked with his army to capture riches from Deogiri, Malwa, Gujarat
and Rajasthan; he also captured rich booty from Warangal and Dwarasamudra
through his general, Malik Kafur. Ala-uddin and his successor Qutb-uddin
Mubarak issued heavy gold and silver coins. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Ala-uddin issued his coins with the
haughty title ‘the second Alexander, the right hand of the Caliph’ while
Qutb-uddin used the arrogant title ‘the supreme head of the faith, the Caliph,
Lord of heavens and earth’ in Arabic.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Qutb-uddin was replaced by Ghiyath-uddin
Tughluq (r.1320-1325) who continued the Khilji coinage. However, his successor,
Muhammad bin Tughluq (r.1325-1351) ushered in an era of unsurpassed numismatic glory
by </span><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">producing
numerous types of gold coins with fine Islamic calligraphy.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calligraphy" title="Calligraphy"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></a>
He also increased the weight of his coins after his South Indian campaigns. </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"></span>
<br />
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">However, his greatest numismatic achievement was his attempt to introduce
‘token currency’ in 1329 A.D. when he attempted to replace silver and billon
coins with a token equivalent in copper validated by the state! He engraved
"He who obeys the Sultan obeys the Compassionate" to scare and
fascinate people into accepting the new system. </span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">However, the coins were forged
by locals causing a collapse in the system till the Sultan agreed to replace
the copper coins with actual silver ones causing a heavy drain on the exchequer.
Muhammad also issued a variety of coins with religious legends including the
name of the first four caliphs; he also revived the use of Kalima on his coins.
Muhammad faced local revolts towards the end of his rule with the founding of
Bahmani Sultanate in Deccan in 1347 A.D. which issued its own coinage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Muhammad’s successor, Firuz Shah Tughluq (r.1351-1388) issued some coins
with the name of the ruling Caliphs but had to sanction the use of billon coins
due to the reduced revenues during his reign. </span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Firuz’s successors witnessed the formation of local Sultanates in Gujarat
(1391), Jaunpur (1394) and Malwa (1392). </span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">However, the greatest disaster was the
invasion by Timur’s army in 1398 A.D. which reduced the Sultanate’s domains to
the outskirts of Delhi. Mahmud, the last Tugluq ruler died in 1414 A.D. inviting
counterclaims from two powers; Daulat Khan Lodhi the governor of the Doab
region and Khizr Khan Sayyid. </span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Khizr Khan succeeded in the power struggle leading to the founding of the
Sayyyid dynasty. </span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The Sayyids refrained from issuing coins initially but the
second ruler Mubarak Shah issued a novel coinage followed by his nephew
Muhammad who preferred the Tughluq standard in billon. Alam Shah, the last
ruler issued fewer coins and gave way to Bahlol Lodhi in 1451. </span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Bahlol Lodhi retained only copper and billon coins with a new formula of
issuing coins extolling the virtues of the ruler on both sides and seeking
divine blessings for his rule; this type was preferred by his successors,
Sikandar and Ibrahim.</span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Ibrahim Lodhi was killed in 1526 A.D. in the first battle of Panipat by Zahir-uddin
Muhammad Babur, the exiled ruler of Farghana who claimed descent from both
Timur and Genghis Khan laying the foundations of the Mughal Empire.</span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAh6LsKedblu-03JLLSigJ8ipDIJCfvFDj2pn8ZG5NmaS9ESJfDKtZ3fMQWpXGn9uFzDdqLV674JDxIA2MnpyvMpuNvY5ErwYFxRZCqNsAKiQGyJ3VhK7DjTuYAb-kLcp_zB3v9smzmEg/s368/54-21-1-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAh6LsKedblu-03JLLSigJ8ipDIJCfvFDj2pn8ZG5NmaS9ESJfDKtZ3fMQWpXGn9uFzDdqLV674JDxIA2MnpyvMpuNvY5ErwYFxRZCqNsAKiQGyJ3VhK7DjTuYAb-kLcp_zB3v9smzmEg/s320/54-21-1-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifd9mgpeqFoLP09-NvbFA-ub2JZDCuq4VyzZJXLsLySrejSWmUSnXFj9lMIs7mZ-rEfdLmHsAx2grM3SqgmBuKtgKz1fFLxIu6I904l9KwvX4O3uN4I9ELRDajPOK4vxq3vZVaMSXZXlmT/s364/54-21-1-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifd9mgpeqFoLP09-NvbFA-ub2JZDCuq4VyzZJXLsLySrejSWmUSnXFj9lMIs7mZ-rEfdLmHsAx2grM3SqgmBuKtgKz1fFLxIu6I904l9KwvX4O3uN4I9ELRDajPOK4vxq3vZVaMSXZXlmT/s320/54-21-1-R.jpg" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Silver Tanka of Mahmud of Ghazni with Kalima in Arabic and Sharada Script</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80i0Tz3rHVaPWyLCjmZ9FM_zTwrK8Gxq32Sbxh5B_aWb43kosS5RQFjBf70rEqg6H2skX-nKO1QVHP-L1EZUFnyNhma3663sPnv3WG1QSWztuSczOYFBQspxDown9mmhDQCWyY6FTuzKH/s430/60-1165-3702-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80i0Tz3rHVaPWyLCjmZ9FM_zTwrK8Gxq32Sbxh5B_aWb43kosS5RQFjBf70rEqg6H2skX-nKO1QVHP-L1EZUFnyNhma3663sPnv3WG1QSWztuSczOYFBQspxDown9mmhDQCWyY6FTuzKH/s320/60-1165-3702-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsnuhiOqdeFPzE_jtf4JXKoEJmwI5UEhi-pUXpqyACSzNnQyrX-QxllCwOjgf-tMd-Ux6VBxdT1X06m9beB5mH5exGo_faLt6dTLS-tdWO2g5w8Fmo4eC38h4ZaLRWVi5xXhK5upj4Nhs/s428/60-1165-3702-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsnuhiOqdeFPzE_jtf4JXKoEJmwI5UEhi-pUXpqyACSzNnQyrX-QxllCwOjgf-tMd-Ux6VBxdT1X06m9beB5mH5exGo_faLt6dTLS-tdWO2g5w8Fmo4eC38h4ZaLRWVi5xXhK5upj4Nhs/s320/60-1165-3702-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gold Tanka of Muiz-ud-din Muhammad bin Sam issued along from Ghazna mint with the name of the Caliph Al-Nasir </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWtdy8vTK4AMaiA5WSSeE0-81BWrN2slhFaxwNm33a3C2TsqGZUXR_UojgOWffTivOtr9pnDD-xUrmmQT3G3pGUC4bwkDUBPPp_JDJIBbFI2mRvzZ0Y62iIYe8O8m6uf2xFBYr2h6wb7p/s380/60-1165-5063-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWtdy8vTK4AMaiA5WSSeE0-81BWrN2slhFaxwNm33a3C2TsqGZUXR_UojgOWffTivOtr9pnDD-xUrmmQT3G3pGUC4bwkDUBPPp_JDJIBbFI2mRvzZ0Y62iIYe8O8m6uf2xFBYr2h6wb7p/s320/60-1165-5063-R.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugBxX_GWit1yg7oVIjUx-Q3gQFwahaA3uhEDLt8DJ3zdbF6hBxX131uDVbjxYaY8mh2mLeWY1yla13afaChJyxDK0EUzg0Q1QUcJKMGMlzZESAaWgDGBogg28wZ4HGXYQ4MM52EXmfEZa/s373/60-1165-5063-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugBxX_GWit1yg7oVIjUx-Q3gQFwahaA3uhEDLt8DJ3zdbF6hBxX131uDVbjxYaY8mh2mLeWY1yla13afaChJyxDK0EUzg0Q1QUcJKMGMlzZESAaWgDGBogg28wZ4HGXYQ4MM52EXmfEZa/s320/60-1165-5063-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Silver Tanka of Illtutmish in name of Caliph al-Mustansir</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie08ly60thPDI1lIabhuFNtGMnLVDrckDDkQMNoqs6cx3eMZ0t7Js29jqGIamVcJjmmusTAPTHKizaImQpfSPJ-xm2zgPrpRJHp2g3ABr6mp6rPJgKhScuD-5tqnULJXFwnN23faOEiEhw/s392/60-1165-3713-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie08ly60thPDI1lIabhuFNtGMnLVDrckDDkQMNoqs6cx3eMZ0t7Js29jqGIamVcJjmmusTAPTHKizaImQpfSPJ-xm2zgPrpRJHp2g3ABr6mp6rPJgKhScuD-5tqnULJXFwnN23faOEiEhw/s320/60-1165-3713-O.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF39nLhYaF-mk2-4ZxKoa8lanBRxU9oQYIuMxpfMm49dMuPbPJKJy5hHfJysZycv9Fm1X4WwDYBPLpUYy7NufKhh14DT8KQ4i8ti6uyS1nxyGN1oolA-J1B-Ok7hnB_UizYreX-lQIaUik/s1600/60-1165-3713-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF39nLhYaF-mk2-4ZxKoa8lanBRxU9oQYIuMxpfMm49dMuPbPJKJy5hHfJysZycv9Fm1X4WwDYBPLpUYy7NufKhh14DT8KQ4i8ti6uyS1nxyGN1oolA-J1B-Ok7hnB_UizYreX-lQIaUik/s320/60-1165-3713-R.jpg" width="311" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gold Tanka of Ala-ud-din Khalji with title 'Sikandar Sani' 'Second Alexander</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF39nLhYaF-mk2-4ZxKoa8lanBRxU9oQYIuMxpfMm49dMuPbPJKJy5hHfJysZycv9Fm1X4WwDYBPLpUYy7NufKhh14DT8KQ4i8ti6uyS1nxyGN1oolA-J1B-Ok7hnB_UizYreX-lQIaUik/s390/60-1165-3713-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_XEkO8V2omWcFzrhJ7aQkugcYKI7gVk6_ROisaCec0DaWiErlc27kyuLgAdvtZWZV6pT72lxEUIuMP9hmBdMkgDwaEgs3FeIVWJrXLnZa_D5m1TC-H4B4fpq-LQdpbFuQvXrl2uV7PmI/s452/Muhammad+bin+Tughluq+AE+Tanka++rev+732+Daulatabad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_XEkO8V2omWcFzrhJ7aQkugcYKI7gVk6_ROisaCec0DaWiErlc27kyuLgAdvtZWZV6pT72lxEUIuMP9hmBdMkgDwaEgs3FeIVWJrXLnZa_D5m1TC-H4B4fpq-LQdpbFuQvXrl2uV7PmI/s320/Muhammad+bin+Tughluq+AE+Tanka++rev+732+Daulatabad.jpg" width="319" /></a></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqOa5qS6vzf2QjiSPt7w15dfvcS5T6Xw3ev1QplyaKKw1OsfYim73QZc1FamGgRViDSQ67u_P43VigZzeT9FXVyzFserT8rkW5zr5HWvpvwd51Jqy1Tclx0_ZvSGkOzEWes5haDRtngCO/s462/Muhammad+bin+Tughluq+AE+Tanka+obv+732+Daulatabad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqOa5qS6vzf2QjiSPt7w15dfvcS5T6Xw3ev1QplyaKKw1OsfYim73QZc1FamGgRViDSQ67u_P43VigZzeT9FXVyzFserT8rkW5zr5HWvpvwd51Jqy1Tclx0_ZvSGkOzEWes5haDRtngCO/s320/Muhammad+bin+Tughluq+AE+Tanka+obv+732+Daulatabad.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Copper 'Token' Tanka of Muhammad bin Tughluq with legend 'Man ata Sultan faqd ata-ur-Rahaman' 'If I obey the Sultan, I obey God' </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--></div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-52270627523074108862012-11-07T23:28:00.000-08:002012-11-07T23:30:13.150-08:00Story of Indian Money - XIV Rise of Rajput clans (1000-1200 A.D.)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Rise of Rajput clans (1000-1200 A.D.)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"> The tenth century saw the rise of smaller
regional powers like Chapas and Chaulukyas of Gujarat, Paramaras of Malwa,
