Supplementary contributions to the series of the coins of the kings of Ghazní / by Edward Thomas

8/9/2019 Supplementary contributions to the series of the coins of the kings of Ghazn / by Edward Thomas

1/72

138

Aut. V.?Supplementary Co7itributions to the Series of the Coins

of the Kings of GhaznU By Edward Thomas, Esq., BengalCivil Service.

[Presented 19thMarch, 1858.]

In the volume of tho Journal of tho Royal Asiatio Society for tho

year 1848, is to bo found a paper doscviptivo of such coins of thoSultans of Ghazni as chanced to form part of tho varied numismaticaccumulations of Mr.

Masson, gleaned,under his

personal superintendence, chiefly to the northward of the metropolitan province fromwhich the dynasty takes its namo.

Since tho date of the publication in question, political events, in

placing our Government in possession of tho ontiro Indian section of

the dominions of tho successors of Mahmiid, havo necessarily facilitatedthe acquisition of specimens of thoir local currencies by tho civil and

military officers stationed in those parts. The opportunities thus

offered, though but moderately taken advantage of,1 havo been themeans of bringing to light several novel and interesting accessions to

the general scries, a record of which may be appropriately inserted inthis Journal, in supplementary continuation of tho provious memoir.

In addition to a description of the moro prominent recent acquisitions of Mr. E. C. Bayley, Col. T. Bush, and others, there will bo

found embodied in tho following pages full references to the Ghazuavicoins of tho late Col. Stacy, a notico of which appeared in tho Jour.

As. Soo. Bengal for 18522.Tho Roman numerals, prefixed to tho ordinary consecutive nuinbors

in tho subjoined catalogue, sorvo to iudicato tho class, in tho originalseries, to which each new specimen belongs. Where the words

" tofollow or precede"

aro added, it is to bo understood that tho coins so

marked aro novelties, of which oxtant examples were unavailable at tho

period of the publication of the earlior memoir. At the conclusion of thoGhaznavi proper suite, a list of tho various dates and places of mintago

referred to in either paper has been incorporated in a tabular form; and,

following out the plan adoptedon the previous occasion, a brief appendix

has been devoted to the illustration of such pieces of the Ghori andother succeeding dynasties as circumstances havo intermediately placedwithin reach.

1 If Col. J. Abbott's collection?formed on tho eminently favourable soil of thollnzarnh country?prove ns rich in Ghaznavf treasures ns tho choico specimens ofhi B i i l d us t th i ti f h


2/72

ON THE COINS OF THE KINGS OF GHAZNI. 139

For facility of reference a reduced Table is prefixed, exhibiting a listof tho Ghaznavi Sultans, associated with their early Sduidui Suzerains,

and tho contemporary Khalifs of Baghdad, to Avhom they throughoutprofessed spiritual allegiance.

The Ghaznavi Dynasty, together with their Contemporary Suzerains,Spiritual and Temporal.

Khalifs of Baghdad. Datcsof Accession. Kings of Qhaznf. Samant Suzerains.

A.U. A.1I. A.U. A.ll. A.l).

331 943 Nob bin Na*rAl Mutf lillah .... 334

abdicates, Zt'l 343 954 A'bd.ul-Malik bin

Ka'dah, 303 Ndh350 901 Manaiir bin Nob

351 DG2 Alptagln359 909 Ishak

AlTfii' lillah .... 303

deposed by Bahfi 305 970 Null bin Mansiir1al dowlah (Sha- 306 970 Subuktaglnban), 381

AlKadirbillah... 381

died, Zil llojah, 387 997 Isnm'il 387 997 Mansur bin Nuh422 388 998 Mahmud

389 999 A'bd-ul-Malik bin421 1030 Muhammad Nuu.(AilckKhan421 1030 Masa'ud enters Buklidra

Al Kufm bcamril- 422 on the 10th of]nh, died 13 Sha- 432 1010 Muhammad Zii Ka'dah, a.ii.

ban, 407 432 1011 Mddud 389, cud of the440 1048 Mana rid II. dynasty.)440 1048 Abal Hasan A'll

liilllll III


3/72

140 ON THE COINS OP THE

Tho earliest novelty, among the more recent acquisitions, is highlyinteresting in an historical point of view, as it illustrates an introduc

tory phase of the Ghaznavi independence, regarding which the recordsof the houso of Subuktagin aro usually defective; and though it maybe difficult to reconcile the circumstances under which the piece purports to have been issued, with the imperfect materials preserved bywritten testimony, yet the numismatic appearance of the name of thochieftain Bulkatagiu, in accord with the circumstantial mention ofhis elevation to power by so trustworthy an authority as Abul Fazl

Baihaki1, gives weight to a passago previously quoted, and for whichI had already claimed maturo attention2, without at the moment beingfully aware of tho merits aud singularly favourable opportunities ofthe writer from whoso moro voluminous works it had been abstractedand incorporated into tho pages of the Tabukat-i-Nnsiri3.

1"Tdrfkh A'l Subektcgfu, Historiamngua Glinziiavidiirum plurihus voluminibus

comprchensn, Auctoro Abu'l Fndhl Al Heihnoki."?FlugcPs Hrtji Klialfn. Seo

also notices of this author in my earlier paper, J.R.A.S., ix. pp. 277, 331, 370.- In

quotingtho Persian text of the

originalpassogo in 1847* I remarked :?

" The subjoined account of the succession to Alptagfn's chieftainship is givenentire from the Tabakrft-i-Ntfsiri, as offering a version of the question to which it

refers widely differing from that to bo found in tho writings of the more generallyknown authors; and although thcro aro many objections to (ho unqualified admission of its verity, yet tho NrisirPs undoubted antiquity and usual accuracy entitlethe statement to full consideration." (J.R.A.S., ix. 303.) At tho period whenthis extract was made, I was ignorant of the remarkable facilities and advantagesenjoyed by tho author from whose works tho Tabnkiit-i-Nrisirf reproduces the state

ments embodied iu tho text. We still only know Abill Fazl Daihaki by ono of

hismany works;

the"Tftrikh-i-MasaYidf," being

thoonly

one of the series whichseems to have been preserved to us ; but taking that production as a specimen of

the whole, we have indeed reason to regret the loss of the remainder. Oriental

students will be glad to learn, that the Persian text of the" Masa'tidf is already

prepared for publication, and is expected to appear undor the editorship of

Mr. W. II. Morley.3 The Tubaka't-i-Na'sirf was completed in A.ir. 650. Tho author, Miuhaj us

Sunfj Juzdnf, composed his work at Dchli, dedicating it to Niisir ud dm Mahmud,the reigning Emperor of Hindustan. See ante, Journal, ix. pp. 377, 304. Haji*

Khalfa (vol. iv. p. 163) has tho following note regarding this work :?

r-SfuJ i-Jj}jAA ^ji ^Iflul ^^^ (^AaH C^lftJkL V^fA

" No. 7020. Tnbakdt el Ndsirf classes Nasiricai Auctoro Minhnj Jorjrini filio

ejus, qui vulgo Sirdj dictus est anno?mortuo; Historia Pcrsien, quam de expeditionibus belltcis Nnsir ud diui Mahmud Shah ben Iletmish Dchlcwi


4/72

KINGS OF GHAZNI. 141

The Persian text of the passage in question having been insertedin a former number of this Journal, I content myself, on the present

occasion, Avith appending an English translation of the same, addinghoAvcvcr tho introductory portion of the chapter, explanatory of tho

primary source of the information secondarily preserved in tbeAvork

of Minhdj us Siraj :?" Imam Abul Fazl Baibaki relates, that Nasr Hdji, a merchant iutho timo of A'bd-ul-Malik bin Nub Sdmdni, bought Subuktagin and

brought him to Bukhdrd. Alptagin, who Avas then Amir Hdjib,observing the signs of intelligence and manliness on his forehead,

purchased him. Ho accompanied Alptagin to Tokbdristdn and folloAvcd him, when ho was promoted to tho government of Khorasdn.

