Turkoman figural types. Coins of the "Foes of the Crusaders."

Most Islamic coin types consist of Arabic legends without images, but in the 12th and 13th centuries Turkoman rulers in eastern Turkey and Syria issued figural types with images of humans or animals. Some imitated earlier Byzantine types with Christian images!

Here is one of the earliest Turkoman figural types, struck by the first Artuqid ruler to issue figural types. Compare it with the second coin, below, and note how the obverse on this Islamic coin imitates a Byzantine coin with an image of Christ!


Artuqid Dynasty. Fakra al-din Qara Arslan
AH 539-570. AD 1144-1174.
Struck c. 539/540/1145-1146.
28-25 mm. 9.95 grams.
Christ seated on high-backed throne facing (just like on Byzantine Class D anonymous folles)
Arabic up right and down left of throne:
"Helper and Commander of the Faithful"
Uncertain letters, possibly numerals, left and right of the head.
Reverse has legend in three lines in Arabic (Kufic) continuing on right, top, and left. It gives the ruler's titles, names, and pedigree back three generations.
bin Artuq up left (his great grandfather),
Qara Arslan down right.
bin Daud (across top--his father.)
al Malik al a/lim al-adil/Fakhr al-Din

Spengler and Sayles 2.1. Wilkes 1173.

The next Byzantine type is the model, from a hundred years earlier, for the above Artuqid obverse.


Byzantine anonymous follis of "Class D. "
Sear 1836. Constantine IX, 1042-1055.
In DOC, dated by Grierson to "c. 1050 - c. 1060,"
(Constantine IX, 1042-1055 and Constantine X, 1055-1067.)

Class D, Sear 1836
25 mm. 8.68 grams.
Christ seated on high-backed throne facing
Small IC left and XC right

Lovely earthen highlighting.
ISXS (Jesus Christus)
bASILE (king of)
bASIL (kings)

Byzantine Class D coins are very common.

There are only about 100 Turkoman figural bronze types, few enough to make a collectible series, but including numerous rare types to challenge the collector. Acquiring a coin wouldn't be much fun and it wouldn't be very special if it weren't a challenge!

Some history. The First Crusade to retake the Holy Land was called in 1096. It conquered the eastern Mediterranean coast including the cities of Antioch, Edessa, Tripoli, and Jerusalem, each of which which then hosted its own crusader state. The crusaders came in contact with the Artuqids, Seljuks, and Zengids, who are sometimes called "foes of the Crusaders." In the mid 1100s, unlike other Islamic states, they began to issue coins with "figural" types. Often one side is figural and the other a long legend in Arabic. Many Turkoman figural types are inspired by Byzantine types from as much as five centuries earlier and some resemble Greek types. Very remarkable is that some of the types reproduce Christian types on Islamic coins!

Earlier history. In 622 Mohammad initiated the Islamic era by migrating from Mecca to nearby Medina. In the 630s and 640s his successors overran the Persian Empire and Byzantine territory which included the coast of the eastern Mediterranean and much of north Africa. By 737 Arabs had conquered the middle East, North Africa, most of Spain, and the eastern part of what is now Turkey. At that time the Turks were in the region north of and between the Caspian and Aral Seas and still minor players. By 900 the vast Islamic world had split into numerous competing states. In 1071 the Seljuks, a Turkish tribe, defeated the Byzantines in the decisive battle of Manzikert (now in eastern Turkey) and occupied most of Asian Turkey. All during these first 500 years Arabic silver and gold coin designs emphasized legends, not figures.

Legends. Just to illustrate what most early Arabic coins look like, here is an common early silver dirham with only legends:

26 mm.
Silver dirham
Arabic legends, both sides

"In the name of Allah/was minted/this dirham/at Wasit/ year 1 and 20 and 1 hundred," around the reverse.
This coin is from AH 121 which is AD 738/9.
Hisham was the Caliph of Damascus at the time, so this is attributed to "Hisham" although it does not say his name on the coin.
The mist of Wasit was on the Euphrates west of Basra.

Almost all early "Arabic" or "Islamic" coins have legends as types on both sides. That is what makes figural bronze so unusual.

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A couple of my Islamic coin with iconography!
Rum Sultanate coin showing a horseman, Kaykhusraw I ibn Qilij Arslan.

This coin may look like the Hindu dynasty Samanta Deva Jital of 900 AD, but in fact, it's a Coin of the Islamic Ghorid dynasty, minted under Muhammad Bin Sam between 1173-1206. The obv shows a bull, an icon of Siva, and the letters Sri Mahamad Sam, notice the word Sri, which is used in Hinduism for respect. The rev shows standing horseman and the words Sri Hamira.