Kalachuris of Tripuri, Chandelas of Khajuraho, Gahadavalas of Kashi, Tomaras of
Dhillika, Chahamanas of Ajayameru (Ajmer) collectively called the Rajput clans
by modern historians.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Of these, the Chaulukyas adopted
the imperial Gurjara-Pratihara coinage as their prototype whereas the
Chahamanas and Tomaras adopted the ‘Bull-and-Horseman’ type of Hindu Shahis. The
Paramaras of Malwa adopted the Gurjara-Pratihara type by replacing the fire
altar on the reverse with a battle scene between a horseman and two soldiers.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The Kalachuris of Tripuri (near Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh) initiated
a new gold coin under King Gangeyadeva (1015-1040) bearing the image of seated
Goddess Lakshmi flanked by elephants on either side on the obverse with the
inscribed name of the king on the reverse in Devanagari. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Gangeyadeva’s
prototype was copied many other dynasties of Central India in the following centuries like the Chandelas of Khajuraho, the
Yadavas of Bayana and the Gahadvalas of Kashi who replaced the king’s name
on the reverse side in Nagari script. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
The Lakshmi coin type as it is called by modern numismatists was even copied and issued by Muhammad Ghori (known as Muhammad bin Sam on his coinage) when he captured the Gahadvala ruler, Jayachandra's kingdom in A.D. 1194 centred upon Kannauj.<br />
Jayachandra, also known as Jaichand in Prithviraja Raaso, was the famous rival of Prithviraj Chauhan, Prithviraja III, of Dihilka/Ajayameru who was treacherously defeated by Ghori at the Battle of Tarrain in A.D. 1192 through Jaichand's tacit refusal to fight the Ghorid armies.<br />
Another coin type was issued by the cadet branch of the Kalachuris which ruled from Ratnapura had the image of a lion fighting an elephant called as<b style="font-style: italic;"> Gaja-Shardula </b>in lieu of the Lakshmi image.<br />
The coinage of Lakshmi type was probably inspired by the Gupta coinage and was the last 'Hindu' icon to occur on a North Indian coinage as the next epoch was the introduction of Islamic coinage which involved a different paradigm. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VziNTCVUAR9ZZSVmiF6pjDMJOEmIOvWOT7ZY_951IewARsjCG2Plp2RS4uFQZ8L26UTIhQbflQ3pZKo4j5xA7Pqw1rqaKlDfnwo7QhM8NAq01HFxOEZf8I7NZ0ufGTbVqKZ2HU2zNkX0/s1600/56-64-2-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VziNTCVUAR9ZZSVmiF6pjDMJOEmIOvWOT7ZY_951IewARsjCG2Plp2RS4uFQZ8L26UTIhQbflQ3pZKo4j5xA7Pqw1rqaKlDfnwo7QhM8NAq01HFxOEZf8I7NZ0ufGTbVqKZ2HU2zNkX0/s320/56-64-2-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghHceoxA8Qh6HHjzs0BCjz7oNfEkE0KcoAWVxbhbtNrKutdsW_iHW9kqI5OK01fvsZyVzugZgr0fU9DnWNG0mN5vACZkUE67c9Trx2qWrSAXqbnTkpB6v3TiEridgP9ydIh8jQbhIluaw/s1600/56-64-2-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghHceoxA8Qh6HHjzs0BCjz7oNfEkE0KcoAWVxbhbtNrKutdsW_iHW9kqI5OK01fvsZyVzugZgr0fU9DnWNG0mN5vACZkUE67c9Trx2qWrSAXqbnTkpB6v3TiEridgP9ydIh8jQbhIluaw/s320/56-64-2-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntG3lHyhGDJOz3SX7_JRQ8hjw4Tfu_sv85QgBc_gjpe4iBttDI1MGsl5IzR45dtC0LmOkSwZ5HaO08ntIEBYvuysW5zuz5rIXlzWfxXcakOJd1wTnXSV07St3rrgCCHD5ylGoDpHFuvMB/s1600/60-1165-4056-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntG3lHyhGDJOz3SX7_JRQ8hjw4Tfu_sv85QgBc_gjpe4iBttDI1MGsl5IzR45dtC0LmOkSwZ5HaO08ntIEBYvuysW5zuz5rIXlzWfxXcakOJd1wTnXSV07St3rrgCCHD5ylGoDpHFuvMB/s320/60-1165-4056-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWz1VZBGddhMJ8aVezEL7sHBPdBQTtz_CLPNJ3GlYbZSgjehyphenhyphen72i4xGYZzqbfEVYq1skYWDzbsJN0WWX0N6VPbvNGC9By47C_Bj66pnjOJGDYIeACvvB63ojscbyeRl4HgnQ6Ws7BUAaJF/s1600/60-1165-4056-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWz1VZBGddhMJ8aVezEL7sHBPdBQTtz_CLPNJ3GlYbZSgjehyphenhyphen72i4xGYZzqbfEVYq1skYWDzbsJN0WWX0N6VPbvNGC9By47C_Bj66pnjOJGDYIeACvvB63ojscbyeRl4HgnQ6Ws7BUAaJF/s320/60-1165-4056-R.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hHRiV9OGANdXivjWh4PVjiQFKu2xuzLqv3RgH2Zy5LM3lRGDoob6AOvMHm6pwYw7XS2IjgWIKNXSSWPuoOHxfOqqgJBEz99bOmmyYl_5I-fQ4z3wDaXLv3Un1xQlJ4c6f7FkNGUH_dYm/s1600/60-1165-4077-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hHRiV9OGANdXivjWh4PVjiQFKu2xuzLqv3RgH2Zy5LM3lRGDoob6AOvMHm6pwYw7XS2IjgWIKNXSSWPuoOHxfOqqgJBEz99bOmmyYl_5I-fQ4z3wDaXLv3Un1xQlJ4c6f7FkNGUH_dYm/s320/60-1165-4077-O.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wWdE5re6tGbiglj10gHgvO5UDDd4BSEcTKr_ZxKeZCp77HanjKE2k7ZRVRbRSwI_xRZ0uxM7lE-_AakQwhQKqeFMeTVfaejmORl0G-oNfQdF6wchCi4yVVJ1jVbSCdRJgTffkmaw4MoO/s1600/60-1165-4077-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wWdE5re6tGbiglj10gHgvO5UDDd4BSEcTKr_ZxKeZCp77HanjKE2k7ZRVRbRSwI_xRZ0uxM7lE-_AakQwhQKqeFMeTVfaejmORl0G-oNfQdF6wchCi4yVVJ1jVbSCdRJgTffkmaw4MoO/s320/60-1165-4077-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCz3etD9vpFfP-ZZ918kVdkxGuzPAzhdr9MOPjk6WQt6fNlgefwFUnlSmS1o3Gcgo-5Ba8w8j2kikD5r4V2aeqNQJ39IHY8pjPhSf1Gcnk5AcBuBP7CU-CYbI_iVD_1QBxXqXyTjDT-g1q/s1600/91-46-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCz3etD9vpFfP-ZZ918kVdkxGuzPAzhdr9MOPjk6WQt6fNlgefwFUnlSmS1o3Gcgo-5Ba8w8j2kikD5r4V2aeqNQJ39IHY8pjPhSf1Gcnk5AcBuBP7CU-CYbI_iVD_1QBxXqXyTjDT-g1q/s320/91-46-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLPcDmvBus9I3iFSZneoKz0VDoC3WeO1Pv64mxD5vg1hLNI4HhPPKqtYPsLKmjJFOlOF_ecEkB2U45rKgIsZbDNo8ahLXLtzuWXd4XQI4lEjjlD6tTXayQ8Cx5c3emXeZuEFgcm20687V/s1600/91-46-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLPcDmvBus9I3iFSZneoKz0VDoC3WeO1Pv64mxD5vg1hLNI4HhPPKqtYPsLKmjJFOlOF_ecEkB2U45rKgIsZbDNo8ahLXLtzuWXd4XQI4lEjjlD6tTXayQ8Cx5c3emXeZuEFgcm20687V/s320/91-46-R.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
The Lakshmi image underwent progressive degradation with the parts of the deity's body showing division and separation with passage of time. This phenomenon is seen on many coinages and probably owes its origin to lack of royal patronage to the minters' art as the later dynasties were content with the crude copies of the original prototype.</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-9131176611153771692012-10-24T22:57:00.000-07:002012-10-24T22:57:28.342-07:00Story of India Money Part XIII - Vijayanagara coinage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The
Vijayanagara kingdom was found in 1336 A.D. by the warrior brothers, Harihara and Bukkaraya, the sons of Sangama Nayaka and the kingdom served as a bulwark against Islamic expansion in the South; Vijayanagara became the centre of cultural renaissance for the South India as the rulers held sway over vast areas of the south and became a byword for prosperity till the kingdom fell prey to </span><span style="color: windowtext;">a
confederacy of Islamic sultanates in 1565 A.D. at the Battle of Talikota.</span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"> It
was ruled by four dynasties of rulers viz. the Sangamas (r. 1336-1485 AD), the Saluvas (r. 1485-1505 AD), the Tuluvas (r. 1505-1565 AD) and the
Aravidus (r. 1565-1646 AD). </span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">All rulers issued gold coins with images of Saivite and Vaishnavite
deities. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"></span><br />
<div style="color: black;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The coins were divided into numerous denominations; gold as Gadyana or Varaha or Pon or Hon; Pratapa or Mada or Madai were other terms; silver coins were called Tara and copper coins were Pana, Jital or Kasu. </span></span></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The Varaha or Gadyana (English Pagoda) became the standard gold coin of South India with 3.4 grams as its weight; its half denomination was named Pratapa (Portuguese ~ Pardao) came in vogue in the later part of the kingdom. The Pagoda's lower denomination its one-tenth known as Panam or Fanam (weighing 0.36 gram) was equally famous and was issued in larger numbers for public consumption. </span></span></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The silver denomination was called Tara (Tar or Tare of foreign visitors) (weight ~ 0.2 gram)</span></span></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Thus 1 Varaha = 2 Pratapa = 4 Katis = 10 Panams = 40 Hagas (Gold)</span></span></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"> 1 Panam (Gold) = 6 Taras (silver) = 18 Jitals (Copper)</span></span></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The Paradigm of imperial Vijayanagara currency outlasted the Vijayanagara rulers and was used by the Deccan Sultanates (Golkonda and Bijapur), the Mughals, the Marathas, the Mysore rulers (including Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan), the colonial powers like Dutch, English (Madras Presidency) and French and a host of smaller dynasties called the Nayakas who were the subordinates of the Vijayanagara rulers. Thus, the currency formed the core of South Indian currency till the implementation of Uniform Indian Currency by the EIC in 1835.</span></span></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Below (Top two images of Gold Varaha of Deva Raya I)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0d0e00;">Middle two images Copper Jital of Krishna Deva Raya with image of Garuda</span><br />