Alptagin, in tho course of events, proceeded against Ghazni, con

quered Zdbulistdn, and took Ghazni from (tho) Aniik1. Dying eightyears afterwards9, his son Ishdk succeeded him ; and in a battle with

(the) Aniik, Avas defeated, when be proceeded to Bukhara, and, havingobtained assistance from tho Amir Mansur bin Nub, recovered Ghazni.And after ono year, Ishdk died. They then raised to tho throno

Bulkatagin, who was tho chief of the Turks; ho was a just man, andeminent for his piety among tho Avarriors of the world; he reignedtwo8 years and then died ; Amir Subuktagin was in bis service, and,after Bulkatagin, Amir Piri became king; ho avus a very ill-conditionedman. A party at Ghazni entered into communication with Abu A'li

Aniik, and sought assistance from him. Abu A'li Aniik brought, asan ally, tho son of tho King of Kdbul; and when they reached thoconfines of

Charklr4,Amir

Subuktagin,Avith fiye hundred Turks, fell

1 Tho word is variously written in tho different MSS. as \^J\)\ andi *_ j 4)

Tho former is adopted in the East India House MS., the Paris copy, and that of

Gon. Brigg's now in tho library of the Royal Asiatic Society. I propose, with but

slight hesitation, a rectification of tho orthography to t*Cs.'A or "Lumglirfn,"

the Lampagas of classical writers; the l?jjj (..jU^Jbi) of the Unpublished

MS.; K.lnau-i-Masa'adi of Albirunf; and the ^.U^ ,J^t


5/72

142 ON THB COINS OF THE

upon them, and routed them, killing a vast number and making manyprisoners; he took also tAvo elephants, which ho brought to GhaznL

After achieving so great a victory, tho entire population being dis

gusted with the iniquity of Phi, with ono consent raised Subuktaginto tho throne, on tho 7th of Sba'bdn, in tho year 306."

I now proceed fo cite the new piece, which Aveoavo, togetbor withother important medals of this series1, to Russian enterprise3; and it

is further to tho credit of the Government of that country, that, thoseoccasional discoveries continue to receive explanation and illustration

from so sound an Oriental scholar as Prof. Dorn, tho worthy successor

of M. Fnohn, avIioso "Reccnsio Numortiiii Muhainincdanorum"3 to

this day forms our most valued text-book in cognato studies.

Tho following is a translation of M. Dorn's remarks on the coin,together Avith a fuo-simile of tho Avoodcut engraved in tho St.

Petersburg Journal:?

No. 1 of this Supplement.

''No 44. Mansur bin Nub. Ghazna. a.ii. 359 = a.d. 0G9.

One of the most valuable of the inedited coins.

? Obverse.?Under tho symbol: (Jj^L


6/72


"Margin.?

i>UJ15 j ^J^a^ j j-^^ * /**

Tlie ,,ftme

of tho mintXmjJmm?.

can stand fornothing

but 'Ghazna.' This

city appears hero for tho first time in the Numismatic Scries of theSanianis. It is known that at tho accession of the young Mansur

[350 A.H.], Alptagin roso against him in Ghazna, defeated his armytwice, and declared himself independent. History mentions only tho

conquest of Alptagin, but is silent in regard to tho rule of theSanianis in Ghazna.

"Wo see from our coin that Balka, or Bulka-Tagin, iu the year

A.ir. 359 was chief of the Samani party in this city. His nameappears already on the Balkh coins of a.if. 324 (v. Rccensio, p. 500,

No. 229, d.)x. Subsequently ho passedover to Alptegin's cause,

became Chamberlain under Abu Ishak, aud is said to have ascendedthe throno after tho death of tho latter in a.h, 365. (Froohn, Bull.Hist. Philol., iv. 153.)

aReverse.?On tho reverse the namo of tho Khalif is wanting :

II^ ^

||y*^* ||

&\ ||J^j ||

J^U || *U II"

(Dug up by mo in tho year 1853 at the villago of Kabanskoi, in

Wladimir.)"

Having exhibited the data, both historical and numismatic, boaringupon tho chieftainship of Bulkatagin, I havo now to advert

to tho

difficulties which present themselves to any very conclusive recon

cilement of tho indications derived from theso divcrso sources. Tho

1The following is Prof. Frcehn's description of this coin :?

" No. 229, d. Rari88. Notabilissim. cus.

aj(/K\Jj j m t^/i^ (dccHt ) *-Jj\

f*\~Uin Balch a. cod. 324

A. ii. p.p. c-jL>4j || j*aj ,j rtpNull fil. Nasri || Jusuf.

A. ii. p.p. &a&\ ^ yaJ || *e\)\Er? Raszi-billah ||Nasr.

filius Ahmcdis.

Inf. cat nomcn, quod XjJiUj tegin rcferro videtur."?Rccensio, p. 500.

2 I have been unable to discover the authority for this statement under the

reference indicated ; but, assuming that Fnehn's Ncue Sammlung (Leipzig, 1814,

p. 124) contains tho full reprint of his original paper, I must conclude thattho

dato of a.u. 305, hero given, is nn interpolation of M. Doru's, for which Prof.

Fnehn is not responsible. The latter author does not specify from whatsource

he derives his historical information, hence further meaus of comparison in this


7/72

144 ON THE COINS OF THE

abstract of Baihaki's narrative, given by Minhdj us Sirdj, will bo seento bo

meagreand

unsatisfactoryin tho

extreme;and

althoughwo

gain references to events, of which we had previously no knowledge,yet they aro so imperfectly described, that we aro but little advancedin exact history by tho information thus contributed. The extreme

period to be filled in with tho details furnished by our author, may betaken broadly as the fifteen or sixteen years, from 350-1 to 3GG A.H.,often erroneously assigned by later compilers1 ns the duration of the

sway of Alptagin. The first point towards the arrangement of tho

dates of accession of tho succeediug potentates that it is necessary todetermine is, from what epoch Minhdj us Sirdj calculates tho eightyears* reign of tho chieftain in question. It can scarcely havo boon

designed that any portion of tho period of his submissive governmentof Khordsdn should be included iu this term; nor does it seem neodfulto infer that his quasi-independenco should dato only from the momontof his gaining possession of tho city of Ghazni9, which howover cclobrated in after times as the capital of a powerful empire, could havo

been of little note or importance on its first capture from tho localprinces. In tho absence of anything positive on this head, it may bo

assumed that the early portion of the year a.il 3518, witnessed the

* Seo the vAtbus authorities quoted at tho foot of p. 200, Jour. R. A. S. vol. ix.

Also Mirkhoud, Histoiro des Samanides, edited aud translated by M. Defrlmcry,Paris, 1845, pp. 154, 150, and note, p. 203; likewise Price, quoting the Khalasat

nl Akhbdr, H. 277.2 Ibn Haukal, who had every means of knowing tho facts connected with the

early conquest of this city, would seem to imply that it was not occupied as a

capital by the Muhammadaus till 955 ah. Seo St. Martin, Memoircs sur

PArmlnie, ii. 21. Reiuaud, M6moiro sur PInde, p. 244; and J.R.A.S., ix.

p. 200, note 2.3 Ferishtah definitively places this revolt in a.ii. 351; the expressions mado

use of arc?