 

Nice informative write up @Valentinian . I just posted this one a few nights ago but it fits perfectly as a Roman influenced coin. It also seems to be rarely seen. S&S #3. The obverse is influenced by a Constantine the Great coin, the legend is even similar on the obverse.

ISLAMIC. Anatolia & al-Jazira (Post-Seljuk). Artuqids (Kayfa & Amid). Fakhr al-Din Qara Arslan (AH 543-570 / AD 1148-1174). Ae Dirham.

Obv: Victory advancing right, holding tablet.
Rev: Name, title, and genealogy of Fakhr al-Din Qara Arslan in four lines and outer margins.

Whelan Type V, 127-8; S&S Type 3; Album 1820.3; ICV 1175.

Weight: 10.81 g.
Diameter: 32 mm.

 

I really like the OP coin! From around the same time, here's (Zengid) Nur ad-Din's first copper issue which copies the design of an issue of Constantine X and Eudocia form the 1060s:


Obv: al-Adil (العادل, The Just) Nur al-Din (نردين)
Rev: Downwards on right: mahmud (محمود‎‎) downwards on left: malik al-umara’ (مالك الأمراء); “Mahmud, King of the Princes”
Saladin began his rise as a general under Nur ad-Din.

Here's a lion from Saladin himself, probably representing the zodiac sign/constellation of Leo:

AE dirham, Mayyafariqin, AH 582-589 = AD1186/7-1193 AD. Lion seated left surrounded by four stars within beaded circle; around circle, name and title of al-Nasir I Salah al-Din Yusuf. Rev. Name and titles of the Abbasid caliph al-Nasir li-Din Allah.

Here's another Zengid coin with a bust derived from 4th century Roman coins:

al-Malik al-Salih Isma'il (AH 569-577/AD 1173-1181) AE fals. Rev: 'Lillah / al-Mustadi bi-Amr- / Amir al-Mu'minin / al-Malik al-Salih / Ismai'il

Here's an Artuqid issue of Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan ibn Il-Ghazi:

Minted in Mardin in 1189, it's thought to depict the 1186 conjunction of the sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn under the sign of Virgo, allegedly foretelling a calamitous event. The death of Saladin fits the bill. (So the original speculation that the scene depicted "the mourning of Saladin" wasn't too far off.)

Finally, here's a dirham of Badr al-Din Lu'lu (1233-1259) with a bust apparently derived from second century BC tetradrachms of Side:

Lu'lu wasn't much of a military guy, but he was an astute diplomat, always picking the winning side. Thus the Mongols (Hulagu) let him keep his position.

 

I agree. I have been on the hunt for that OP coin for some time. Each time I find one, it slips through my fingers . Here are a few of mine with attributions:


Artuqids of Mardin: Najm al-Din Alpi (547-572 AH) Æ Dirham (Whelan Type IV, 44-5; S&S Type 30.1; Album 1827.5; ICV 1203)
Obv: Two diademed and draped male heads facing slightly away from one another; in margins, لا اله الا الله above and محمد رسول الله below, ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﻨﺠﺪ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻪ to the right upwards and ﺍﻣﻴﺮﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻴﻦ to the left downwards (There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, al-Mustanjid billah, Commander of the Faithful)
Rev: Facing female head, wearing necklace; in margins, ﻧﺠﻢ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻦ above and ﺍﻟﭙﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻳﻞﻏﺎﺫﯼ below, ﺑﻦ ﺍﺭﺗﻖ to the right upwards and ﻣﻠﻚ ﺩﻳﺎﺭ ﺑﻜﺮ to the left downwards (Star of the Faith, Alpi ibn Il-Ghazi ibn Artuq, Ruler of Diyarbakir)



Artuqids of Mardin: Najm al-Din Alpi (547-572 AH) Æ Dirham (Whelan Type I, 37-8; S&S Type 27; Album 1827.2; ICV 1200)
Obv: Diademed male head right, ﻧﺠﻢ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻦ (Najm al-Dîn; Arabic Laqab meaning 'Star of Religion') in Naskh script engraved into the die horizontally across the neck of the figure; counter-marked legend ﻧﺠﻢ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻦ ﻣﻠﻚ ﺩﻳﺎﺭ ﺑﮑﺮ (Najm al-Dîn, King of Diyarbakr); dotted border
Rev: Multi-line legend in a modified Ayyubid Kufic script continuing to right, top and left all within irregular circle with arabesque in exergue; dotted border