<span style="color: #0d0e00;">Last two images: Gold Varaha of Krishna Deva Raya with images of Balakrishna and reverse Nagari legend 'Shri Pratapa Krishna Deva Raya'</span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVH_VrwdKx7hw4C5w1cgiRjynSRL5E9XBux8QTthaz76JlgsAzSWZOT2ck68pk-yvEuYu89efXIVgpprpEKzs-P-uExVFMSfcgu6DgMY5TCFAXMVjul_CEl_qyyLlQPHIX3_RM6DiN1Y_/s1600/55-60-3-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVH_VrwdKx7hw4C5w1cgiRjynSRL5E9XBux8QTthaz76JlgsAzSWZOT2ck68pk-yvEuYu89efXIVgpprpEKzs-P-uExVFMSfcgu6DgMY5TCFAXMVjul_CEl_qyyLlQPHIX3_RM6DiN1Y_/s320/55-60-3-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiUvqing91sYum0xJjt9OBAeIKSDiqyj1uVY53nOCzPK6JFnm3jEpOxH_ve0yke4njhBOiURiwS-mICbpWDc5wxLJZY7DPXy0Llx-6ABQ3O2e3Oe3bAkAPqBYMrcz_LSUDS8viblqIwi7/s1600/55-60-3-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiUvqing91sYum0xJjt9OBAeIKSDiqyj1uVY53nOCzPK6JFnm3jEpOxH_ve0yke4njhBOiURiwS-mICbpWDc5wxLJZY7DPXy0Llx-6ABQ3O2e3Oe3bAkAPqBYMrcz_LSUDS8viblqIwi7/s320/55-60-3-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfU4hRMsh4OafLUysUbLMBWtc5QFXmls9W6Xdnauvlzbx687U-Ei7ailjKtNjdXEO-IeE6lnD5imI5zIK-OGy9oG0AsNa80WKJRVoO_mDw2YbME3TLirbJFwUKyntcEebyfYKe4xGjDty/s1600/56-122-622-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfU4hRMsh4OafLUysUbLMBWtc5QFXmls9W6Xdnauvlzbx687U-Ei7ailjKtNjdXEO-IeE6lnD5imI5zIK-OGy9oG0AsNa80WKJRVoO_mDw2YbME3TLirbJFwUKyntcEebyfYKe4xGjDty/s320/56-122-622-O.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDBtwx1kV1nqC-rb3BQhGONJLzb52xKzjLPGpkY_xcbzDdxYMKYhHPPFZmLw6HPWEXxgMjW3t991HnhAPAWUorxAJLLNSRI-fTNaScPd1bmeATEfFb_fgIdZJ9NLmfr_VigRNtVVi6yQ7/s1600/56-122-622-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDBtwx1kV1nqC-rb3BQhGONJLzb52xKzjLPGpkY_xcbzDdxYMKYhHPPFZmLw6HPWEXxgMjW3t991HnhAPAWUorxAJLLNSRI-fTNaScPd1bmeATEfFb_fgIdZJ9NLmfr_VigRNtVVi6yQ7/s320/56-122-622-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroXmMVJqM0bHGQgwzmD9EFpwTImaq_BZeAPCLh5haWca1-OBfBkIGzXG7Wkl_6zVP9vWztH65mwKVaIgHyjCaM94z1KwFhVFXA4TJbZPJ4RCUfb_j_edQrL_rc_Sk381-jzQsdPmIFPj_/s1600/59-152-1289-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroXmMVJqM0bHGQgwzmD9EFpwTImaq_BZeAPCLh5haWca1-OBfBkIGzXG7Wkl_6zVP9vWztH65mwKVaIgHyjCaM94z1KwFhVFXA4TJbZPJ4RCUfb_j_edQrL_rc_Sk381-jzQsdPmIFPj_/s320/59-152-1289-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1rZpTU13vaMDZyk1RBr6DgyiKT5PNJHH9fEtTZvYk4r20r-XSlW7mrrw_vBdqRIYHpQEL8v-ocwuvO5UNxXTi2vfqOSGGCxJQrGYWt4wMWJ1HS-ch5TnYm6lUp-GoySWii95ATJXQsNV/s1600/59-152-1289-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1rZpTU13vaMDZyk1RBr6DgyiKT5PNJHH9fEtTZvYk4r20r-XSlW7mrrw_vBdqRIYHpQEL8v-ocwuvO5UNxXTi2vfqOSGGCxJQrGYWt4wMWJ1HS-ch5TnYm6lUp-GoySWii95ATJXQsNV/s320/59-152-1289-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: windowtext;">Krishnadeva Raya of Tuluva dynasty began the trend of issuing heavier gold gadyanas (weighing 7.65 grams) called Dodda Varaha with images of Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati, his favourite deity after vanquishing the Gajapatis of Orissa.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveaQDmeS2PpVUY3SDesmiF439Jd3ZPoUwBDoRXhD3hlT_4yeOETn1dfiNIFXxD4Qj_Jinj3l4Z3ct-vGQ2ay3eTNdwlVoXCGAnaCN5iNHU3u92ZZqEeSe0ZlaCTvI6jigKN2yFkuMRir7/s1600/55-69-1-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveaQDmeS2PpVUY3SDesmiF439Jd3ZPoUwBDoRXhD3hlT_4yeOETn1dfiNIFXxD4Qj_Jinj3l4Z3ct-vGQ2ay3eTNdwlVoXCGAnaCN5iNHU3u92ZZqEeSe0ZlaCTvI6jigKN2yFkuMRir7/s320/55-69-1-O.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0bDgr3ljd1haYjy1g6ibis0PbeSvqHR-LqvqhbyKEgh5nUFHyLiha3mo3-BRdwwBEujuraJvP33GnmDY9NxRW1lG-D4UrOKMAuPJi0DJfU6Q0evkvxm4swxjK4-taO4_yj9LPCu9H0NL/s1600/55-69-1-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0bDgr3ljd1haYjy1g6ibis0PbeSvqHR-LqvqhbyKEgh5nUFHyLiha3mo3-BRdwwBEujuraJvP33GnmDY9NxRW1lG-D4UrOKMAuPJi0DJfU6Q0evkvxm4swxjK4-taO4_yj9LPCu9H0NL/s320/55-69-1-R.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0d0e00;">Vijayanagara Empire suffered a great reversal after Krishna Deva Raya's death and its defeat in the Battle of Tallikotta at the hands of the confederacy of the Deccan Sultanates. </span>However, its coinage lasted a longer time even after the fall of the last dynasty of Aravidus who ruled from Chandragiri in 1646; the coinage in gold served later dynasties of Mysore Rajas, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan and the East India Company as well who got Madras from the last ruler of Chandragiri and established their Madras Presidency from Fort St. George.<br />
Hyder Ali issue a gold pagoda with the images of Shiva-Parvati (Hara-Gouri) with a Persian 'Ha' representing Hyder Ali on the reverse (see below)</div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJJUQuG_pcpJzEQXDiVJS5FWEuzRkYN72GL5nn9SXBa-P-hLJCb84bVYVoKWiau2ZHAorbFYoTG0nyjSefmVaS-sxHrX1-H0agRGNuSa0ezwzHQ8Q0Dxy6Xb6QE4KZ6duB0Yk4kEKMj-f/s1600/60-1165-3851-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJJUQuG_pcpJzEQXDiVJS5FWEuzRkYN72GL5nn9SXBa-P-hLJCb84bVYVoKWiau2ZHAorbFYoTG0nyjSefmVaS-sxHrX1-H0agRGNuSa0ezwzHQ8Q0Dxy6Xb6QE4KZ6duB0Yk4kEKMj-f/s1600/60-1165-3851-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJJUQuG_pcpJzEQXDiVJS5FWEuzRkYN72GL5nn9SXBa-P-hLJCb84bVYVoKWiau2ZHAorbFYoTG0nyjSefmVaS-sxHrX1-H0agRGNuSa0ezwzHQ8Q0Dxy6Xb6QE4KZ6duB0Yk4kEKMj-f/s320/60-1165-3851-O.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jcNiHGLcqPIbEWE1J5sVy2bJ2uEANUBRlWwuCoMD3obeHv41nJaPfN6F6LuWWWYlUsJ2z9aw6LtugcmS3Emjx6GXxJNaNdZhI3LjuVl0yZySUbSfTKv296YjUax4Lyz3ynfeIRnqvOvS/s1600/60-1165-3851-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jcNiHGLcqPIbEWE1J5sVy2bJ2uEANUBRlWwuCoMD3obeHv41nJaPfN6F6LuWWWYlUsJ2z9aw6LtugcmS3Emjx6GXxJNaNdZhI3LjuVl0yZySUbSfTKv296YjUax4Lyz3ynfeIRnqvOvS/s320/60-1165-3851-R.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; text-align: left;">The EIC issued a gold pagoda from Madras and named its Three Swami Pagoda (representing Lord Venkateshwara and his two wives (See below)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3DvBLoy2NoVygxVy05G72XSIMFirKI2aMq-8SkOcjhH1qsdG5hoRk5tU_KAlm3v81Bm6dmSaDp7nC2f1sDwW7BGO8I0_T5DTVUeSU5-bB3dOstteqpL9KZsz9ku8e9jVd0lWmLLUMR8dh/s1600/75-432-171-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3DvBLoy2NoVygxVy05G72XSIMFirKI2aMq-8SkOcjhH1qsdG5hoRk5tU_KAlm3v81Bm6dmSaDp7nC2f1sDwW7BGO8I0_T5DTVUeSU5-bB3dOstteqpL9KZsz9ku8e9jVd0lWmLLUMR8dh/s320/75-432-171-O.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFw2QUW6ya5jTOMAaPbYGRZ_vgBPWYox-9mg14cByuY-OmGbmSdl8q6H0_fhF6zkl1i7t9vZmWiM7kR_AvuGxCvdhjDT4BoaQbwKahbLOfZ3XKIi4MuzxVm5bdneQQn4DOtjUkd92D137U/s1600/75-432-171-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFw2QUW6ya5jTOMAaPbYGRZ_vgBPWYox-9mg14cByuY-OmGbmSdl8q6H0_fhF6zkl1i7t9vZmWiM7kR_AvuGxCvdhjDT4BoaQbwKahbLOfZ3XKIi4MuzxVm5bdneQQn4DOtjUkd92D137U/s320/75-432-171-R.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-29056563547895596612012-09-26T23:07:00.000-07:002012-09-26T23:08:15.737-07:00Story of Indian Money - XII Rise of indigenous South Indian dynasties (225-1336 A.D.) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The
Deccan region saw the rise of new dynasties after the fall of Satavahanas in
the third century and their local successors in the Andhra region viz. Ikshavakus,
Shalankayanas and Vishnukundins issued their own coinages. The Vishnukundins
issued a typical coin with image of ‘a stylised lion’ on the obverse and a vase
flanked by two lampstands within a rayed circle on the reverse. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">In the
Western Deccan, dynasties like the Traikutakas based their own coinage on the
earlier prototype of the Western Kshatrapas. The Kadamba dynasty (r.345-525) of
Banavasi in Uttara Kanara initiated a new gold coin called <i>Padma tanka</i> which revived the ancient technique of punch-mark
minting with a central image of lotus deeply impressed upon the coin. These
coins were emulated by many later dynasties like the Cholas, Yadavas of Devagiri
and the Eastern Chalukyas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The
Kadambas were replaced by Chalukyas of Badami under Pulakeshin II (r. 610-642)
who issued coins similar to the Vishnukundin prototype with his preferred
epithet ‘Shri Satya’. Pulakeshin II helped his brother Vishnuvardhana capture Vengi
in Andhra Pradesh and head a separate dynasty called the Eastern Chalukyas of
Vengi. The Eastern Chalukyas issued gold Padma tankas with the central image of
a boar representing ‘Varaha’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The
Tamil Desha region witnessed a decline of ruling dynasties of Chola, Pandya and
Chera rulers between 3rd and 6th century as they were subdued by the Kalabhara
dynasty. The Kalabharas were vanquished by the later Pallavas and the Pandyas.
The Pallavas issued copper and lead coins with obverse images of the dynastic
crest of the Pallavas, the bull. Some Pallava coins show images of lion
replacing the bull. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The
Chola power was revived in 850 A.D. by Vijayalaya who assumed the titles ‘Rajakesari’
and ‘Parakesari’ which used by all succeeding kings on their coins. His
successors consolidated the gains by throwing of the Pallava yoke. However, the earliest Chola ruler to issue a
coin in his name was Uttama Chola (r.970-985) who issued gold and silver coins
with ‘Uttama Chola’ written in Nagari for the first time on a South Indian
coin! Another unique feature of Uttama Chola’s coin was the use of three royal
crests viz. bow, fish and tiger symbolising the Chera, Pandya and Chola powers and
symbolizing their unity under his leadership.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Rajaraja
Chola (r.985-1014) increased the empire’s limits to Sri Lanka and Orissa. He initiated a new coin type in all three
metals with the image of a standing king on the obverse and sitting king on the
reverse with ‘Sri Rajaraja’ in Nagari below his left arm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Rajendra Chola (r.1012-1044) spread
his domains right till the Bengal coast assuming the title ‘Gangaikonda Chola’
(the Chola whose horses drank the waters of the Ganga). Rajaadhiraja Chola (r.1018-1054)
issued similar coins during his rule. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Kulothunga Chola (r.1070-1120) was
the heir to the joint fortunes of the Cholas and the Eastern Chalukyas and
issued gold coins based on Eastern Chalukya coins with multiple punch marks.