See p.Mj Bombay Lithographed Edition.

The Tarikh-i-Guzfdah gives " six years " as the interval that elapsed betweenMansuVs accession and Alptngfn's revolt; if wo correct tho years into months we

obtain a more probable period. (Soo MSS. TYirllch-i-Guztdah, E. I. House Library,Nos. SO aud G49.)

[Since the above note has been sot up in type, I have had an opportunity

of examining Colonel Sir H. O. Rawllnson's MS. copy of the \^j jWl t)^^of Ibn Athfr. Under the miscellaneous hoadiug of tho year 351, appears, seem

ingly, *ne A 1 mention of Alptagin, as reproduced in tho subjoined passage,


8/72


estrangement of Alptagin from tho newly-elevated successor of A'bdul-Malik1. Under such a schomo of computation, Alptagfn's death

may be placed early in A.n. 359, or in the very yoar, a record of Avhich

appears on tho coin of Bulkdtagin2. Our text, in the form in which itat present exists, certainly does] not support tho conclusion that Bul

katagin arrived at regal power so speedily as this ; but circumstances

statod by other authors?though with far less clearness than mightbe desired,?seem to suggest a possible solution of tho difficulty.Abfi Ishak's own position at tho moment of tho death of his fathei,

is not avcII ascertained ; if, as is stated bysome writers, ho was then

employed in Khorasan3, Bulkdtagin may well have taken temporary

Colonel Rawlinson's copy of this rare work ends with the annals of a.ii. 303,white the published edition of Thornberg (1051 53) commences only with the

year 527, (being continued on to a.ii. 028).

iJ~>j\ JjjSI J-rHj i


9/72

14(5 ON THE COINS OF THE

possession of the government of Ghazni, and in virtue of his office

availed himself for a timo of tho kingly prerogative to coin money,relinquishing both power and placo on Abu Ishak's formal investiture

by the court of Bokhdrd, to whom, strango to say, his own coin provosthe local authorities of Ghazni still continued to profess allegiance1.Bulkatagin's status as chief of the Turks, which subsequently availedhim ou a like occasion, may reasonably havo simplified this earlier

SGbucteguin rcmplissait alors les fonctions tie chambcllan aupres d'Abou-lHhac.

Alptcguin niourut a Ghaznah, ct son ills Abou-Ishao fut cnvoyc* dans cotto villo

pour le remplacer. II mourut pcu do temps apres son arrivce." U'tbi, in hisKitab 1Ynmfiif, under tho authority of A hill Hasau Khazin, also mentions AbuIshak ns commandant of the forces in Khordsau, from which post, tho text wouldsoeni to imply that ho was promoted direct to the government of Ghaznf. See M. do

Racy. Notices aud Extracts, iv. 330, and translation of the samo work, likewisefrom the Persian version, by the Rev. J. Reynolds. O. T. F., London, 1858, p. 22.

As there was somo discrepancy to be detected between the French and Englishversions of this important quotation, and as each pretended to he no moro than a

mere translation of a translation, I thought it worth while to refer to tho originalArabic text; and,

havingcollated the

excellentlywritten M.S. iu the British

Museum, with a very elaborately commentated lithographed edition, printed at thoDelhi Madrissa, I sought the assistance of Mr. H. T. Prinsop in securing an accu

rate and independent rendering of the somewhat obscuro passage. The result is

appended below.

"This account of him [Subuktagui] was related to mo by Abiil Hasan JuTar,son of Muhammad tho Treasurer,-?' That ho [Subuktagin] came to Bukhara inthe days of the good Amir Mansur Bin Null, iu tho suito of Abu Ishak, sou of

Alptagin, who was commandant of the armies of Khtfrrfsan. Then (litorally,when he, Abu Ishak, was that)?ho [Subuktagin] was his [Ishak's] Hajib Kabfr,

or Master of tho Ceremonies. Aud he had a noble countenance, and the burthenof Ishak's aflairs was ou him, and the management of all his business Avas in his

hands. The nobles of that state (i.e. Buklutrit) remarked in him the qualities of

high courage and kindness of disposition and generosity, with energy an promptitude, and anticipated for him a career of exaltation because of his high aspirations

and acutencss. At tho time of Ahd Ishak's return to Ghaznf, as Vfvli and chief iu

his father's place, ho [Subuktagin] returned with him in tho suite,?that is, in

command of his troops, and discharging the duties of the chamberlain's offico.

But Ishak, very soon after his return, finished his career and lost his life, leavingnone of his race or kin fit for his position and place. Then a number of his

[Ishak's] servants and of those of his father wero in great anxiety and troublo asto tho succession to tho chiefship and [the choice of] a person in whoso good

management of all partfes they could confide; and thoy did not censo differingabout tho chiefship and quarreling about relative fitness, until at last, by the assent

of nil voices, it was agreed to make him [Subuktagin] the Amir; and all opinionscombined to approve his arraugeraents and to obey his orders for bringing forwardor postponing."

1As I have already remarked in my first paper, a parallel system of recog.nition of the Samanf lords of Bukhara was seemingly maintained on the Ghaznavi


10/72


step towards sovereign power, some of the functions of which ho must

already havo exorcised olsowhero, if tho coin above citod aud struck

at Balkh in a.ii. 324, refer to the same individual.

Passing by tho special question involved in the superscription on

the coin, and following tho compiler, for whom, in virtue of the autho

rity cited, crcdonco is claimed, it will be seen that with the exceptionof tho rolativo date of Abu Ishak's death, a year after his return to

Ghazni, there is nothing defiuito whereby to fxx. tho duration of his

rule, either as nominal or effective sovereign of that state; and equallythat tho tAvo

years*authorized

reignof

Bulkdtagin,is

dependentfor

its opochal justification upon a definition of the limits of those of his

predecessors; or, if moro exact information Avcre afforded, upona

determination of tho period over which tho scomiugly short-lived

poAvor of Phi extended prior to tho fixed dato of Subuktagin's formalaccession on tho 7th day of tho 8th month of 3G6.

Tho illustrative novelties next in order of dato do not properly

bolong to the Ghaznavi series, but tho prince whose namo they bear is

soclosely

idontifiod with thoearly progress

of bothSubuktagin

and

Mahmiid, until tho timo when ho finally becomes tho vassal of the

latter, that his independent coinago in Seistdn forms a proper introduction to tho mintages of his conquerors in tho same province, of

Avhich specimens havo already been given iu the pages of this Journal1.

Tho biography of Kbalaf bin Ahmad is largoly dwelt upon bycontemporary Avritcrs, aud especially by U'tbi, tho author of the

Kitdb-i-Yamini, from whose work tho following sketch of the life ofthis remarkable character has been

chieflydrawn :?

Note on the Life of Khalaf bin Ahmad of Seistdn.

Somo obscurity exists regarding tho prcci.so descent of Khalaf bin

Ahmad2, but it may bo sufficient for our prosout purpose to recognisea relationship to certain members of tho extinct dynasty of the

Saffaris, to tho possession of avIioso metropolitan provinco ho succeeded,

aftor its intermediate mibjcctionto

thoSdmdni

Empiroof Bokhard.

1 J. R. A. S., ix. p. 320, No. 40.2

Rauzat-as-safa, vol. iv. c. 14. I quote from the Persian MS. of the R. A. S.