1st Line: ﻣﻠﻚ ﺍﻻﻣﺮﺍ (Malik al-umarâ; King of the Princes)
2nd Line: ﺍﺑﻮ ﺍﻟﻤﻈﻔﺮ (Abu al-Muzaffar; Man of Conquering)
3rd Line: ﺍﻟﭙﻰ ﺑﻦ (Alpî bin; Alpi, Son of)
Right Field: ﺗﻤﺮﺗﺎﺵ ﺑﻦ (Timurtâsh bin; Timurtash, Son of)
Upper Field: ﺍﻳﻞﻏﺎﺫﯼ (Îl-Ghâzî; Il-Ghazi)
Left Field: ﺑﻦ ﺍﺭﺗﻖ (bin Artuq; Son of Artuq)



Artuqids of Mardin: Najm al-Din Alpi (547-572 AH) Æ Dirham (Whelan Type III, 42-3; S&S Type 29; Album 1827.4; ICV 1202)
Obv: الملك العالم العادل نجم الدين ملك ديار بكر (The Just King of the World, Najm al-Dīn, King of Diyar Bakr); Facing long-haired bust, turned slightly to left, Arabic inscription anti-clockwise from lower right, all enclosed by beaded circle
Rev: ابو المظفر البي بن تمرتاش بن ايل غازي بن ارتق (Father of Victory, Alpī b. Timurtāsh b. al-Adīl Ghāzī b. Artuq) / ثمان و خمسين ـ و خمسمائة; Facing female bust wearing 3-pointed crown, two Arabic inscriptions anti-clockwise around from lower right, all enclosed by beaded circle


Artuqids of Mardin: Nasir al-Din Artuq Arslan (597-637 AH) Æ Dirham (Whelan Type XI, 85-6; S&S Type 46; Album 1830.9; ICV 1220)
Obv: Turkish male figure, crosslegged, seated facing on low, quadrate platform, resting hand on thigh and holding globus; stars flanking head; Artuqid tamgha below; ناصر الدين ـ ارتق ارسلان (Nāṣir al-Dīn Artuq Arslān)
Rev: Arabic inscription in field, Arabic inscription anti-clockwise around in segments; بالله / الامام المستنصر / امير المؤمنين / الملك الكامل / محمد (The Imam al-Mustanṣir billah, Commander of the Believers, the King Kāmil Muḥammad); ضرب سنة ثمان ـ و عشرين و ستمائة (Struck in the year 628)

 

This is:
Fakhr al-Din Qara Arslan, AH 543-570 / AD 1148-1174.
AE Dirhem, Hisn Kayfa or Amid mint, struck AH 556 (AD 1160/1).

The head of state holding scepter and globe is a familiar sight if you collect late Roman coins.

 

Those are excellent Turkoman bronzes.
Arabic in a CT post! I wouldn't know what to insert or how to insert it.
I have a web page with references about Turkoman bronzes, including sale catalogs that emphasize them.
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/catalogs/Turkoman.html

 

I like transcribing the legends and understanding what they are saying. I can't read or write Arabic, but it does look nice transcribed. However, it requires a lot of research and googling.

Here are a few more...



Lu'lu'ids: Badr al-Din Lu'lu' (1233-1258) Æ Dirham, al-Mawsil, AH631 (Album-1874.1)
Obv: In beaded square, diademed head in profile facing left, hair in ringlets, eight-pointed star in bottom left corner; in margins -ﺿﺮﺏ ﺑﺎﻟﻤﻮﺻﻞ ﺳﻨﺔ ﺍﺣﺪ ﻭ ﺛﻠﺜﻴﻦ ﻭﺳﺘﻤﺎﺋﺔ (Struck in al-Mawsil the year one and thirty and six hundred)
Rev: In Naskh script, in center - ﺍﻻﻣﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﻨﺼﺮ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﺔ ﺍﻣﻴﺮﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻴﻦ (The Imam, al-Mustansir billah, Commander of the Faithful); in margins - ﺑﺪﺮ ﺍﻟﺪﻧﻴﺎﻭﺍﻟﺪﻳﻦ ﻟﻮﻟﻮ ﺍﻟﻤﻠﻚ ﺍﻟﻜﺎﻣﻞ ﺍﻟﻤﻠﻚﺍﻻﺷﺮﻑ (Resplendent Moon of the World and the Faith, Lu‘lu‘, the Perfect King, the Honored King)