The central punch bears the image of two fishes, a tiger flanked by a bow and
parasol and a fly whisk above; the marginal punches have two titles, ‘Kataikondacholam’
and ‘Malainadukondacholam’ referring to his conquest of Katai and Malainadu.
After Kulothunga’s reign, the Cholas were soon overshadowed by Pandyas in the
twelfth century. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The
Pandya coins show a consistent use of their dynastic symbol of ‘stylised fish’
throughout their history. The stylised fish emblem was also adopted by the
Alupa dynasty of Dakshina Kanara (r.550-1500) who claimed to be descendants of
Pandyas on their gold fanams along with the epithet ‘Sri Pandya Dhananjayam’. The later Pandyas under Sundara Pandya and
Vira Pandya ushered the golden age of Pandyas in the thirteenth century and
issued gold/copper coins with the legends ‘Sundara Pandya’ and ‘Vira Pandya’ indicating
the last great phase of Pandyas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TL2t-xtmNmooGufZeFfE4dDxme4nvm-m2mXh0vMZt5F7TV3-SrzdK1JHKg5vli0WJwZ9ZuNMvfwjEYoVgGKAPaPGk9_-gB5SZsleaixasUyunIxHPPQr-rARdD-vIYe3ipeLuY429R-M/s1600/74-168-108-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TL2t-xtmNmooGufZeFfE4dDxme4nvm-m2mXh0vMZt5F7TV3-SrzdK1JHKg5vli0WJwZ9ZuNMvfwjEYoVgGKAPaPGk9_-gB5SZsleaixasUyunIxHPPQr-rARdD-vIYe3ipeLuY429R-M/s320/74-168-108-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIGnxAQDe-f0ZxXBwB82kBb8YnqYkJsFb-UCPeHVh3PkasSvmp9Xoz1veKJbNKbibc4c-7W7tM9ly9rOYv-AbInH8KmFdTz-F8BIRtpohtyxdEGVmQzzoWwsrKwzRuwZNAF5dVAyGnkul/s1600/74-168-108-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIGnxAQDe-f0ZxXBwB82kBb8YnqYkJsFb-UCPeHVh3PkasSvmp9Xoz1veKJbNKbibc4c-7W7tM9ly9rOYv-AbInH8KmFdTz-F8BIRtpohtyxdEGVmQzzoWwsrKwzRuwZNAF5dVAyGnkul/s320/74-168-108-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcndncgFBl7BsNwehA879pY1oor4hvvY6t9w8LeQp1BekoaZ5e6BzVeprK-vvw29PDcE0B8mt05QIUSF_MsLKQzPUGgTQ4miBimckqerGQLhixB2MfReTmggI6oxYPuBLDle-lWCLwB9JS/s1600/59-152-237-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcndncgFBl7BsNwehA879pY1oor4hvvY6t9w8LeQp1BekoaZ5e6BzVeprK-vvw29PDcE0B8mt05QIUSF_MsLKQzPUGgTQ4miBimckqerGQLhixB2MfReTmggI6oxYPuBLDle-lWCLwB9JS/s320/59-152-237-O.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxwkeAvUzr50NIcQhH9ZjFIBqDGzdapga-pCxUfYkoMFIgu-jdvmRCqCKq18YPT-ZL8lT555o2nhDqhNjREZNUocVGjnDHZOISB6Orp_zGKDV3TpiZct77lCTZXnswDOuZCQACMo5_PVX/s1600/59-152-320-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxwkeAvUzr50NIcQhH9ZjFIBqDGzdapga-pCxUfYkoMFIgu-jdvmRCqCKq18YPT-ZL8lT555o2nhDqhNjREZNUocVGjnDHZOISB6Orp_zGKDV3TpiZct77lCTZXnswDOuZCQACMo5_PVX/s320/59-152-320-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUufXv_8QWJXBOCqaCpb6SdQilrwn_F-Z45i4oYNfxzqe_hQ7Uha6v1XWeLibIQ8d00mL0dLipfHaVdiXQD0rycHFHZHoyVpT10Xhsh8Fqyb0dO3Xo0XoChtKMhZf8HTwEbrlcQMt6aAQ/s1600/59-152-320-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUufXv_8QWJXBOCqaCpb6SdQilrwn_F-Z45i4oYNfxzqe_hQ7Uha6v1XWeLibIQ8d00mL0dLipfHaVdiXQD0rycHFHZHoyVpT10Xhsh8Fqyb0dO3Xo0XoChtKMhZf8HTwEbrlcQMt6aAQ/s320/59-152-320-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQRrq5gBvTFBsAC7xh00cw-hoOdoOsKSoNjIJoL13QakEwDvkufy7NPi0ReeVw2tXEI44s5ITVRu-TrJkh1XUE9LDMjb-uhf7rzgQJO1oM67XUqWHUW6uNRXrCMYU_xg5RVNvYnrz6AHl/s1600/59-152-329-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQRrq5gBvTFBsAC7xh00cw-hoOdoOsKSoNjIJoL13QakEwDvkufy7NPi0ReeVw2tXEI44s5ITVRu-TrJkh1XUE9LDMjb-uhf7rzgQJO1oM67XUqWHUW6uNRXrCMYU_xg5RVNvYnrz6AHl/s320/59-152-329-O.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8QXa5Vz-qGwVHTtAlCAk5UiAaYRi501UwxqQ8UFeZdpViYgohgxhzge30Hp0G8iq1VZF-_Th1knyEK3h7q6XFspacTC2yqB2W-grIUoGhSr6ghob1u2dY8kU_ux2jFu9vpPiW_8eODOi/s1600/59-152-48-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8QXa5Vz-qGwVHTtAlCAk5UiAaYRi501UwxqQ8UFeZdpViYgohgxhzge30Hp0G8iq1VZF-_Th1knyEK3h7q6XFspacTC2yqB2W-grIUoGhSr6ghob1u2dY8kU_ux2jFu9vpPiW_8eODOi/s320/59-152-48-O.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUHL5c1OwySJRDelHTqLiSPrHtlQh6gF7iYNRtnj9LsrdBontAJyy1BkYVIhwI2s-GMxz0yQ9gmdJ_pFx8t5T8stbdObdwx6zi7NbHHTlECgQLJ5HPyYDeEpHY7kLXzxMRglxiiJtokQl/s1600/59-152-48-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUHL5c1OwySJRDelHTqLiSPrHtlQh6gF7iYNRtnj9LsrdBontAJyy1BkYVIhwI2s-GMxz0yQ9gmdJ_pFx8t5T8stbdObdwx6zi7NbHHTlECgQLJ5HPyYDeEpHY7kLXzxMRglxiiJtokQl/s320/59-152-48-R.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpozfVV3PDLlNDNDSD_i7N7P2RJl0F-K0dBOKBwhtbvsKCAFmjcLkdzt7ra4ork6iNvUZMCUsIlm6Ud64K1NBNgld2ZX1NMgli2NLTfn7yigdfA1EGy1Tjeg6wmEo-Tp3PDMPPuvvgsMQQ/s1600/59-152-721-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpozfVV3PDLlNDNDSD_i7N7P2RJl0F-K0dBOKBwhtbvsKCAFmjcLkdzt7ra4ork6iNvUZMCUsIlm6Ud64K1NBNgld2ZX1NMgli2NLTfn7yigdfA1EGy1Tjeg6wmEo-Tp3PDMPPuvvgsMQQ/s320/59-152-721-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXg4tNTtonURzmjc1oHORPbgCNY5wGUgVqqg6rYe3YU9rwz-Jgl27lpNewmP8zE_NIgVBhKmDchr6ETMzOi-cU0EzPydOy7LoFaeE6OmGdYoNpCFqKnSpAtZSGrV3RkVkHLn3f72-ftpX/s1600/59-152-721-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXg4tNTtonURzmjc1oHORPbgCNY5wGUgVqqg6rYe3YU9rwz-Jgl27lpNewmP8zE_NIgVBhKmDchr6ETMzOi-cU0EzPydOy7LoFaeE6OmGdYoNpCFqKnSpAtZSGrV3RkVkHLn3f72-ftpX/s320/59-152-721-R.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Images (numbered from top): </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1st and 2nd images : <b><span style="color: #741b47;">Vishnukundin Copper issue with Lion on obverse and Conch symbol on reverse</span></b></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
3rd image: <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Kulotthunga's Gold Punchmarked issue with central image of Varaha (Boar)</b></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<b style="color: #741b47;"> </b>4th and 5th Image:<b><span style="color: #741b47;"> Raja Raja Chola I's Silver Kaasu with images of seated King and Standing deity with Nagari legend <i>'Sri Raja Raja'</i></span></b></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-weight: bold;"> </span> 6th Image: <b><span style="color: #741b47;">Rajendra Chola I's Silver Kaasu with image of Tiger, Fish and Bow representing his rule over Cholas, Pandyas and Cheras respectively </span></b></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-weight: bold;"> </span> 7th and 8th Images: <span style="color: #741b47; font-weight: bold;">Pallavas Copper issue with image of Bull and Chakra</span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-weight: bold;"> </span> 9th and 10th Images:<span style="color: #741b47; font-weight: bold;"> Alupas' late Gold issue with images of two fishes flanked by two lamps and Chhatra (umbrella above) and Lotus below on obverse; Kannada Legend <i>'Shri Pandya Dhananjayam'</i> on reverse</span></div>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-49744998177043724442012-09-25T22:44:00.000-07:002012-09-25T22:44:43.193-07:00Story of Indian Money XI - Rise of three empires and their subsidiary clans (c. 700-1000 A.D.)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Rise
of Gurjara-Pratihara and other subsidiary clans (700-1000 A.D.)<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The eighth century saw the advent
of the Gurjara-Pratihara Empire which came to dominate the Northern and West
India on the Gupta pattern of imperial alliances with minor powers. Although
the Gurjara-Pratiharas grew under Nagabhata (r. 730-756), their maximum power
was exerted by Vatsaraja (r. 775-805) who sought to capture Kanyakubja
(Kannauj) as a symbol of overlordship in a three-way contest with two other major
powers; the Rashtrakutas of South India and the Palas of Bengal. Kanyakubja was seen as the centre of power in
Central India after Harsha established it as his capital. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The Gurjara-Pratiharas initiated a
new coinage called ‘Vigrahapala drammas’ fashioned on the Indo-Sassanid
prototype of the Huns in their initial period. These coins show the right facial
profile of the king with short titles like ‘Shri Vigra’ and a reverse
‘fire-altar-attended-by-two-attendants’ image with large thin surfaces. These
coins were modified by Bhoja I (r. 836-882) who assumed the throne assuming the
epithet ‘Srimada Aadi Varaha’. Bhoja issued coins with images of the Varaha
avatar of Vishnu with this title in Nagari. The two coin types find mention in
the inscriptions of Bhoja II in 905-906 at Bharatpur in Rajasthan and another
inscription at Siyadoni in Jhansi district where they were used as temple
donations. The coinage was modified by Vinayakapala (r. 914-933 A.D.) as
Vinayakpala drammas and continued till the end of the Gurjara-Pratihara Empire
in the tenth century when </span><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">several feudatory rulers declared their independence.</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">These coins were adopted in
modified forms in the eleventh century by the former feudatories of the
Gurjara-Pratiharas notably the Chaulukyas and Waghelas of Gujarat, the Shilaharas
of Konkan in Maharashtra, the Guhilas and the Chauhans of Rajasthan, the
Paramaras of Malwa, the Chandelas of Bundelkhand in Madhya Pradesh and the
Kalachuri rulers of Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The later coins
acquired a thick dumpy appearance resembling pellets and were current as ‘Gadhaiya
paisa’ till the late fourteenth century in these regions.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Other
North Indian powers and their coinages (700-1000 A.D.) <o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">The period from eighth to eleventh
century saw the rise of three other powers in north-western India; the Arab and
local Amirs of Sindh, the Hindu Shahi rulers of Kabul-Gandhara region and the local
Hindu rulers of the Kashmir valley. In all these regions, special distinctive
coinages evolved in response to the specific demands of the local economy.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">Medieval
Sindh came under Islamic rule when </span><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> defeated its last <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu" title="Hindu"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Hindu</span></a> ruler, Raja Dahir in
712 A.D. Sindh became the easternmost province of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umayyad_Caliphate" title="Umayyad Caliphate"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Umayyad
Caliphate</span></a> prompting the Arabs to develop <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansura_(Brahmanabad)" title="Mansura (Brahmanabad)"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Mansura</span></a> as their capital city. The main
contact of Arabs in Sindh with the Caliphate’s capital Damascus was the port city
of Debal. Archaeological excavations at Debal have revealed a good number of
Umayyad and Abbasid dirhams but no local coins have been found. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In the tenth century, the Arab rule was replaced by local rulers belonging
to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soomro" title="Soomro"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Soomro</span></a>
dynasty of Sindhi Muslims. These rulers controlled the province directly initially
and as vassals from 977 to 1249 A.D under the Ghaznavids and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi_Sultanate" title="Delhi Sultanate"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Delhi
Sultanate</span></a>. The Soomro rulers styled themselves as Amirs of Sindh and
issued their own silver coinage of tiny silver coins with Arabic inscriptions
in the Kufic script. The Kufic script is a script consisting of straight lines
and angles, often with elongated verticals and horizontals. The coins are of
uniform weight weighing around 0.5 gm and minted in high quality silver. The
coins came to be used in inter-regional trade with Rajasthan and Saurashtra on
account of their high silver content.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The last Hindu rulers of Gandahara and Kabul called Hindu Shahis by later
chroniclers initiated a unique coinage in their domains. The Kabul valley along
with Gandhara lay on a lucrative trade route between India and Central Asia.