No. xxv., as I have not been able to meet with the Vicuna translation." Jlistoria

prioruui rcgum Pcrsuruin, ex Mohammcdc Mirchond. Persice et Latinc, 4to

Vienna?, 1702.'* See also Habib-us-Siyar, vol. ii. c. 4. (Bombay lithographededition, 1057)> and Price, quoting Khulasat-al-Akhbar,

" Mohammedan History,

London," 1821, vol. ii. p. 243.


11/72

148 ON TUB COINS OF THR

He is first noticed in tho 'JYirfkh Yamim1, on tho occasion of his

undertakinga

pilgrimageto Mokka in a.ii.

3542,when ho leaves his

kinsman Tahir Ibn Hussain in charge of his dominions. Tho latter

plays him falso during his absence, and on his roturn ho finds his own

kingdom closed against him. On Khalaf8 obtaining9 aid from Mausurbin Nuh, Tahir relinquishes his position; but on the withdrawal ofthe Suzerain's troops, ho again assorts his supremacy. Khalaf, for

the second time, seeks succour from Mausilr, and thus reinforced,

besieges Hussaiu bin Tithir1?who in tho interval had succocdcd his

father?intho fortress of Ark6.

Hussain,on an

appealto

Mansur,is

allowed a safe conduct, and Khalaf is reinstated iu his dominions.

Years roll on, and he himself in turn is found failing in allegiance to

his Saniiini lord, when, strauge anomaly, this same Hussain bin Trfhir

is sent to subdue him, but wastos soven years ineffectually in the

siege of the citadel of Ark*, till at last Abul Hussain bin SinuYir, the

1Notices et Extraits des Manuscrita do la Bibliothcque Nationalo, vol. iv.

p.33G. Histoiro do Ydmineddoula Mahmud

(Kitrib Yrfmini),traduitc de Pcrsan,

par A. I. Silvestre do Sacy; nnd also Tho Kitabd-Ynmfnf, translated from the

Persian version of Ul-Utbt, by the Rev. J. Reynolds (Oriental Translation Fund),1858, p. 51.

- lhu Athfr, A.u. 353; Uauzat-as-sufa, a.ii. 353; Habib-us-Siyar, a.ii. 350.3 In a.ii. 353, according to the Khulasat nl Akhb.tr. Price ii. 13.4 The following coin of Httssaiu-biu-Trihir is to be found iu Colonel Rnwliu??iu*s

collection :No. A, Gold. Size 2. Weight V) gr.-B. M.

N i;v. i ns.

J>-* *Uj


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KINGS OF G11AZNI. 141)

Governor of KhornVm, is directed to interfere1, aud prevails uponKhalaf to retire, whilo offering apparent submission, to the castle of

Tak (,jU?)*. The supremacy of the reigning emperor, Nuh bin

Mansur, being duly recognised by the usual Moslem formalities of thorecitation of his name in the public prayers, and its insertion in the

legends of tho coin of tho realm.

On tho resumption of U'tbfs narrative, Khalaf is stated to have

remained in quiet possession of his territory up to the period of Su

buktagin's exposition against Jaipal in 307 a.m.3, when he takes ad

vantage of the opportunity to seize upon Bust and appropriate thetroasurcs of the provinco j hut even this overt act of treachery seems

to have boon forgivou by Subuktagin on the restitution of the fundsthus temporarily alienated1. An ovent regarding which U'tbi remains

silent seems to havo occurred shortly after 1179 A.n.6, in Khalaf's

mission of his own son A'mn'i to take possession of Kerman, where he

obtains a momentary success, but is finally defeated by A'bbas bin

Ahmad, the general of Samsam ud doulah, tho Buiyah ruler of Fars.

On the son's return to Seistan, Khalaf?for no apparent reason but his

want of success, puts him to death with tho most uncompromisingbarbarity*.

Khalaf next appears on the scene as joining Suhuktagdrs forcewith his contingent, on that general's march to oppose Abu A'li at

Nlshapur. Ho himself is left behind, but his troops aid in the cam

1845, p. 205. Col. Anderson supposes tin* name of Ark (tho Greek "px) to be

used for the citadel of Zaranj, the capital of Seistan. Under the description ofthat town in tho Ashkal al biltid, we arc told

? *' Inside the city, between theKurkoonuh and Mccshuk gates, is a grand building called the Urk-'xt was the

treasury of Omar." Sec Jour. As. Soc. licngal, xxi., 305, 372.1 About a.ii. 371. Price ii. 243. Defr

see also

Ousoloy's Oriental Geography, pp. 208, 211,212. T. II. Mbllcr, Liber Cliinatuni,(Istakhri), Gotha, 1039, p. 103; and Col. Anderson's Translation of the Ashkal albilad's Account of Seistan, Jour. As. Soc. licngal, xxi. pp. 369, 371, and 373.

Dow'h Translation of Fnrishtah, i. 22 Drigg's ditto, i. 10. Kitab iYaiiiini,43. Keinaud, t'ludc, 250. MuIuoiii*h Hint. Persia, i. 310.

? Kitrib iYmiifuf, p. 273.6 It. S. iv. I t. On Stimsaiu ud doulah Bufyah's accession to power at Shira/,,

i. e. [about] 370 A.n. Ahul Fnraj, a.ii. 379, p. 212. See also D'llcrbelot in voce;and Price ii. 205, a.ii. 3?7-OH.

fi It. S. vol. iv. cap. 15. The Habib us Siyar, ii. 4, in commenting on bis anda second similar murder, says

?


13/72


paign; and on tho final defeat of Abu A'li and Faik at Tfis in 385 a.ii.,

Subuktaginsends back' tho Seistdn force with honour and com

luendatiou. Khalaf*s intriguing disposition again developos itself on

Subuktagin's proceeding to tho uortliAvard agaiust Ailok Khdn, thoughany positive rupture seems to havo boon averted till after tho deathof the Ghaznavi monarch, Avhen Khalaf sends his son Tahir to annex

certain dependencies of Bagrachak1, Mali mud's uncle, at this timo

ruler of Herat, &o. In an action which ensued, Bagrachak was killed;and cA'cntually iu a.ii. 3908, Mahmud himself advanced into Soistdn,

Avhere, hoAvovcr,ho contented himself Avith

receivingKhalaf's soino

Avhat abject submission anda money fine8.

About tho year a.ii. 392 Khalaf abdicated in favour of his son

Tahir. Subsequently, thinking better of this act, ho treacherouslyinveigled his son into his poAvor4, avIio thereupon moots a speedy end inbis father's prison. Tho feelings of the nobles of tho land at this incident aro developed in a rebellion, ending in the deposition of Khalafand the submission of the conspirators, in a.ii. 393, to Mahmud ;

Avbilc Khalaf, after standing a siege in his last refuge5, surrenders toMahmud0 with au ostentatious amount of self-humiliation sufficient tosecure him onco again tho mercy of tho conqueror, avIio provides him

with an honourable oxilo7, which, after four years duration and tho

discovery of intrigues Avith Ailck Khdn, is converted into close confine

ment, in which "the volumo of his lifo received its last seal" in

Rajah a.ii. 3098.

1Dow, i. 51. Bujcroc, Not. ct Ex. Bagrachak. Arabic text, Tarfkh Yamdii

(J^>-\jX.*R.S.

/^-U-V2 a.ii. 390. T. Y. p. 279.1 Not. et Ex. p. 739. T. Y. 280.4 T. Y. 285. Mirkhond docs not adopt this preliminary statement of U'tbi's

hut he is quite clear as to tho treachery, and adds?

*R. S. TakjlU

So also Price, K. A. 282.6 Price dates this

expeditionof Mahmud in 391

(p. 282,vol.

ii.)D'llorbclot

in voce, 393 a.ii. p. 633. De Guigues, ii. 155, a.ii. 393.

