The Shaddadids are one of those smaller Islamic dynasties that have been largely ignored by most historians and numismatists. Believed to be of Kurdish extraction, they ruled in various parts of Armenia from about 951-1199 A.D. and intermarried with the Bagratuni's of Armenia. They began ruling in the city of Dvin (Dabil), and eventually occupied other major Armenian cities as Gandzak (Janza, Ganja), Partav (Barda'a, Barda), and Ani (Ana).
Despite the length and extent of their rule, these emirs did not leave us with rich numismatic evidence. The monetary system of the dynasty was established by Fadl I, an emir of the Senior Branch, in the year 385 A.H. in the city of Partav. However; after 395 A.H., the mint was transferred to Gandzak. Hereafter, all coins of this dynasty were probably struck here. The coinage of these rulers was for the most part of low quality silver, which circulated only in the local Transcaucus region. These coins were contemporary currency in North-Eastern Armenia during the XI century, in the midst of the Silver Crisis. It is interesting to note that Shaddadids ruled a territory adjacent to the Kiurikeans of Lori, who struck the first Armenian language coins. It is probable that coins of Kiurike II and the Shaddadid Emirs circulated together in the region. After the last emir of Gandzak was ousted by the Great Seljuqs, coinage of the Senior Branch was terminated.
Of the Junior Branch, better known as the Ani Branch, there are some coppers tenatively attributed to the first ruler of the dynasty, Minuchihr. This particular branch was established by one of the sons of the emir Shavur I in the midst of the collapse of the Gandzak Emirate. Much remains to me shed on the history of the Ani branch; the reigns of many rulers are inconsistent, and we only know of the existance of the last ruler through an inscription on a mosque in Ani. What can be said with certainty is that around 1199 or 1200 Ani was finally and permanently wrestled from the Shaddadids by the expansion of Georgian Bagratids into Moslem occupied Armenia.
Recently, the treatise on the standart coinage of the Shaddadids
was finally published (last in bibliography list.). A highly recommended work,
this page certainly becomes outdated, but still usable for the numismatist.
For an in-depth study of the topic, the work is strongly suggested.
Make sure to see
A CHECKLIST OF SHADDADID COINS
SENIOR BRANCH
(DVIN/ GANDZAK BRANCH)
RULER |
REIGN |
COINS |
|
A.H. |
A.D. |
||
Muhammad b. Shaddad | 340-354 |
951-965 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Ali I Lashkari b. Muhammad |
354-368 |
965-978 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Marzuban b. Muhammad |
368-374 |
978-984 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Fadl I b. Muhammad |
375-422 |
985-1031 |
|
Abu-l-Fat Musa b. Fadl |
422-425 |
1031-1034 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Ali II Lashkari b. Musa |
425-441 |
1034-1049 |
NO SPECIMENS |
Anushirvan b. Ali II Lashkari |
441 |
1049 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Abu-l-Aswar Shavur I b. Fadl |
440-459 |
1048-1067 |
|
Fadl II b. Shavur, First Reign | 459 |
1067 |
NO SPECIMENS |
Ashot b. Shavur, As Regent | 460-461 |
1068-1069 |
(?)* |
Fadl II b. Shavur, Second Reign | 461-466 |
1069-1073 |
NO SPECIMENS |
Fadl(un) III b. Fadl (II) |
466-468 |
1073-1075 |
* For explanation, see A CHECKLIST OF SHADDADID COINS
JUNIOR BRANCH
(ANI BRANCH)
RULER |
REIGN
(A.D.)
|
COINS |
Minuchihr b. Shavur |
after 1064 , c. 1072-1118
? |
NO SPECIMENS |
Abu-l-Aswar Shavur II b. Minuchihr |
c. 1118-1124 ? |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
First Georgian Occupation of Ani | c.
1124 ? |
|
Fadl(un) IV b. Shavur (II) |
c. 1125-1130 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Khushchihr b. Shavur (II) (Possibly spelled as Khushsher) |
c. 1130 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Mahmud b. Shavur (II) | c.1130 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Shaddad b. Mahmud | ?-1155 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Fadl(un) V b. Mahmud | 1155-1161 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Second Georgian occupation of Ani | 1161-1164
|
|
Shahanshah b. Mahmud | 1164-1174 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
Third Georgian occupation of Ani | 1174-? |
|
Sultan b. Mahmud (Perhaps Sultan b. Mahmud = Shahanshah b. Mahmud) |
?-1199 |
NO
KNOWN COINS |
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