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

Balog 338, Plate XIII No. 338a-b; Album 951

AE fals; Halab/Aleppo mint, dated (7)55 A.H. = 1354 A.D.; 2.71 g., 21.41 mm. max., 0°

Obv.: Solid circular line border. Field divided by two horizontal lines into three segments: سنة خمس (sunat khms/five years) / الملك الصالح (al-Malik al-Salih) / وخمسين بحلب (wakhamsin bi-Halab/fifty in Halab)

Rev.: Circle of scrolls between two circular lines. In center: bird (probably an eagle) walking to right, head turned straight back. Above the bird's back, swan-like body.

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.