7R.S.*^jbJ^l eA^Tj^r t^>* $*-*

c->Tul-JuIj,^ J^ jl

H.S..,1^-^^

Do Sacy proposes to amend this to Dhouzdjan. Not. et

Ex"t. iv. p. 353.* Tho Khaldsat til Akhbar sums up his character thus:?"ThisKholf, the son

of Ahmad, is represented, at tho samo time, as equally adorned and distinguishedby his acquirements in all the learning of his ago and country, by the liberality

d b l f hi d hi b d d f


14/72

KINGS OF GIlAZNl 1.31

KHALA1M3IN-AHMAD.

No. 2.

Gold. Sizo U. Weight 8'5 gr.1 a.h. %& >.?British Muieunx (Collection 0/ Sir

II. C. Rawlinson).

Wzv, Guv.

o^^u ail-j-^L4t

Margin. Illegible. | Marg. J^Jj j i^^AS- j \j**aS

[Notk.?Tho following coins are noticed in this place,?iu so much of a.


15/72


No. 2 ?.

Gold. Size 2{. Weight 18 5 gr. SejcsUiu.?British Museum.

Similar Areas, with the monogram c, at foot of Reverse Area.

Obverse Margin displays portions of the Kalimah, viz. :?

LmS^i J* J ?Jo-j


16/72

KINGS OF GHAZNI. 151*

No. 3.

Gold. Size 3 (broken coin). Weight 29*5 gr.1 a.h, 375.?British Museum.

Plate, fiV. 1.

Rev. Obv.

iX__*>1_* 1\ *_11 ?

_>j aill

All *->L_la_Ii Jc*o-t ?J i?iirv

lleverso Margin. Illegible.

Obv, Marg. ajUJjj j ^JjcXm* i^*^>- Ajuj.

There is a second coiu iu Colonel Kawlinson's parcel in the British Museumof an earlier date, and of seemingly similar fabric, though of varying legends,which may tend to throw light upon the due attribution of the preceding piece(No. li) The superscriptions are reproduced below.

No. C.

Size 14. Weight 8-6. a.h. 331.

Hkv. Ojjv.


17/72


18/72

KINGS OF GIIAZN1. 155

No. 0.-(To follow XVII., Old Series, p. 811.)

Gold. Weight 62 gr. Herat, a. h. 418. New Type.?6'o/oue/ Stacy.

Rev. Obv.

_^


19/72

156 ON THE COINS-OF THE

No. 7 b.

Gold. Weight 60*5 gr. Ghaznf. a.u. 418.?British Museum (Bawlinson Collection.)

Coin varying from No. 7, only in tho change of dato, and the substitution of

the name of Ja^Ûi for thoÛIuji

on tho reverse.

No. 8.?(To precede No. XIX., Old Scries, p. 811.)

Gold. Weight 70 gr. Nfshaptir. a. h. 405.?British Museum.

Similar legends to No. XIX., Old Series; varylug only In the omission of tho

JjL?> aud theinsertion of the titlo

dl^^Jv*ôn tho sides of the obverse

field.

No. 9.?(To follow No. XX., Old Series, Journal ix., p. 312.)

Aur. ens. InNisabur a 421. A. i. a sin. ct dcxt., Ar. UH

Margin. Int.?

A. ii.


20/72

KINGS OP GHAZNI. 157

Ab introductory to tho later acquisitions of the samo typo of coin,I reinsert the original woodcut of the previously sole available

examplo of tho bilingual coinage of Mahmtid, which has alreadyappeared at p. 323, vol. ix., Journal R.A.S.

Sinco the dato of the publication in question, European collectorshavo succeeded in rescuing from the local crucibles no less than threeadditional specimens of this mintage, which determine conclusivelythat tho issuo constituted an ordinary sorial coinage of

a given locality,as opposed to the alternative supposition, suggested by the solitary pieceheretofore known, of an occasional or commemorative purpose being

indicated in their exceptional type. A second annual date is furnished

by the new accessions, but tho more interesting information in regardto tho sito of their fabrication still remains indeterminate, though thedenomination of tho mint city may bo conjecturally suggested fromthe partially legible letters preserved in the Kufic on two coins, andthe full designation of Mahmud, so obvious in the Sanskrit mar

ginal records?as a locality honoured, on its conquest, bysome titular

identification with his own name.

Having completed the mechanical decipherment of tho severalletters of tho central legend nearly as they are

now reproduced under

tho description of Coin No. 11,1 submitted the result, together with my

original collocated facsimile transcripts of the superscriptions of theseveral pieces, to the scrutiny of Professor Wilson, and having

care

fully tested tho value of each individual character by tho demands of

Paheographic consistency and tho requisitions of linguistic sense1, 1

adopt,without

hesitation,tho

followingmatured version of our

highestSanscrit authority :

Ahyaklamcka Muhammad urat(a)ra. jYripati Mahmud

The invisible one, Muhammad incarnation, King Mahmlid.

1Professor Wilson was at ftrat inclined to suggest a transcription of

^T "SW^t^n"#rf prahhurcka for the opening phrase, but upon examining more

closely tho formation of tbo original letters and comparing them with repetitionsor variations on other portions of the coins, he decided upon the reading given

above, icprescntiiig ^^J^^^Tf Avyaktamtkam," the indiscrete, the invisible

one"?specially used to signify the first cause or supreme universal spirit.


21/72


No. 11.?(No. XLIL, Old Scries, Journal ix. p. 323.)

Silrer. Size 4?. Weight 45 4 gr. A.n. 412.?British Museum.

Rev. Obv. (Revised Reading)

Obv. Marg. ^ ^^f^^-*3?T 8^

This Taka (of) Mahmud-


22/72


No. 14.

Silver. Size 4J. Weight 46 gr. a.h. 419.~My Cabinet. Plate, fig. 4.

Obverso Area as in No. 11.

Margin. ?


23/72

1(50 ON THE COINSOF THE

No. 16 (Variety of No. LIV, Old Series, Journal ix. p. 333.)

Copper. Ghaznl, a.h. 405.

Similar, in the typical arrangement of tho intricately interlaced legends, to

No. LIV., Old Series; but presenting tho novelty of the uso of the word ij?(city) as a prefix to the uamc of the place of mintage. This is the only iustanco,

within my knowledge, of the uso of a similar specification in tho Gbnznavf scries;the synonymous word : JJJ will he seen to havo been occasionally employed by

lhe succeeding monarchs of the Ghorl race.

Having concluded tho description of tho coins of Mahmud, it maybe appropriate to complete tho archaeological records of his rulo bya notice of the extant monumental inscriptions preserved in his

ancient capital. These consist, 1st, of the writing that adorns and

explains the object of the erection of tho Miliar, which stands to this

day near his burial place1; 2nd, of tho Kufic and Neskh scrolls on hismarble tombstone ; and, 3rd, of the brief inscription on tho Dcodwnr,

or Himalayan pine-wood portals of his sepulchre2, which tradition

has associated, on very insufficient grounds, with the gates of

Somnath8. I do not consider that there is any reason to doubt the

antiquity of these monuments,or the authenticity of tho records

they bear, though it is a matter of regret that the minaret should havo

suffered so much from timo, exposure, and possibly violence, as to

leare its commemorative legend difficult to decipher or restore.

i An engraving aud description of the fellow uiinar wilt he found at the cud

of the coins of Masdfid.* This quasi shrine seems to have been respected from the very first;

and

even the all-destroying A'laud-din Jchftns6z withheld his hand from the tomb of

Mahmud.3 These gates arc now preserved in the fort of Agra. Elaborate drawings

of


24/72

KINGS OF GHAZNL61

Inscription No, 1.

