Ayyubid Dynasty. Al-Adil Abu Bakr I (Al-Adil Saif al-Din Abu-Bakr Ahmed ibn Najm ad-Din Ayyub) (592-615 A.H. = 1196-1218 A.D.)

Album 803 (variant without central annulets)

AR dirham, 2.78 g., 21.14 mm. max, 0°. Struck at the Dimashq mint (Damascus), in 598-608 A.H. (= 1201-1211 A.D.).

Obv: Imam (= the religious leader) al-Nasir / li-Din Allah amir (= commander), on middle two lines; al-mu' / minin (= of the faithful), above and below, fleur at bottom, all within double intertwined trefoil.

Rev: al-malik (= the king) al-'Adil / Abu Bakr ibn Ayyub, on middle two lines; al-din / saif (= sword of the faith), above and below, fleur at bottom, all within double intertwined trefoil.

As is typical with this type, the marginal legends (kalima / mint and date) are off the flan.

The obverse legend cites to the Abbasid Caliph, al-Nasir li-Din Allah (575/6-622 A.H. = 1180-1225 A.D.). The reverse legend cites to the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, al-Adil Saif al-Din Abu Bakr ibn Ayyub, who was the brother of Saladin. From his honorific title Saif al-Din ("Sword of Faith"), he was known to the Crusaders as Saphadin.