The Shahis taxed the bilateral caravan trade passing through this route. They
also extracted silver from Panjshir mines which enabled them to issue a distinctive
coinage in silver and copper. The silver coins carry an image of a seated bull (Shiva’s
Nandi) turned to left on the obverse with a Devanagari legend and an image of a
mounted warrior astride a caparisoned horse on the reverse. These coins are
called ‘Bull-and-Horseman’ type coins by modern numismatists and were adopted
by many later dynasties including the Tomara-Rajputs and Chahamanas of Dhillika
and Ajmer under the last Hindu ruler of Delhi, Prithviraj Chauhan. These coins
show two major legends on the obverse; Shri Spalapatideva (army commander) and
Shri Samantadeva (feudatory chieftain) and two minor legends viz. Shri Khudaraiyakadeva
(lesser king) and Shri Bhimadeva (the only proper name). These silver coins
were minted in large quantities by the Shahis and were one of the major
attractions for the Ghaznavids who attacked the kingdom repeatedly till its absorption
into the Ghaznavid Empire in early eleventh century. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Sabuktagin, the founder of Ghaznavid Empire extorted one million dirhams
from King Jayapala in 986-987 A.D. during his first attack on the Shahi kingdom!
His successor, </span><span class="unicode1"><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Yāmīn ud-Daula Maḥmūd</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> popularly known as Mahmud
of Ghazni, took seventy million dirhams from Jayapala’s son, Anandapala in 1009
A.D. These facts have been corroborated by the finding of numerous Shahi
dirhams in Ghazni during modern archaeological excavations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Medieval Kashmir emerged as a culturally and economically distinct region
because of its relative seclusion through highly-guarded mountain passes. King
Lalitaditya (r.724-760) of the Karkota dynasty lorded over the kings of the
hilly regions in the north through his Digvijaya. Kashmir also became a later
refuge for the Hindu Shahis in eleventh century when Mahmud Ghaznavi evicted
them from Kabul-Gandhara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCnMU4YJWXcBRDrNRrEQXG9ruA0HY3TIUtgwqr0R_5kwx4TzgOmpfFcuD9TuVk7SxXqG13LbSYMq05PV1_pZ5nHaIrY_-cSpY3edhByFm48_710v24MtmCeGxKjeM_rkHNDaTyBYuL2vX/s1600/56-135-36-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCnMU4YJWXcBRDrNRrEQXG9ruA0HY3TIUtgwqr0R_5kwx4TzgOmpfFcuD9TuVk7SxXqG13LbSYMq05PV1_pZ5nHaIrY_-cSpY3edhByFm48_710v24MtmCeGxKjeM_rkHNDaTyBYuL2vX/s320/56-135-36-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZF-wMo-ILj-w2DD1f6C-bkkVPzu3XRJKayHlsMEcgsXQvRsRPLxFGZir8flHYEnOh69SAjoyWdTQbETShy23TXDqMhzM7uO8dROqqleHISonSxuG4hrzLdnZs2pJu3P17-L4d93YHal-P/s1600/56-135-36-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZF-wMo-ILj-w2DD1f6C-bkkVPzu3XRJKayHlsMEcgsXQvRsRPLxFGZir8flHYEnOh69SAjoyWdTQbETShy23TXDqMhzM7uO8dROqqleHISonSxuG4hrzLdnZs2pJu3P17-L4d93YHal-P/s320/56-135-36-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiia1QNWkf8sNOrPppaLCkz0tfkSCu5ZDE7GbxRw0nWCy754tyJdl5GV3RDjmsgTa1yXC6Su_LaYsuJrbbf5cfUArMJypdXn5aPKn97EW2dg_eOXLrDGWDuZXrgcwSmPEzkQ3kVP-ETbE3F/s1600/59-152-2652-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiia1QNWkf8sNOrPppaLCkz0tfkSCu5ZDE7GbxRw0nWCy754tyJdl5GV3RDjmsgTa1yXC6Su_LaYsuJrbbf5cfUArMJypdXn5aPKn97EW2dg_eOXLrDGWDuZXrgcwSmPEzkQ3kVP-ETbE3F/s320/59-152-2652-O.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1IwXaXlwk9VIjJ5qARy3ENwng-mGD7Q7ah7zrfOl1cqt1fYnyImgDCmzRUjlrvZ5EGlaO2rt6HVconfRNhTw7WikbkAkWS_SbG3N1RXhyphenhyphenOz-YBKhBBCZwRE3gBsKSETJX2WZL4V4UaCC/s1600/59-152-2652-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1IwXaXlwk9VIjJ5qARy3ENwng-mGD7Q7ah7zrfOl1cqt1fYnyImgDCmzRUjlrvZ5EGlaO2rt6HVconfRNhTw7WikbkAkWS_SbG3N1RXhyphenhyphenOz-YBKhBBCZwRE3gBsKSETJX2WZL4V4UaCC/s320/59-152-2652-R.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcTsd3t6JH6LOo82Uqt4b6oVKmmcPsBSadSNkfNR5STsA51Olqt56ul-AxFMTC4qehqlx3boBoegzdfhvw2YM6leTiIjbeYHMEgjl2qHGWAexd7YDuEy5eUw9OXMcI6N1rt1bo82dsWCs/s1600/60-1165-7417-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcTsd3t6JH6LOo82Uqt4b6oVKmmcPsBSadSNkfNR5STsA51Olqt56ul-AxFMTC4qehqlx3boBoegzdfhvw2YM6leTiIjbeYHMEgjl2qHGWAexd7YDuEy5eUw9OXMcI6N1rt1bo82dsWCs/s320/60-1165-7417-O.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOaSWASKy7ami0IhGBQrp-3wXVVJedg7f6ut-3ASP67eVp0ORVgQelpCGa1IWJmPOB0vPCNs1cLm1bcT2rNTdY3LR9-itNVrcmdrV5igp_ocnv8-1sE0UfwdZG9WZXgEKSyduphKsML6t/s1600/60-1165-7417-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOaSWASKy7ami0IhGBQrp-3wXVVJedg7f6ut-3ASP67eVp0ORVgQelpCGa1IWJmPOB0vPCNs1cLm1bcT2rNTdY3LR9-itNVrcmdrV5igp_ocnv8-1sE0UfwdZG9WZXgEKSyduphKsML6t/s320/60-1165-7417-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Medieval Kashmir evolved a unique economic system with copper coins called
‘Puntshus’ (Sanskrit – Panchavimshati) supported by cowrie shells as minor
denominations and larger exchanges executed through bills of exchange called Hundikas.
The Puntshus were designed after a Hun prototype issued by Toramana in 520 A.D.
featuring a standing king on the obverse and a seated goddess on the reverse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN"><b style="color: windowtext;">Images Top Two images: Gurjara Pratihara Silver Dramma with image of Varaha and Nagari legend: </b><span style="color: #741b47;"><b><i>'Srimad Adi Varaha'</i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN"><b>Middle two images: Kashmir Copper Puntshu of King Harshadeva (r. 1089-1111 A.D.) with seated goddess and legend <i><span style="color: #741b47;">'Harsha'</span> </i>in Sharada script</b></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8FCFF;">
<span lang="EN"><b>Bottom two images: Bull-and-Horseman Silver Tanka issued by Hindu Shahi rulers of Kabul-Gandhara region with Nagari legend<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span><i><span style="color: #741b47;">'Sri Samantadeva'</span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-21173117536039401722012-05-29T01:58:00.001-07:002012-05-29T01:58:20.754-07:00Post-Gupta Coinage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
collapse of the Gupta dynasty in the fifth century under the pressure of
foreign invasions from the north-west led to the demise of the golden age of
Guptas reflected most conspicuously in the coinage of the sub-continent. The
post-Gupta period saw various regional coinages which were poor in terms of artistic
value and minted in baser alloys like billon (silver and copper). The period is
seen as a period of numismatic decline in terms of circulation with fewer coins
found as coin hoards (buried treasures).
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Guptas were temporarily replaced by the Huns or the Indo-Hepthalites who
invaded and occupied the Western parts of the country via Kabul-Qandahar route.
