139 / 166
Tyrants of the Tigris & euphrates
304
Ilkhans
Gold Dinar (8.52g), AH 736
Musa Khan, Mongol Ilkhan of Persia, AH 736-737/AD 1336-1337
Diler Ms-690, A T2223. Fine.
Tabriz mint (8.52gm), citing Musa as
al-sultan al-a’zam / al-’adil Musa khan / khallad Allah mulkahu,
date and mint around; reverse, Kalima in spiral Kufic, the Rashidun around, each name highlighted with
stars. Very rare. Musa Khan was installed as Ikhan by the governor of Baghdad, ‘Ali Padshah, on April
12, 1336, two days after the defeat of Arpa Ga’un in a civil war. Musa was meant to be a puppet to ‘Ali.
However, Musa was challenged by the Jalayrid Hasan Buzurg. ‘Ali was killed and Musa was forced to
flee after the Battle of Qara Dara near Kirkuk in northern Iraq on July 24, 1336.
305
Jalayrids
Gold Dinar (4.25g), AH 750
temp. Shaykh Hasan Buzurg, Jalayrid Ulus Beg of Baghdad, AH 736-757/AD 1335-1356
A 2294. Fine.
Baghdad mint (4.25gm). Within hexagon, unread tughra, presumably that of Shaykh Hasan; in margin,
mint, date and titles ending with
khallad Allah mulkahu
. Reverse, looped pentalobe containing the
Kalima, names of the Rashidun in margin segments. Extremely rare. This type, with a complementary
issue in silver, represents the first use of the tughra on Islamic coinage. A tughra is a Turkish calligraphic
monogram, representing a seal or signature. The tughra used by Hasan Buzurg has not been decyphered.
Hasan Buzurg preferred to wield power behind the scenes as king-maker rather than king. He never
styled himself sultan, retaining instead the title ulus beg (governor) although he was in fact acting as an
autonomous ruler.