Just won this one from CNG. They had an amazing collection of coins of Timur or Tamerlane. I have wanted a coin of his for a while so I grabbed this one. From wikipedia: "Tamerlane (8 April 1336 – 18 February 1405) was a Turkic conqueror in the 14th century. His real name is Tīmūr bin Taraghay Barlas. He is also known by these names: Temur, Taimur, Timur Lenk, Timur-i Leng, Temur-e Lang, Amir Timur, Aqsaq Timur, and Tamburlaine. He invaded Delhi in 1398 and massacred thousands. Timur succeeded in establishing a vast empire which included Transoxiana, a part of Turkistan, Afghanistan, Persia, Syria, Qurdistan, Baghdad, Georgia and the major part of Asia Minor. He successfully looted southern Russia and several parts of India. Delhi was perhaps the worst sufferer. It is said of Timur’s invasions, “Wherever he went he brought about destruction, massacres, burning, looting and dishonour to women”.Timur is considered the last of the great nomadic conquerors of the Eurasian Steppe, and his empire set the stage for the rise of the more structured and lasting Gunpowder Empires in the 1500s and 1600s. He began his extensive military career after successfully establishing the region of Transoxania (now known as Uzbekistan) through various political betrayals and military campaigns. In allegiance with other rulers in the area, he spent the next ten years fighting to gain territory, supporting the Khan empire in a fight against the Russians and defeating many large, imposing armies. But this was only the beginning of his efforts, and In 1383, Tamerlane began his own series of Persian conquests, challenging several rival dynasties in an effort to preserve his empire and expand his territory. After securing the majority of eastern Persia and defeating a major Mongol king, Tokhtamysh, Tamerlane and his army occupied Moscow for a year. During his time of absence from Persia, however, major revolts broke out to regain dominance over the region, all of which were repressed by Tamerlane’s military. Knowing his home territory of Samarkand was being handled by his military forces, Tamerlane moved on to attack India where he believed the sultans were too tolerant of their Hindu subjects. He crossed the Indus River in 1398 and marched his army into Delhi where he reduced much of the city, an event that would cause a great setback for the region. As a result of this conquest, he left the territory with an immense quantity of spoil, using 90 captured elephants to carry treasure and stones from quarries to erect a mosque in his homeland. In 1399, Tamerlane organized a new military expedition to attack the sultan of Egypt for territory infringement and marching on Syria, he stormed and sacked the city of Aleppo. In 1401, his army occupied the city of Damascus. He then moved on to storm Baghdad that same year and massacred 20,000 of its citizens, destroying all of its buildings and significant monuments in the process. Tamerlane and his army of 200,000 soldiers traversed through deep snow and frozen rivers toward China, eventually stopping in what is now Kazakhstan for a reprieve. The conqueror caught a cold and died on the journey. The Chinese expedition was immediately abandoned, and his body was taken home to Samarkand where it was interred beneath the dome of the Gur Amir mausoleum in a steel coffin under a slab of black jade six feet long. On the stone was inscribed, “This is the resting place of the illustrious and merciful monarch, the most great sultan, the most mighty warrior, Lord Timur, Conqueror of the World.” ISLAMIC, Persia (Post-Mongol).Timurids. Timur (Tamerlane).AH 771-807 / AD 1370-1405. AR Tanka (28mm, 5.81 g, 10h). Citing Chagatai khan Mahmud. Bidlis mint. Undated, circa AH 795-807 / AD 1393-1405. Central Kufic legend:la ilah illa Allah,|Muhammad|[rasuluallah] (There is no deity except God, | Muhammad | [is the messenger of God]); between the lines, Naskh legend:dariba|Bidlis (struck [at] | Bidlis); marginal Naskh legend, counterclockwise from top:Abu Bakr|['Umar]|['Uthman]|'Ali / Naskh legend:al-sultan|Mahmud Khan,|amir (three annulets) Timur|Kurkan khallada|Allah mulkahu (Sultan | Mahmud Khan | amir (three annulets) Timur | Kurkan may God perpetuate his reign). SICA 9, –; Album 2386; Zeno 40460 (this coin). VF, toned, flat strike. Very rare. From the BRN Collection. For the beginning of date of this issue at Bidlis, see Diler, Mints, p. 256, n. 4343.
Really nice coin @Orfew glad to see you checked another off of the list. Timur also besieged the Knights of Rhodes in Smyrna and eventually captured the castle after a siege that saw the use of naphtha and Greek fire. Needless to say, survivors were few. After their defeat art Smyrna, and with the Ottomans in a state of crisis, the Hospitallers occupied Halicarnassus and used the ruins of the famed Mausoleum to build Bodrum castle.
Cool coin and write up! This guys name rings a bell for sure, but I didn't remember anything about him. This time period is a weak point I my collection unfortunately, here's one contemporary coin I have, a Venetian grosso from the late 15th century.
Wow, great write-up and super coin Andrew! NICE Placeholder of History captured! blob:https://www.youtube.com/aa4e5252-6dd0-4b32-b952-533f42759c44
Timur tanka with countermark of Abu Sa'id I have had this coin for several years but never followed up with the study of it that would have been appropriate. I do not read Arabic. Abu Sa'id was a Timurid dynasty ruler following the death of Timur's son Shah Rukh. The history of the period is complex with few admirable personalities by our modern standards.
Wow, a very rare piece, congrats! My Timur tanka is dated AH 800, and is rather worn. (Shiraz mint.) Like Doug's, though, it has a neat countermark, in my case of Shah Rukh, Timur's son.
Here another Timurid, issued under Shahrukh: On the left in the center the Kalima. Around the names of the four Righteous Caliphs. On the right in the center the mint and date "Zarb Astarabad AH831" = 1427AD. In the circular margin here slightly after 3 o'clock the name of the ruler "شاھرخ".
Nice score! I made low bids on two coins but didn't win either if them. I've enjoyed reading about Timur as a historical figure but ultimately couldn't get into the coins, hence my half-hearted attempt at winning them. I'll probably regret it later at some point.