Toramana, the Hun leader issued silver and copper coins fashioned on the coins
of Sassanid rulers of North-West India; he also issued silver coins based on
Gupta coinage </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">turning the king's head to
the left and with ‘Toramana Deva’ inscribed on the reverse.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHhTAo2IaeIBYnLQfjiHJm6hfxziFLucNISN_0J1pwN5mPMmZkKaidksFHMA9zJuitAqPux4hxtFsVE_UC9kEfhyphenhyphen1uMxMH59-Etjb3qsPhbS_GPf4RJKNf9_EXfHCaJ7BLyAFtZBtjztR/s1600/60-1165-4045-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHhTAo2IaeIBYnLQfjiHJm6hfxziFLucNISN_0J1pwN5mPMmZkKaidksFHMA9zJuitAqPux4hxtFsVE_UC9kEfhyphenhyphen1uMxMH59-Etjb3qsPhbS_GPf4RJKNf9_EXfHCaJ7BLyAFtZBtjztR/s320/60-1165-4045-O.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENEpdgx1vSOJhvKY1llRhUF8CkLjc0qMQp4pEFAY3SpPxdjEZlnDYq-sRAWjt3S__NfY26YfOokOhIwzHn1Sm868bJT31xCEhWsGTy2xZkcpRfYpf5A5GraQuFdD1gqa_KEHVTTtaUmTM/s1600/60-1165-4045-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENEpdgx1vSOJhvKY1llRhUF8CkLjc0qMQp4pEFAY3SpPxdjEZlnDYq-sRAWjt3S__NfY26YfOokOhIwzHn1Sm868bJT31xCEhWsGTy2xZkcpRfYpf5A5GraQuFdD1gqa_KEHVTTtaUmTM/s320/60-1165-4045-R.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecYa6hPeqy0dKfxzw8Rs6ogKIIU6jf16jaSafXluzHYjuMWpP8KxPLmRXeRqLG5jE27k_fSU2PkkN_OUJCgWGDMlBpiMTFHMSVH_i0pfWnDA9I4nArxkwcMZaTwYjICkimPOxESvRTO2z/s1600/55-38-1-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecYa6hPeqy0dKfxzw8Rs6ogKIIU6jf16jaSafXluzHYjuMWpP8KxPLmRXeRqLG5jE27k_fSU2PkkN_OUJCgWGDMlBpiMTFHMSVH_i0pfWnDA9I4nArxkwcMZaTwYjICkimPOxESvRTO2z/s320/55-38-1-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Toramana’s
Indo-Sassanid coins have a typical bust of the King facing right on the obverse
and a Sassanid fire altar with Gupta Brahmi legends on reverse. Toramana ruled
over Malwa region till 510 A.D. but his successor, Mihirkula was driven off
Malwa by the joint forces of Narsimha Gupta ‘Baladitya’ and Yashovarman of
Malwa in 528 A.D. He captured <st1:place w:st="on">Kashmir</st1:place> and
issued coins based on the Sassanid standards with ‘Jayatu Mihirkula’ engraved
in Brahmi on the reverse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Regional
coinages continued to be highly influenced by the Gupta coinage; in <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place>, two kings, Samacharadeva and Jayagupta issued debased
gold coins resembling the archer type of Guptas with a Bull standard on the
coins. The reverse has Lakshmi seated on a lotus suggesting that Samacharadeva
replaced the last Gupta ruler, Vishnu Gupta in the middle of the sixth century.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
next major coinage from <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> was by
Sashanka, the king of Gauda who was the rival of Maukharis of Kannauj and their
famous ally, Harshavardhana. The coins have images of Shiva reclining on Nandi on
the obverse and Lakshmi seated on lotus flanked by an elephant on the reverse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext;">At the beginning of the seventh
century, the entire <st1:place w:st="on">North India</st1:place> came under the
sway of Harshavardhana, the ruler of Thaneswar, a small principality near
Kurukshetra. Harsha was a great patron of arts, Buddhism etc. However, Harsha
did not initiate any new coinage in his four decade reign. Instead, he chose to
copy the ‘Eastern peacock’ type of Kumaragupta with the king’s portrait turned to
left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrG-3CGj1_jXnETIDOZOlHzkiQqlEDSB1NR7_aBGQtHW8M5AFVkjldHi1TxG8R9xIXmQDiBgPEzsyhuozf5m3ZFT_UPVkyEIlMBHlq0AuresT3Q7wlNeTweYOvUHVPbQfmYZkrxoelk8ir/s1600/55-38-1-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrG-3CGj1_jXnETIDOZOlHzkiQqlEDSB1NR7_aBGQtHW8M5AFVkjldHi1TxG8R9xIXmQDiBgPEzsyhuozf5m3ZFT_UPVkyEIlMBHlq0AuresT3Q7wlNeTweYOvUHVPbQfmYZkrxoelk8ir/s320/55-38-1-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiobymXNPJMeTBiKp1p1BV8hPubntAGspKdFrptrit6YWz7v9YB1BTiW9gYouBR94aMccVlYh_eeveYTVxTb9Gkns5pG5JhFnCCrIl__uhXE15VFF1sRcRbWTYlJkr2AQHvIukTskeWsP/s1600/74-167-30-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiobymXNPJMeTBiKp1p1BV8hPubntAGspKdFrptrit6YWz7v9YB1BTiW9gYouBR94aMccVlYh_eeveYTVxTb9Gkns5pG5JhFnCCrIl__uhXE15VFF1sRcRbWTYlJkr2AQHvIukTskeWsP/s320/74-167-30-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1Gg3mn9oQjQZHuDiX5MX-ZwX8o86G7PeN9Pfqvma0hiOegV_2abnNGe384RyY3a-bvpU-FambPc7xGiZLP3U5DVqt25woj-aaEw0QA6HB9mzTasCU1hrpywCcOVxu9oBxLFUdp3RC7w0/s1600/74-167-30-R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1Gg3mn9oQjQZHuDiX5MX-ZwX8o86G7PeN9Pfqvma0hiOegV_2abnNGe384RyY3a-bvpU-FambPc7xGiZLP3U5DVqt25woj-aaEw0QA6HB9mzTasCU1hrpywCcOVxu9oBxLFUdp3RC7w0/s320/74-167-30-R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Top two images: Debased gold tanka of Shashanka of Gauda<br />
Middle two images: Billion coin of Toramana<br />
Last two images: Silver coin of Harshavardhana (Shiladitya) styled on Kumaragupta's peacock type
<br />
IMAGE COURTESY: NATIONAL MUSEUM, NEW DELHI
</div>Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-13908714138422886542012-04-01T22:55:00.002-07:002012-04-01T23:05:44.157-07:00The Story of Indian Money – Part IX The Age of the Guptas (A.D. 320-550)<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3_l1psBugAsjUl5eA8lHHnXuEtamYUT1ty0tnoci-SDH7OitZdmXbenZjpi8exgv-7AfBU8co7kvjLyVcl6rQsAf7XKLQUfYZQkhXRFItQKHQARNtM_WeB68wIbe55UMCfMD6T6KhBcS/s1600/51-50-7-O.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 308px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726678939051584178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3_l1psBugAsjUl5eA8lHHnXuEtamYUT1ty0tnoci-SDH7OitZdmXbenZjpi8exgv-7AfBU8co7kvjLyVcl6rQsAf7XKLQUfYZQkhXRFItQKHQARNtM_WeB68wIbe55UMCfMD6T6KhBcS/s320/51-50-7-O.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmvEH2DdMnplsRTd-WcKLooSPCJqqYJSVu3EkT7iPAc8k76E4O76DpBE96GpqpKxAQMHIDU-oXqsTB-7UjpFbn3qZRTv6ODL9pgdNoD9aQmVMzBUmdbHHXkXMsmZVKly0RWEIVwT8Mjnn/s1600/51-50-7-R.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 306px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726679069337915970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmvEH2DdMnplsRTd-WcKLooSPCJqqYJSVu3EkT7iPAc8k76E4O76DpBE96GpqpKxAQMHIDU-oXqsTB-7UjpFbn3qZRTv6ODL9pgdNoD9aQmVMzBUmdbHHXkXMsmZVKly0RWEIVwT8Mjnn/s320/51-50-7-R.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726680040619230034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Lq7d1Yv0ZGdOaE-I1SVQA0SqC1RhY9zggHaUzzf415WwaZWp3N4SHgSV7YVkkjR1RBFWFNJPnfJezjTPB3odmmQmMm-j5fwL0FoJoFMzWF4er0P3t1oETSNCBNofXtwZT6zDZa8Ms318/s320/ahhah.jpg" /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>North India witnessed the rise of the Gupta dynasty in the early fourth century of the Christian era with the rise of Chandra Gupta I (r. 320 -335 A.D.) at Pataliputra in 319-20 A.D. aided by his marriage to an influential Licchavi princess, Kumaradevi, an alliance which helped him overcome his regional adversaries.<br />His successor, Samudra Gupta (r. 335 – 380 A.D.) took the empire to further heights by invading Central and South India and annihilating all neighbouring kingdoms on the way. Apart from his coinage, Samudra Gupta’s martial exploits are well-documented as inscriptions on the famous Prayag Prashasti (Allahabad Pillar) by his friend and court-poet, Harishena.<br />Samudra Gupta was also the chief architect of a prolific coinage in gold for general usage and began his reign by issuing a commemorative coin in honour of his parents’ marriage with the image of a couple with Brahmi legends ‘Chandra’ and ‘Kumaradevi’ in Gupta Brahmi script. The reverse of the same coin has the legend ‘Licchavya’ commemorating the Licchavi allies of the regime.<br />Samudra Gupta also initiated a new gold coin prototype, named the ‘standard type’ coin by modern numismatists, which was emulated by all later Guptas. The coin has the king’s profile on the obverse making an offering at the fire altar with his right hand. The coin also has a Garuda standard (Vaishnavite symbol) on the right with a legend written vertically below the king’s left arm in Chinese fashion. This prototype is the biggest pointer to the coinage’s derivation from Kushan coinage. The reverse has Goddess Lakshmi’s image with all attendant paraphernalia like cornucopia, lotus, etc. inspired by Kushans’ use of Ardoksho.<br />The Gupta coins also continued the Kushana practice of using the Western weight system of drachms (each dinar weighing around 8 gm) till Skanda Gupta (c. A.D. 455-467), the last of the Great Gupta replaced it with a heavier Indian standard known as Suvarna weighing around 9.2 g.<br />Another Gupta innovation was the use of Sanskrit meter legends on their coins with inscriptions in Gupta Brahmi with use of Visarga which enhances the last alphabet’s phonological effect by echoing it. This unique alphabet is seen on many Gupta coins showing the use of Sanskrit on their coins<br /><br />Samudra Gupta was a prolific coin issuer and issued six different types of coins apart from the standard type, viz. the archer type, the battle axe (Parashu) type, tiger slayer type, Ashwamedha type and King-Queen type to showcase his martial achievements. He also issued the ‘Lyrist’ (Veena player) type to exhibit his gentler side.<br />Samudra Gupta’s illustrious son, Chandra Gupta II (Vikramaditya) (380 - 415 A.D.) further enhanced his father’s achievements by annihilating the Western Kshatrapas and went on to issue a silver coinage for his Western regions specifically fashioned after Western Kshatrapa coinage. His reign was the most prosperous of all rulers as is apparent from the predominance of his coinage in hoard findings.<br />Kumara Gupta I (Mahendraditya) (r.415-455 A.D.) ruled the Gupta Empire at its zenith; he issued a record fourteen types of coins, the largest by any Gupta emperor! He re-introduced the ‘Tiger slayer’ and ‘Lyrist’ types issued by his grandfather, Samudra Gupta and issued newer types like ‘Rhinoceros slayer’ ‘Peacock rider’ (Karttikeya), ‘Apratigha’ (Parents crowning him), etc.<br />Skanda Gupta (r. 455-467 A.D.) was the ‘last of the Great Guptas’ and braved the attacks of Hunas from the North vanquishing them. He issued many beautiful types especially the King-Lakshmi type where Goddess Lakshmi bestows victory upon the king.<br />But the Gupta Empire could not withstand the Hunas’ continued onslaught after his death in 467 A.D. The later rulers like Buddha Gupta (467 - 487 A.D.), Narasimha Gupta (Baladitya), Kumara Gupta II continued to fight till the last Gupta ruler, Vishnu Gupta (r. 540-550 A.D.) was confined to Kannauj as a local ruler.