Zangids of Sinjār: Quṭb al-Dīn Muḥammad (594-616 AH) Æ Dirham, Sinjār, 596 AH (Edhem 167; Hennquin 700; S&S Type 81.1; Album 1880.2; ICV 1275)
Obv: Classical bust to left wearing armor and holding scepter over right shoulder, Arabic inscription anti-clockwise in margin from lower right, all enclose by beaded and plain circles; ضرب بسنجار سنة ستة و تسعين و خمسمائة (Struck in Sinjār in the year 596)
Rev: Arabic inscription in field and around in segments with tamgha below, all enclosed by two plain circles; الامام الناصر / لدين الله / الملك المنصور / قطب الدنيا و الدين / محمد / بن زنكي / بن مودود (The Imam al-Nāṣir li-Dīn Allāh, the King al-Mansūr, Quṭb al-Dunyā wa al-Dīn Muḥammad b. Zangī b. Mawdūd)



Zangids of al-Mawsil: Ghāzī II, Sayf al-Dīn (1169-1180) Æ Dirham, 569 AH (S&S Type 66; Edhem 136; Butak 77; Artuk 1260; Album 1861.1; ICV 1242)
Obv: Facing draped bust with long hair, turned slightly to left with two small angels above, Arabic inscription to left and right; تسع و ستين ـ و خمسمائة
Rev: Arabic inscription in field, Arabic inscription anti-clockwise around in three segments, all enclosed by pointillate circle; الملك العادل / العالم ملك امرا / الشرق و الغرب / طغرلتكين اتابك (The Just King, the King of the World, east and west, Tughtigin Atabeg); غازي بن / مودود / بن زنكي (Ghāzī b. Mawdūd b. Zangī)

 

Sorry for the duplicate post. Seems to be lagging today...

 

How does everyone handle various scripts in their posts? I find it is easiest on my phone.

With the touch of a single key, the virtual Android keyboard switches between English, Greek and Arabic keyboards. Many others are available.

On my laptop, I use the Arabic keyboard at Google Translate, then cut and paste.

 

[Edit] Duplicate post. The site is acting oddly today.

 

There are two main sites I use for transcribing coins: Google Translate and Aksharamukha at https://aksharamukha.appspot.com/converter. I also use Keyman Desktop which is now free for Windows/iOS/Android/Linux as it allows me to map my keyboard to numerous languages including Hieroglyphics:

https://keyman.com/

 

Interesting! I need to add that imitative type info and image to my coin files for this coin in my collection (below) which includes a Turkoman/Artuqid countermark on a genuine Constantine X and Eudocia follis:


ARTUQUIDS OF MARDIN, NAJM AL-DIN ALPI
Obverse countermark by Artuqid ruler at Mardin mint ca. 1152-1176 AD.
(The Mardin Hoard counterstamp is #21.)
Host coin: Byzantine follis of Constantine X (SB 1853)
Diam.: 29 mm. Weight: 3.96 gr.
Purchased from Wayne Sayles VCoins - 10/2017.
Ex: Stephen Album cat. 233, lot 63158 - 3/2008.

 

Here is another type with Mardin Hoard countermarks #10 and #17:


Byzantine Empire: Æ Anonymous Class K Follis, Attributed to Alexius I Comnenus (Sear 1901; DOC K.1)
Obv: Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in benediction; in left hand, book of Gospels; to left, IC; to right, XC. Border of large pellets; Mardin Hoard Countermark #10 (عدل‎) and #17 (لله)
Rev: Three-quarter length figure of the Virgin orans facing, nimbate, wearing pallium and maphorium; to left of nimbus, M; to right, Θ



Zangids of al-Mawsil: Mas'ud I (1180-1193) Æ Dirham, al-Jazira, 577 AH (Album 1863.1)
Obv: Head to left wearing crested helmet, Arabic inscription anti-clockwise beginning behind head, all enclosed by beaded circle; لا ـ اله الا الله محمد رسول الله (There is no god but God, Muḥammad is the messenger of God)
Rev: Arabic inscription in field, enclosed by beaded circle, enclosed by Arabic inscription anti-clockwise around in margin, all enclosed by beaded circle; امير المؤمنين / الناصر لدين / الله عز الدين / مسعود (Commander of the Believers, al-Nāṣir li-Dīn Allāh, ’Izz al-Dīn Mas‘ūd); بسم الله ضرب بالجزيرة سنة سبع و سبعين و خمسمائة (In the name of God, struck in al-Jazīra in the year 577)

 

Another for the show.
Nasr-al-Din Artuq Arsian, Artuqids of Mardin, 1228-1229 AD, AE Dirham, SS. 45, AXF