Copy in tho Suls character of the Kufic Inscription on tho Minaretnearest tho villago of Rozah1:?

tlxLJI alUll


25/72

162 ON TUB COINS OP THE

ud dfn Abal Kaslm Mahmud, son of Subuktagln. May God havo mercy uponhim'."

Mem.?"Ou tho reverse of the Sarcophagus, there isan inscription

in tho Neskh character, recording the dato of tho deceaso of Sultan

Mahmud, ns Thursday, tho 7th8, remaining day (i.e., the 22nd or

23rd) of the month of Rabi al Akhir, a.ii. 421." (H. C. Rawlinson.)Jour. As. Soo. Bengal, xii. 76.

Inscription No, 3.

Inscription in Kufio on tho upper portion of the framing of theso-called " Gates of Somnath," once forming the portals of tho Tombof Mnhnitid, at Ghaznl :?

JJyJl J^WI j??W


26/72


MUHAMMAD BIN MAHMUD.

The throo novel accessions to tho heretofore uniquo specimen of the

coinngo of Muhammad bin Mahmud, apart from their claims on tho

ground of numismatic rarity, descrvo attention for tho several itemsof historic intorcst which

thoy exemplify bytho tenor of their

legends.Tho first in ordor, No. 17, Avill be scon to bo dated iu a.ii. 414,

and presents tho peculiarityof an. apparent fabrication from ono of

Mahin(id's own roverso dies, associated Avith an obverse engraved to

bear testimony to Muhammad's local kingship, and to display tho

mint-impress of Juzjdu, tho Government specially assigned to him byhis father shortly after

a.ii. 4061. Mr. Masson's collection bad pre

viouslycontributed a somowhat

parallel piece,in the

jointnames of

Mahmud and his son Masaud, tho illustrative valuo hoAvover of AvhichAvas considerably diminished by tho obliteration of both dato and placoof mintage3. Tho present exemplar, supported as it is by No. 18,

definitively sIioavs that theso young princes, in addition to tho other

insiguia of royalty somowhat guardedly apportionedto them, avc re

both permitted to oxorciso, under duo restrictions, tho privilege so

highly prized among Oriental nations, of coining money*.

1This nomination is deposed to in his brother Masauds own words:?

.U jA\jJJ \&)? ^^S J \*1 *]/* ^-î ^J 3MS- Tdrikh-i-Masaodl.

I obscrvo that Muhammad was at his scat of government at tho moment of hisfather's death. One copy of the Masandi Inserts tho following passago to this

purport, aftor tho word jJujîn the extract already given from a less perfect

MS., at p. 331, vol. ix. lino 4, note 1 :?

# # iXXXAJ XL? U^sT jj j Jubjui"^ J^jÛ^jÎ

\j^^j^.2 Sec Journal, vol. Ix p. 312.

8 The jealousy existing between these twin brothers, as well as the subject of

Oriental pomps and ceremonies, is amusingly illustrated iu the following speechof MasaQd:?

UÂj SJji U f liyLu^Jc^mssT'

t^jllj- &J*\) U dJulr^ jj\j) j

;l^b j J^V.^ J (>jA J. ) lS) A> *& I-fcUJ^ b /*^


27/72

164 ON THE COINSOF THE

Tho second specimen, in seeming order of timo, for tho dato is not

fully preserved1, iu liko mannor bears thoconjoint designations

of fatherand son ; but in this instance, tho former's titles of honour aro alto

gether omitted, as was tho caso in many of his own later currencies of

northern fabric2, and otherwise the coin has tho appearance of thoconsistent design attending a serial curreucy, as contrasted with tho

hasty combination to bo detected in tho earlier piece. Tho namo oftho placo of mintage is, in this caso, singularly woli defined, roadiiig

obviously .yJUU Wdwdlin,a city regarding which I havo elsewhere

entered into minute enquiries3, but whoso exact position it is difficultto fix, owing to -intermediate changes of urban sites and attendant

modifications of nomenclature ; it will bo enough to indicate that itavus situated between Khuluui and Tulikdn, somewhere near tho

modern Kunduz.

No. 19, in its own degree, illustrates another section of tho annalsof its day, in tho insertion of tho namo of Ahmad, under tho usualArab form of surname4, whore tho father's designation is derived back

from the son. Hero Muhammad is found calling himsolf j^rvl *j"

tho father of Ahmad0," tho son under avIioso guidauco ho had

eventually, in tho days of his blindness, to rule tho kingdom onco

again restored to him on tho deposition of his brother Mnsaiid.

1There arc traces only of tho commencement of tho unit number (v\>-l)I adopt 421 a.h. as the more probable date, in preference to 411 a.h.

s Nos. 60, 53, Old Scries, and No. 21. New Scries, p. 160.3 Sec Journal, ix. p. 316; also geographical notes immediately following the

Table of dates, infra.4

A'ju^ "ft patronymic, or a filionymic."B The legible legends on coin No. 19 now enable me to explain tho imperfectly

formed nionogranimatic heading on the revcrso of Coin LVII., which proves to

be the identical designation of tX*>. 1y \


28/72

KINGS OF QHAZNI. 165

No. 17?(To prccodo No. LVH.,Old

Scries, Journal, ix. 334).

Silver. Weight 30*0 gr. Jrizjan, a.h. [4J14. Unique.?Colonel T. Bwih.

Plate, No. 6.

Rev. I Obv.

? & ?J^^

*aua I jjl

Obverso Margin. # # Aiu ?_Jiii i^l^TJ j^t p&?

Reverse Margin. Surah, xxx. 4, 6.

See coin of similar character, with the joint names of Mahmud and Mtaud,

No. xxi. p. 312, Jour. R. A. S., Vol. ix.

No. 18.

Silver. Weight 60 gr. Wfiwalin.'Unique?Colonel

Bush. Plate,fig.

7.

Rbv. I Obv.

^_a_&_* *_U1 SI a_Jl 21

4-1-II Jj_m>j CA-^-iS *J>-^j

j?Jl-^J\

^j^-lx aJJLj jjL.ilJl fj^\^ji a&j^\\&$j

. .

Reverse Margin. _u (J^^J^ c/V. tV**.fct ^? ? Su h xxx. 4, 6.

? Sec note on this mint Jour R A S ix 310 aud and also the


29/72


30/72

KINGS OF GHAZNI.67

MASAUD.

No. 20?(To follow No. LVHI.)

Gold. Weight gr.?Mr, Bardoe Elliot, lato Bengal Civil Service.

Rev. I Obv.

*dj\..._>o ._*>lj n

...T"

i- .1 J ^ ^V* * ***j I

Obverse Margins. Int. illegible. Kxt. usual formula.

Reverse Margin as usual. Surah, Ix. 33; and lxi. 9.

No, 21.

Gold. Weight 57 gr. Ghazni. a.u. 423. Unique.?Colonel Stacy.

Rev. I Obv.


31/72

168 ON TUB COINS OF THE

No. 22.

Gold. Weight 64 gr. Ghaznl. a.h. 423. Unique?Colonel Stacy.

Rbv. I Obv.


32/72


No. 23 a.

Mr. Bardoo Elliot has a coin of this type, dated Ghazni, A.u. 427.

