FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board
Numismatic and History Discussion Forums => Medieval, Islamic and Crusader Coins Discussion Forum => Topic started by: lv88 on August 24, 2005, 04:36:33 pm
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Recently, I was surfing around and found this interesting coin belonging to the Danishmendids. These are quite rare and unique because they are in Greek, not a common practice on coins of an Islamic dsynasty. Could anyone explain this?
Here was the desc. on the coin:
Danishmandid. Malik Muhammad.
Danishmandid. Malik Muhammad, AH 528-36 (AD 1134-42). AE. "The King of all Rome" / "and Anatolia, Muhammad."
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Here is what Album says about it.
"The Danishmendids were not Christian but Muslim, though the majority of the population under their authority were Christian. This coins type were derived from Byzantine prototypes that wre familiar to thier subjects."
Album list this coin of Malik Muhammad as RR - very rare.
Howard
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Hi
Well the Danishmendids were of course muslims. However they were not Arabs but Turks. The way they have emerged is that they amongst 3 other Beyliks (Principalities) were ordered by the Seljuq of Rum Empire to enter Anatolia, in order to conquer it. All 4 Beyliks did a real good job and therefore the Seljuq of Rum empire allowed them to stay in power but they were to pay tribute to them. Once these Beyliks gained real authority in the area and started to mint their own coins, the Seljuq of Rum empire decided to slaughter them and to take the region and thats how they entered Anatolia. The reason as to why they have minted coins on Hellenistic standard is that the rulers of these Beyliks were all married with Christian women who also had influence on the Beyliks.
Burak
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Thanks Burak and Howard.
These are interesting and attractive coins. Too bad of their rarity. I think the listed example was up for something like $200-300.
Levon