Mamluk (Bahri). Salih (al-Salih Salah al-Din) (752-755 A.H. = 1351-1354 A.D.)

Balog 339, Plate XIII No. 339; SNAT Hamah 519-522; Album 951

AE fals; Hamah mint, dated (75)5 A.H. = 1354 A.D.; 1.45 g., 17.69 mm. max.

Obv.: Beaded border inside of which there is a solid circular border; سنة خمس (= sanat khms = year 5) / الملك الصالح (al-Malik al-Salih) in center in two rows.

Rev.: Solid border; a circle of ten, pointed arches. In it, a rosette of ten rhomboidal petals around a central pellet.

Salih was the eighth son of Muhammad I to hold office. He was installed as sultan at age 14 upon the ouster of his half-brother, Sultan Hasan, by senior Mamluk emirs. In effect, Emir Taz was the ruler of the sultanate and Salih was a figurehead sultan, although Salih did lead an army into Syria to quash a rebellion. In 1354, dissident emirs ousted Taz, toppled Salih and restored Hasan to power.