Thero is a marked modification in tho forms of tho letters consti

tuting the legends of theso coins as contrasted with the stylo ofcharactor in ordinary uso. Tho chango from the stiff and formaloutlines of tho Kufio in No. 22, to tho moro flWing Persian writingin No. 23, is most

striking,and

possiblyillustrates cither Masaud's

own Persian predilections, or mayhap tho decline of tho supremacy of

tho Arabic tongue, somewhat irregularly used as the Court language.Wo loarn, indeed, from Baihaki, that in a.ii. 422-3, Masaud's ministers

had somo difficulty in corresponding, and still more difficulty inverbal communication, with tho Court of Baghdad.1

No.24-(No. lxi.,

OldScries, Journal, p. 338).

Silver. Broken Coin. Balkh, a.h. (4)22.?Colonel Stacy.

No. 25?(Variety of No. LXVIL, Old Scries, Journal, p. 340).

Silver. Weight 53 gr.?Colonel T. Bush.

Obverso and Reverse trilincar legends as in the original type, No. 67, Old

Scries. Tho word


33/72

170 ON THE COINS OF THK

of tho adjacent country.1 In addition to this, it appeared, during thocourse- of tho enquiry regarding tho precis? locality of tho seat of

government of tho Hindu?or, as the early Moslem writers havedesignated it, tho Brahman ?dynasty, that tho sovereigns of this race

had ceased to reside at tho old capital so early as tho commencementof tho fourth century, a.m.2 Whether they subsequently returned for

a brief space, or merely visited tho reveredsito for the requisite pur

poses of inauguration (which the canon declared could not rightly hoeffected clsowltcro3) wo need not now pause to decide. It will hosuflicient to conclude that in thoir migrations eastward, they carried

with them tho conventional dies of tho kingdom, and continued tocoin money after the same stamp, if not even in the name of the most

prominent monarch of their race4, until tho growing power of the

Mohammedans drove them towards the Sutlego, and oven tho Labor

coinage yielded to Kufio influences8; while the original Bull and Horseman device, with its legends in the local character, took refuge, thoughbut for a brief season, iu Delhi and Ajmir.

The novelties I am about to describe, however, form tho earliest

specimens extant of the adaptation by the Mohammedans of tho local

money of the Hindus, in tho full acceptance of tho prevailingidolatrous symbols,?a concession they

were seemingly unwilling to

make in the first instance, when thoy adopted only tho weights and

standard of tho currency of Kabul, in tho issues from tho Forwan mint6.The new pieces will bo scon to havo been produced from designs but

little changed from tho earlier stylo of tho money of tho Brahman

kings, and retainthe

dynastic7titlo of

^\ *J^R?rT ^[%"Sri Samanta

1Jour., ix. p. 282.

?Jour., p. 280.

3Jour., ix. p. 204, foot note.

ACoins of the Kings of Kabul, Jour. R.A.S., ix. 177-5

Journal, ix. 349.6

Journal, ix. p. 303. Coins 2, &c. See also general remarkson the subject,

p. 280, ibid.7 As I havo lately had occasion to review the dynastic bearing of this name in

connection with the employment of another title on one of tho numerous offshoots from

the standard typoof

coin,I

mayns well extract

myobservations on the

subject:?" I do not know that there are any more exclusively Iliudtl novelties in this sec

tion of numismatics that I can usefully refer to; but, before I leave the subject, I

may be permitted to make somo observations in reference to an original suggestion

of my own, that the t?(\ ^Ti|^?on the reverso of the immediately succeeding

Moslem coins, avos designed to convey tho title of the spiritual representative of tho

Arabian Prophet on earth, embodied for the time being in tho Khalif of Baghdad.Sir II. M. Elliot, placing himself under the guidance of Captain Cunningham, has

contested this inference (Elliot's Muhammaduu Historians of India 152 ) I


34/72

KINGS OF GHAZNL 1 71

Dova" on tho obverse, over the figure of the recumbent bull; whileon the roverso, in front of tho horseman, are introduced, in Kufic

letters, the names severally of Muhammad aud Masaud. I havereserved tho more extended notice of the sole exemplar of this mintagepertaining to the former sultan, which is in bad preservation, till Icould illustrate it by the more perfect specimen bearing the name ofhis brother mid successor, a wood-cut of the reverse

of which I now insert. Both theso coins aro in the/^jjSlfcv

possession of Mr. E. C. Bnylcy, Bengal Civil Service. jSB^^SwTho cut ns it now appears was engraved for Mr.

\yg?%jz#ffAustin's edition of Prinsop's Essays1, and has been ^tj&5^obligingly placed at my disposal for uso on tho presentoccasion.

Having exhausted the newly discovered coins of Masaud, I follow

further independent evidence, that my opponentu could not then cite against me, intho association of this title with the names of the early Sultans of Dihli in tho

Palam Inscription (a. 1333, Vikramaditya); but on tho other hand, I cau claim a

still more definitive support iu an item of testimony contributed by the consecutive

6uite of tho selfsame fabric of coins, where the ^


35/72


tho arrangement adopted iu tho case of Mahmud, and appond, iu

further illustration of tho reign of tho former, the incoinploto inscrip

tion from tho solitary metropolitan monument associated with hisname, that appears to havo escaped tho exterminating vongcauco ofA'hi ud din Jchansoz1.

The Mimi ids nt Glmznf, from a Sketch hy G. .1.Vi??iic, Ksq.

Feiyusson*s Handbook of Architecture, p. 115, vol. I.

On this occasion?thanks to Mr. Ferguson's liberality?I am


36/72

KINGSOF GHAZNL 173

whose eurfaco the Kufio legend is raised?an engraving, it may bo

added, which is further valuable, as being tho only satisfactory representation wo havo of any of tho buildings in or around tho ancient

capital of tho family of Subuktagin.

Mr.Fergusson gives the following note on theso buildings:?"Two minarets

still adorn tho plain outs'do tho city, and form, if not the most striking, at least

tho most prominent of tho ruins of that city. Neither of themwere ever attached

to any mosques; they are, indeed, pillars of victory, or Jaya Sthambas, like thoso

in India.* * * The lower part of these towers is of a star-like form, tho

plan being apparently that of two squares placed diagonally theone over the

other;the upper part, rising to the height of about 140 feet from the ground, is circular,

both are of brickwork, crowned with ornaments of terra-cotta of extreme elabora

tion and beauty, and retaining its sharpness to tho present day.*'?Handbook,i. 414.

Inscription No. 4.

"Copy in tho Suls character of tho Kufio Inscription on tho

Minarot nearest tho town of Ghazni."

^'iS l-j^sjclMU &\\ ^j^l


37/72

174 ON TUB COINS OF THIS

As next in authenticity to tho more enduring record of titles on

coins, and as corrective to a certain extent of the imperfectly decipherable inscription on his sole architectural monument, I copy from thoofficial documents preserved in tho text of Al Baihaki tho folloAving

heading of the original Arabic li. j^c, agreed to by Masartd in

A.n. 4231, which gives a full detail of his recognised titles at that

period, as well as a briof recapitulation of thoso of his deceasedfather:?

Commencementof

the[u A^c

^Jy* d*~>


38/72

KINGS OP GHAZNI. 1 75

In my first article on tho Coins of tho Kings of Ghazni, I extractedfrom tho Arabic text of Abul Fidd, a list of Masaud's territorial possessions (Jour., ix. p. 342). For the purposes of immediate comparison,I may, porhaps, fitly claim the limited amount of space needed for thointroduction of tho Latin translation of tho original by Beisk, whichhas not previously been given. Tho Oriental author, in summarizingthe events of tho year a.ii. 432, concludes his notice of Masaud's rule

to tho effect:?