<br />Thus, the Gupta coinage set high standards in terms of quality and artistic beauty that brought Indian coinage at par with the coinage of other classical cultures like the Roman Empire, the Sassanid Empire of the Middle East and the Han dynasties of China. The Guptas also set an example for all later rulers who tried to issue similar coins in the post-Gupta period, an influence which was seen till the later day Mughal era in the sixteenth century as gold ashrafis of Akbar and Jehangir! </div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Featured: Samudra Gupta's Standard Gold Dinar with the epithet 'Parakramah' (with visarga on reverse) also see illustration of Sanskrit Visarga at bottom<br /><br /><br /></div></div>Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-58373156332383636072012-03-08T21:30:00.006-08:002012-03-08T21:49:53.600-08:00Story of Indian Money – VIII - The rise of Deccan and Tamil Nadu (300 B.C. - 225 A.D.)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2lHuahoLWwKDZksrxcdj28EJJFXmQQDp-iDE1G6KLhHQegfmBrWOd3TTdK9XVxHllk6PElBVuPjxnONXqGbtYb0SObRAG_yH1oD3_fG_omYPyH8evLYuOVdYB9ff0vXAATsRVyPZvJto/s1600/Roman+Gold+Auureus+of+Caligula.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 153px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717768503030061394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2lHuahoLWwKDZksrxcdj28EJJFXmQQDp-iDE1G6KLhHQegfmBrWOd3TTdK9XVxHllk6PElBVuPjxnONXqGbtYb0SObRAG_yH1oD3_fG_omYPyH8evLYuOVdYB9ff0vXAATsRVyPZvJto/s320/Roman+Gold+Auureus+of+Caligula.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OmCM1jIIkuEQaQrkEn5X9_pZpZy18PWJDmZRtw7L5U4t1ibp5tKh78RqrmK5CHDO6KtZOvGw-_aknU7b7rsGQZ0LOEdMmjfFG4rsp7jpX-4ntlfRF1Qsn5jtOt-0tWlWu0DxSrCbeEix/s1600/Vashishthiputra_Shri_Pulumavi.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 318px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717768301672975714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OmCM1jIIkuEQaQrkEn5X9_pZpZy18PWJDmZRtw7L5U4t1ibp5tKh78RqrmK5CHDO6KtZOvGw-_aknU7b7rsGQZ0LOEdMmjfFG4rsp7jpX-4ntlfRF1Qsn5jtOt-0tWlWu0DxSrCbeEix/s320/Vashishthiputra_Shri_Pulumavi.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyoTHpdfaZEXRRsQQpmEVEK0cm9UbtBAYWpL2nbkJn2yNf9gdTwuVuW8NG_nStQj-B8Wae7wSLQm4k9XfijNZlDtOgm6hR5lyD3t8-M9qgH5CwRT_EABvJmX88x1Hdx6yLnCLPJdncvPm/s1600/Indian_ship_on_lead_coin_of_Vashishtiputra_Shri_Pulumavi.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 314px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717768410935511474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyoTHpdfaZEXRRsQQpmEVEK0cm9UbtBAYWpL2nbkJn2yNf9gdTwuVuW8NG_nStQj-B8Wae7wSLQm4k9XfijNZlDtOgm6hR5lyD3t8-M9qgH5CwRT_EABvJmX88x1Hdx6yLnCLPJdncvPm/s320/Indian_ship_on_lead_coin_of_Vashishtiputra_Shri_Pulumavi.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvTpO_Uyw9pmtF9dOAtfwVvVD1isXlZHYC7r3-Oi9w2R2OViiJWTOIypFnQElLm9f046k-7aHSwZDBwxJ_teQDZqakT9f8PFHfElg7RpdiExhhwG7eUhr58tdbvjb-l9DBphlCtwCBQqX/s1600/59-152-1837-R.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 259px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717768154481004514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvTpO_Uyw9pmtF9dOAtfwVvVD1isXlZHYC7r3-Oi9w2R2OViiJWTOIypFnQElLm9f046k-7aHSwZDBwxJ_teQDZqakT9f8PFHfElg7RpdiExhhwG7eUhr58tdbvjb-l9DBphlCtwCBQqX/s320/59-152-1837-R.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxp7GqA1W4vHji0A5oZ_Y_MFYp_QQE1FHoORj07pfRHZQRD5G1Y3OGUa2WGhk_BQqgCBjC4CVfNEZpUwd9Zxa5vVs1Lx9WmjYOxJQCjWp_a8e2bFmQZrUFaDR1HOqKSf3SToABvggOtwo/s1600/59-152-1837-O.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 257px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717767747665706546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxp7GqA1W4vHji0A5oZ_Y_MFYp_QQE1FHoORj07pfRHZQRD5G1Y3OGUa2WGhk_BQqgCBjC4CVfNEZpUwd9Zxa5vVs1Lx9WmjYOxJQCjWp_a8e2bFmQZrUFaDR1HOqKSf3SToABvggOtwo/s320/59-152-1837-O.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Ancient South India was divided into two culturally and politically distinct regions of Dakshinapatha (Dakshina Sanskrit ~ Dakhina Prakrit ~ Dakhan Persian ~ Deccan English) and Tamil Desha (modern Tamil Nadu and parts of Kerala).<br /><br />The Satavahanas (Andhras) began their rule as vassals of Mauryans and after the Mauryan decline in 180 B.C. as vassals to their successors, the Shungas (185 B.C.-75 B.C.) and the Kanvas (75 B.C. - 25 B.C.) The Satavahanas saw series of upheavals under around 30 kings listed in the Puranas such as gain of Ujjain after death of the last Kanva king, Susharman probably assassinated by his Satavahana vassal and the loss of Ujjain to Shakas later; the loss of Western India to Shakas and gain of newer territories in Andhra Pradesh and Western Maharashtra under Gautamiputra Satakarni.<br /><br />Their history as per numismatics is divided into an early and late phase with different type of regional coinages. The early phase coinage is marked by use of base metals to mint coins which had the legend ‘Satavahana’ or ‘Satakarni’ inscribed in Prakrit language using Brahmi script as ‘Satakanisa’ or ‘Sata’ with an animal or stupa image on the obverse with a typical symbol called ‘Ujjaini symbol’ (consisting of a cross joining four circles) on the reverse.<br /><br />The late phase had a brilliant coinage in silver beginning under Gautamiputra Satakarni<br />(107 A.D. – 130 A.D.) who expanded the Satavahana realm further south and came in conflict with the Western Kshtrapa ruler, Nahapana defeating him and usurping his kingdom in 125 A.D. Gautamiputra’s silver coins were inspired by the Western Kshatrapa coinage and have the king’s portrait on the obverse with Prakrit legend written in Brahmi and the Ujjain symbol with the three-arched hill with crescent on the reverse with early Telugu legends in Brahmi. The legends have matrilinear names of the king like Gautamiputra, Madhariputra, Vasisthiputra, etc. indicating a matriarchal society.<br />This trend of silver portrait coins were continued by his successors, viz. Vasisthputra Pulumavi (131 A.D. – 159 A.D.), Vasisthiputra Shiva Satakarni (159 A.D. – 166 A.D.) till the last effective Satavahana emperor, Yajna Sri Satakarni (r. 167A.D. – 196 A.D.)<br />Vasisthiputra Pulumavi also introduced a unique lead coin with the portrait of a<br />double-masted ship indicating the importance of maritime trade for generation of revenue for Satavahanas as well as the technological advances made by Indian seafarers.<br /><br />Another feature of Satavahana coinage arising from archaeological excavations has been the discovery of different types of local coinage in base metals issued by Satavahana rulers for various cities like their western capital Pratisthana (Paithan), Newasa (Ahmednagar district), Junnar, etc. These findings indicate that Satavahanas issued a baser coinage for local use to supplement either the Mauryan Karshapanas that continued to be used long after their issue or Roman gold coins that have been found in large quantities in South India as the primary currency. Other areas beyond Satavahanas’ western empire (parts of modern Maharashtra (Kolhapur region), Karnataka, coastal Andhra Pradesh) were ruled by local administrators appointed by Ashoka known as Mahaarathis (Maharashtriyas), Mahaatalavaras and Mahaasenapatis who set up their own kingdoms and began issuing their own coinage around second century B.C. These feudatories were subdued by Gautamiputra Satkarni in the middle of 2nd century A.D. and brought under the Satavahana rule.<br />Thus, a Maharathi family called Sadakana issued their coins from Banavasi (Mysore-Kanara region), another family called Anandas also issued a typical lead coinage with images of a six-arched hill with Brahmi legends with King’s name on the obverse and a tree-in-railing and Nandipada (a symbolic representation of Shiva’s vehicle Nandi) from Karwar.<br /><br />The Tamil Desa was divided into three regions ruled by separate dynasties, the Pandyas (Central Tamil Nadu), Cholas (eastern Tamil Nadu) and Cheras (Kerala and parts of Coimbatore and Salem districts) in the last three centuries before Christ. The coins used in this region were Mauryan Punch-marked coins which were supported later by Pandyan Punch-marked coins as evident by finding of a hoard that has worn-out Mauryan coins along with newer Pandyan coins in Bodinayakanur in Tamil Nadu in nineteenth century.<br />The Pandyan punch-marked coins had a reverse stamp of stylised fish that became a heraldic symbol for the Pandyans and weigh only 1.5 gms (about half of Mauryan Karshapana) with five distinct symbols on the obverse.<br />The earliest Chera coins are in copper with a heraldic symbol of ‘bow and arrow’ and other side has an elephant carrying a standard.<br />Cholas issued square copper coins with images of a standing tiger with upraised tail and without inscriptions.<br />However, after the beginning of the Christian era, Tamil Desha saw a huge influx of Roman silver and gold coins due to the Indo-Roman spice trade. Pliny the Elder, famously lamented about this vicious trade that drained Roman gold into India. These coins were converted into local coinage by deeply incising the Roman Emperor’s portrait and counter-striking them with local symbols.<br />Thus, South India had its own trajectory in terms of the growth of monetary medium. It retained its characteristic individual nature when it came to the medieval and early colonial period as we shall see later.<br />Images: Top Incised Gold Aureus of Roman Emperor Caligula (Image courtesy British Museum)</div><br /><div>Two images of coins of Vasisthiputra Pulumavi silver portrait coin and lead two masted ship coin Image courtesy: wikipedia.org</div><br /><div>Image of Pandyan Punch-marked coin with image of stylized fish on reverse Image: National Museum, New Delhi<br /></div><br /><div>(To be contd.) </div></div></div></div></div>Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-9812517726111284952012-03-01T22:50:00.008-08:002012-03-01T23:11:04.899-08:00The Story of Indian Money VII Coinage of Western Kshatrapas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHrD8g0-q6eP2OGccwhb89sjTNkZ1p6THFy3GmdWJGI0zummkN7RM7P0UAGzugfXkG71hivA5OU0VNunnDz_txZ2NOHGWwp_JX6hEAozZEJeSsVZb-M7CCauXJOL-mKz9kto0XH8kyGep/s1600/Nahapana+AR+Drachm+Thunderbolt+Arrow+type+0000_999_24569_Rev+ANS.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715190993440248290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHrD8g0-q6eP2OGccwhb89sjTNkZ1p6THFy3GmdWJGI0zummkN7RM7P0UAGzugfXkG71hivA5OU0VNunnDz_txZ2NOHGWwp_JX6hEAozZEJeSsVZb-M7CCauXJOL-mKz9kto0XH8kyGep/s320/Nahapana+AR+Drachm+Thunderbolt+Arrow+type+0000_999_24569_Rev+ANS.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9j7CIuI8w7qsXudRE65pUscgunOaBu206E8v88iu30L2xduYIEGti5H1shyphenhyphen29N4ThHLLgdKtWr3Pc8EryPT-qK4jTRWoO23Gxem5OrHQ0W75NPNASJpv-4udOx8THl0ozStgS7nrvQ2IT/s1600/Nahapana+AR+Drachm+Thunderbolt+Arrow+type+0000_999_24569_obv+ANS.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715190278715043954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9j7CIuI8w7qsXudRE65pUscgunOaBu206E8v88iu30L2xduYIEGti5H1shyphenhyphen29N4ThHLLgdKtWr3Pc8EryPT-qK4jTRWoO23Gxem5OrHQ0W75NPNASJpv-4udOx8THl0ozStgS7nrvQ2IT/s320/Nahapana+AR+Drachm+Thunderbolt+Arrow+type+0000_999_24569_obv+ANS.