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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;acanthite, post: 290189, member: 6647&quot;]This is my sole example of an Anatolian Islamic iconographic coin, a silver dirham from Kai-Kusru II (1236-1245 AD). There was a period when a number of sultanates through the Middle East took liberty with the Koranic forbidding of imagery and produced coins with pictures. They often had astrological themes.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>On the following coin, weighing 3 g, the obverse displays a sun with a face, a lion walking right, and three stars. There is controversy about what they mean, the two theories I&#039;m aware of are (1) the lion and stars represent the constellation Leo, which was the sign of Kai-Kusru&#039;s Georgian wife Tamar (for who it is said he felt tremedous affection), or (2) the lion represents Kai-Kusru and the sun is Tamar. The writing above is acknowledgment of the Caliph (Mustansir).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The reverse says, in the central field, &#039;the mighty sultan, help of the world and faith, Kai-Kusru son of Kai Qubadh&#039;. The writing crammed around the edge gives the mint (Qonya) and the year struck (640 AH).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x7/karakorum_photos/SEJ_640AH_drachm_KaikusruII.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Though the coin would seem to indicate that times were peaceful, in fact Kai-Kusru II was the unfortunate incumbent to see the intrusion of the Mongols in the eastern part of his empire. His army and alliances already weakened by an internal rebellion, he was routed in a battle in 1243 AD with the Mongols, and ended up fleeing and paying annual tributes to keep the invader from finishing him off. He died in hiding, one hopes he was at least able to be with his beloved Tamar. The Sultanate carried on for years afterward but in a permanently weakened state until its eventual collapse.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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