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZV5e_yylD9LXySBxbIJUGdPNZStEr4f6NA4whP6z6m-SxiIXM_a-ggBAdpgLWSdSjfwgGQoMVXF7N-zR_eMs6hn13po0-BYLIjLcGcCrydfDDBVxyDZNUZ3Gs-KkrD2fRQMiZWO691D8/s1600/Rudrasena+I+AR+Drachm+12x+SE+199-207+AD+1944_100_55907_rev+ANS.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715191507622001874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZV5e_yylD9LXySBxbIJUGdPNZStEr4f6NA4whP6z6m-SxiIXM_a-ggBAdpgLWSdSjfwgGQoMVXF7N-zR_eMs6hn13po0-BYLIjLcGcCrydfDDBVxyDZNUZ3Gs-KkrD2fRQMiZWO691D8/s320/Rudrasena+I+AR+Drachm+12x+SE+199-207+AD+1944_100_55907_rev+ANS.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFC7H-aPbeuElV-bMMdFnBWFJ9GsygqlFIdGJpBr6fISZeFJVyogpieDS1a1XxRzqLr_qLgE5i4J-K9w5er3Cmqt9OT1w3_2koZm93caoUJDErl81AQ2Wv4WjrYAq_dRIv5HfeKdc2Mse/s1600/Rudrasena+I+AR+Drachm+12x+SE+199-207+AD+1944_100_55907_obv+ANS.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715191417612586610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFC7H-aPbeuElV-bMMdFnBWFJ9GsygqlFIdGJpBr6fISZeFJVyogpieDS1a1XxRzqLr_qLgE5i4J-K9w5er3Cmqt9OT1w3_2koZm93caoUJDErl81AQ2Wv4WjrYAq_dRIv5HfeKdc2Mse/s320/Rudrasena+I+AR+Drachm+12x+SE+199-207+AD+1944_100_55907_obv+ANS.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNi-UoUBH2-Ey2mB6zUSqdvamCZYivz_cqaRQ5Gh-0-iulBhRrKyIvrahWWFhBzhWqZ6cS6vFGu8q3P8vSbFrUiwJxj_QhIwY_Uh0DUd0mAo6U6OUaO0gz3zCt-UNHqbz0nowMeW4_fqQ/s1600/Nahapana+ctst+Gotamiputra+119-124+AD+1970_43_1_Rev+ANS.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 308px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715191219593776610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNi-UoUBH2-Ey2mB6zUSqdvamCZYivz_cqaRQ5Gh-0-iulBhRrKyIvrahWWFhBzhWqZ6cS6vFGu8q3P8vSbFrUiwJxj_QhIwY_Uh0DUd0mAo6U6OUaO0gz3zCt-UNHqbz0nowMeW4_fqQ/s320/Nahapana+ctst+Gotamiputra+119-124+AD+1970_43_1_Rev+ANS.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPg7TTOStsnsCr9YoOQL_y6Piy6nW8JzyqNeY5PCv6JZ_4wujt7VFCX3KST7qsMVOeh3ypTtZaghD6tfmfOs4htDii7H5a6hHprj3aHWEBX95Rw2Jn-E-6gBbOOplAkGW4oGw1-GQkSaU/s1600/Nahapana+ctst+Gotamiputra+119-124+AD+1970_43_1_obv+ANS.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 308px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715191114360825186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPg7TTOStsnsCr9YoOQL_y6Piy6nW8JzyqNeY5PCv6JZ_4wujt7VFCX3KST7qsMVOeh3ypTtZaghD6tfmfOs4htDii7H5a6hHprj3aHWEBX95Rw2Jn-E-6gBbOOplAkGW4oGw1-GQkSaU/s320/Nahapana+ctst+Gotamiputra+119-124+AD+1970_43_1_obv+ANS.jpg" /></a><br /><br />During the period of Kushan domination of the North-Western region, the Central, Western and Southern parts of India came under the sway of the descendants of the Shakas called Western Kshatrapas (by modern historians) in the Central and West India and the Satavahana dynasty in the West and South India.<br /><br />The Western Kshatrapas (35-405 A.D.) ruled parts of Saurashtra, Kutch, Malwa, Sindh beginning in the year 35 A.D. The first two rulers, Aghudaka and Bhumaka continued the Indo-Greek style of coinage with bilingual scripts of corrupted Greek and Brahmi along with Greek symbols like Arrow and Thunderbolt and Greek deities on their coins.<br />Later rulers beginning with Nahapana (r.119-124 A.D.) issued a distinct silver coinage with his portrait. Nahapana had an epic struggle with the Satavahana ruler, Gautamiputra Satakarni who defeated Nahapana in 124 A.D. and counterstruck his coins with Satavahana imagery.<br />Nahapana’s territories were recovered in 130 A.D by another Kshatrapa ruler, Chastana who began his reign with a new coinage that was emulated by all his successors till the end of the dynasty in 4th century A.D. after its conquest by Chandra Gupta II, the Gupta emperor who conquered Western India.<br />The coinage has a typical portrait of the king facing right with corrupt Greek legends on the obverse and the reverse has a three-arched hill surmounted by a crescent and a wavy line below and a sun on its right. The Brahmi inscription is in Sanskrit language replacing Prakrit which was used on all earlier coins. Thus, the Western Kshatrapas despite their foreign origin, signalled their total integration with Indian culture by using Sanskrit on their coinage!<br />The Western Kshatrapas progressed to using dates in Shaka era beginning in 78 A.D. for the first time under the Kshatrapa ruler Rudrasimha I making it the first Indian coinage to do so and hence its exact dating is possible.<br />The Western Kshatrapa coins also use two types of titles viz. Kshatrapa and Mahakshatrapa depending on the King’s stature/achievements and detail the patrilineage of the king.<br />For e.g. Chastana’s illustrious grandson, Rudradaman I (r. 130-150 A.D.) issued a coin with the title read as “Rajno Kshatrapasa Jayadamaputrasa Mahakshatrapasa Rudradamasa’ in Brahmi script translated as Kshatrapa Jayadaman’s son Mahakshatrapa Rudradaman. The titles, Mahakshatrapa and Kshatrapa are also used to denote the king and the crown prince as many kings have coins with both titles issued by them. These features have thus helped numismatists trace the exact lineage of the Western Kshatrapas with exact dates.<br /><br />However, the most interesting aspect of Western Kshatrapa coinage is the ‘counter-marking war’ between Western Kshatrapa Nahapana and Satavahana ruler Gautamiputra Satakarni in the 2nd century (c. A.D. 118-124) when Gautamiputra Satakarni seized Nashik region in Maharashtra from Nahapana and counter-marked his coinage in the area with the symbol of the Satavahanas, the Ujjaini symbol (a set of four circles joined by a cross at the centre) to mark his conquest over the Shakas! These coins were found in a very large hoard found in Jogalthembi in Nashik district making it clear that the area was under Satavahana domination<br /><br />Featured: Top 2 Images: Nahapana's copper coin<br />Middle 2 Images: Mahakshatrapa Rudrasena II Silver coin<br />Bottom 2 Images: Coin of Nahapana counterstruck by Satavahana Gautamiputra Satakarni<br />Images courtesy: American Numismatic Society, New York<br /><br />(To be continued)Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172075661812488838.post-80166893700712526142012-03-01T22:42:00.002-08:002012-03-01T22:48:43.900-08:00The coinage of foreign invading tribes (135 B.C. – 250 A.D.) Part VI<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0TAT5lsGvIOJ0-2emNqGH8IuoSEfV5lGeLMgKIuAVVN5KlU7WcSl2_cmEIe_lLmNP15SeAWZEIRHlKAjS3TdLVtqr837vF-ecEo41JbVdSAnafGn06s2DsL3dovBeZiD_hSq9mUOcqCW/s1600/Kanishka+AV+Stater+Mozdaano+riding+two+headed+horse+1944_100_15491_Rev+ANS.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0TAT5lsGvIOJ0-2emNqGH8IuoSEfV5lGeLMgKIuAVVN5KlU7WcSl2_cmEIe_lLmNP15SeAWZEIRHlKAjS3TdLVtqr837vF-ecEo41JbVdSAnafGn06s2DsL3dovBeZiD_hSq9mUOcqCW/s320/Kanishka+AV+Stater+Mozdaano+riding+two+headed+horse+1944_100_15491_Rev+ANS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715187974457418274" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcP_dD3AcPdMgK0Ur1TIVlK4Q3mkvoG4mzsgcdmHmiKhvBBcXLry9Y8R-wcxwBRP649p6aPgw0_9CjujQZkJzmdJiQVNX904F5J9zAT-vzice8VjadMrWUUOiFN4W_I75gEoPEoujW8mg_/s1600/Kanishka+AV+Stater+Mozdaano+riding+two+headed+horse+1944_100_15491_obv+ANS.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcP_dD3AcPdMgK0Ur1TIVlK4Q3mkvoG4mzsgcdmHmiKhvBBcXLry9Y8R-wcxwBRP649p6aPgw0_9CjujQZkJzmdJiQVNX904F5J9zAT-vzice8VjadMrWUUOiFN4W_I75gEoPEoujW8mg_/s320/Kanishka+AV+Stater+Mozdaano+riding+two+headed+horse+1944_100_15491_obv+ANS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715187852812485106" /></a><br />The Indo-Greeks declined first in Bactria because of hordes of foreigners like Shakas (Indo-Scythians), Pahlavas (Indo-Parthians) and Kushans who took over their territories. The Shakas snatched Bactria from its last Bactro-Greek ruler, Heliocles around 135 B.C. and later spread to the Indian territories of the Indo-Greeks. Two lines of Shaka invaders are known from their coins in India, one called Vonones ruling Baluchistan (Gadrosia) and Kandahar (Arachosia) and the other dynasty under Maues (Moga?) around Indus region in Punjab.<br />Maues issued coins in silver and copper with Indian and Greek images like a copper coin with elephant’s head on obverse and a Greek symbol, Caduceus on the reverse. He introduced elements of his nomadic past by introducing a silver coin with the image of the king on a horse with spear that became the prototype of all nomadic coinage issued later.<br /><br />The Kushans rose from a Central Asian tribe called Yuezhi by the Chinese sources and lorded over a huge kingdom stretching from Bactria to as far as Mathura in North India. The Kushans began their tryst with India under Kujula Kadphises (r. 30-80 A.D.) around 45-60 A.D. <br />Kujula issued a coinage in copper on the lines of last Indo-Greek ruler of India, Hermaeus with the title ‘Koshano’. He introduced a distinct coin with images of an Indian bull and a Bactrian double-humped camel with Kharosthi and Bactrian legends. He was briefly succeeded by his son/successor, Vima Takto (80-90 A.D.) who issued a nameless coinage with the title ‘Soter Megas’ (Great saviour).<br />However, his successor, Vima Kadphises (90-100 A.D.) changed the paradigm of Indian coinage by introducing gold coinage for the first time. His coinage, probably fashioned after Roman gold coinage pouring into India through Indo-Roman trade, was issued as double dinara, dinara, half dinara and so on. The coins portray the king as an elderly stocky bearded man dressed in a long coat with huge boots in various poses like seated on a low couch or cross-legged on a lump of clouds/rocks or standing at a sacrificial altar or riding a horse carriage. Vima Kadphises’ coins feature the first images of Shiva with his bull, Nandi on the reverse with Kharosthi inscriptions. <br />He was succeeded by the most famous Kushana ruler, Kanishka I (100-127 A.D.?) who was content with being portrayed in the ‘standing-sacrificer’ pose but used images of Indo-Aryan, Greek, Iranian and even Sumero-Elamite deities, demonstrating wide syncretism in his religious beliefs. Kanishka's coins began his reign by issuing coins with Greek deities with Greek inscriptions. <br />His later coins use the Bactrian language with a corrupted Greek script (using the letter Ϸ to represent sh as in the word 'Kushan' and 'Kanishka') and the Greek deities were replaced by Persian deities. Later he included Indian deities like Lakshmi (called Ardoksho, a Bactrian name) Shiva (Oesho ~ Eeshwar) , Parvati, Karthikeya (Mahaseno) and Buddha (Boddho) on his coins and issued them from his twin capital cities Purushpura (modern Peshawar) and Mathura which were under Kanishka’s direct rule. <br />Kanishka’s successors Huvishka I and Vasudeva I continued his style of coinage till the Kushan dynasty was routed by local rulers at the beginning of the third century. The Kushans were thus responsible for the introduction of gold coins into the sub-continent with richer imagery of both the kings and deities that inspired later rulers.Dr. Mahesh A. Kalrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01526620601418161780noreply@blogger.com1