" Erat cnim Masud vir oxcolloi.tium virtutuin, egrcgio boncficus in egenos;.

..

maxiinus ctiam eruditorum patronus, qui ad ipsum undecuuque confinebant, ciquo suos lihros inscrihebant. Ipso littcras pingchat clauganter, et late

rcgnavcrat multaquo cum gloria, Isfahantc dominus, et Haioc, Tabarestaiuc, Oor

ganuo, cctertequo Chorasanto, Chovareziniro, Arraiuo1, Mocrame,Ken?ame, Segestamu, Sendico, Ilocchagi, Ghaznro, Gori, terra mariquo impostor."?(Abul Fida,iii. 113.)

1M. Defrrfmery proposes to correct the original text of ..?j\ Jjta Into

i.\ jj\ t)ib> the Zamin dtfwar, on tho Hehnund, of the present day. As the MS.

of Ibn Athir and Ibn Khaldun, cited in support of this rectification, seem to beconchifiivo on tho point, otherwise sufficiently reasonable in itself, I readily concurin the substitution.

M. Dcfromcry, iu the same article (a critiquo on my previous paper on the

Kings of Ghaznf, iu the Paris "Revue Numismatiquc" for 1849, p. 230.), while

adding much valuable information from independent sources, takes further occasion to amend certain readings and omissions of mine. I may as well, therefore,advert to them all seriatim in this place.

The firstobjection

taken(at p. 23C),

is tomy retention

ofthe negative prefix

in tho word a Alii, iu the passage extracted from tho Tttrikh Guzfdah,under note 1, p. 272, Journal, vol. ix. M. Defrdmery has so much of justificationfor this somewhat gratuitous emendation, that one copy of the work in question, intho E.I.II. library (No. 100), docs omit this initial nun, and it is possible thatthe Paris M.S. he had occasion to consult was equally deficient in the single dot,

which constitutes so often au important element in Persian writing I was fullyaware at the time I made my quotation, of tho variation between the two MSS.,and I deliberately and intentionally selected an inferior and infinitely worse

engrossedMS.

(E.l.TI.,No.

fit ))as

myavowod

authority,because that

copy mndosenso of the passage and the other did not. If I could havo any doubt remairiin^on this merely critical issue (for I seo M. DcfrCmery coincides with me in theultimate interpretation) it would have been completely set at rest by the text oftho rtauzat-UB-Safa*, which is phrased in a nearly similar manner, and which Ialluded to without thinking it necessary, either then or now, to reproduco inconfirmation of so obvious a meaning.

The next rectification concerns a more positive error of my own, which I amat a loss to account for, except on the supposition of insufficieut reference to thetext whose g l t I was b d i g in the current evidence to a


39/72


The enumeration must, of courso, bo held to represent Masaud's

dominionsonly

asthey

stood at theheight

of hispower.

In later

years his varying fortunes stript him of many of his richest provinces;but it may be useful to quote, as indicativo of tho spirit of tho timo,and tho tendency of Oriental assumption, tho long list of kingdoms,somo of which he had aA'Owodly yet to conquer, claimed by him underan oxpected patent of tho Khalif on tho elevation of Alkdlm Beamrillahiu a.ii. 422-3. Baihaki exemplifies theso demands in tho followingterms :?

Ate? j uIa*AjIj j Jjjj^J j fjA^ 3 u^lr5" *îr* *fi

jljuiS ^ X*jj j ^bjbJJ j jjiUr>- j i^j^^T 3 j****>

ÛUao j J^=r ) \Jj } \d^^4& 3 ÎaAjIj j [J[?* 3

{J*+J> &*? ÎwJws L-^JV^- j\ U JJbJ ^JjyLiO j # #

# # # ÛU ?A*aJ


40/72


41/72


IBRAHIM.

No. 29?(To follow No. CIX., Old Series, Journal, p. 858).

Silver. Weight 48 gr.?Colonel Stacy.

Rbv. Obv.

o r* oaJJ

CX_)_11 *-L?^.b ^till

Margins illegible.

No. 80?(Variety of No. CXlV., Old Scries, p. SCO).

Silver. Weight 20 gr.?Colonel T. Bush.

Obverse, *?bji\ *JjdJ'^J*??


42/72


No. 33.

Silver. Size 1. Weight 5 gr.?Masson (A'././/.)

Obverse as No. 32. (No margin.)

Reverse. aA^jI


43/72

180 ON THE COINS OP THlfi

No. 36-(To follow No. OXXXiX., Old Series, p. 309).

Copper. Size 3. Weight 40 gr. Unique.?Col.T. Bush.. Plate, fig. 8.

Obverse. Central Area. The Seal of Solomon within a circle.

Margin illegible.

Reverse. Central Area as in obverse, slightly altered.

Margin. Ayu^*t\A*M>*j\ *ia?^ ^\LLd\

No. 37.

Copper. Size 4J. Weight 48 gr.?Col. T. Bush.

Rev. Square Area. I bv. Square Area.

Obverse Margin.


44/72


Translation.

"It is related that when Yamin-ud-dowlah occupied the thronoand the vigour of his Government extended over many countries, and

the rigour of his administration reached idolaters and their temples; tho

cunning men of Hind exercised their ingenuity, and devised a scheme

(of deception). First, they put forth a dirham of just standard andfull (intrinsic) valuo; whon, after somo time, this coinage1 obtainedfree circulation, merchants came from Muhammadan countries and

bought it up, and carried it into Khorasan2. When the schemers saw

that the currency Avasfirmly

established andreadily

receivedby

all?

then, by degrees, they debased the standard,; tho merchants (still)continued to trade in the silver, without being aware of the (existenceor) extent of the depreciation. From all parts they brought gold andsilver to Hindustan, and, in return, obtained3 copper and brass; and

in this way a largo amount of the wealth of tho Muhammadans was

draAvn to Hindustan. When tho evil extended beyond bounds, andA'la ud-dowlah sat ou tho throne, he turned his attention towards its

correction,and took counsel with his

nobles4,as to tho means

Avherebyit Avas to be remedied. They all advised that tho debased moneyshould bo called in, and the amount replaced by legitimate coin.

Aid-ud-dowlah accordingly ordered that they should issue millions

of dirhams8 from his treasury and take them to the mint, to be

expended in the relief of*

the servants of the Lord* (the Moslems),so that his own good namo might bo diffused over all parts of tho

world0."

(without dato), once iu the library of Haujit Sing; and, 3rd, au old large-papercopy, tho property of II. T. Prinsep. Esq.

1fJuU^-

is the word used in my MS. It does not, however, appear in either

Sir II. M. Elliot's copy or that of Mr. H. T. Prinsep. The Jital or Chital is ameasure of value of special currency in the Delhi scries, at which capital our

author wrote during tho reign of Altamsh (a.u. u'07?fi33). See remarks on

''Jitals," in my "Supplementary Contributions to the Coins of the Pathau Sultansof Hindustan," printed at Delhi in 11151, p. 30, and Reprint in the London''Numismatic Chronicle," vol. xv. p. 154.

2 The text in my copy of ".Mini* al Hikayat" is :?

^^[^ ^oo^- ^4 \y\* ju^,*T^? ^LiKIjIj j\ \*)fj

Tho parage is not so fully given in Mr. Prinsep's MS. ^*V ?1 -jb \l^s*s


45/72


46/72


BAHRAM SHAH.1

No. 39.?(To follow No. CXLVL, Old Series, Journal, vol. ix. p. 371.)

Silver. Size 14. Weight 7 gr, (damaged coix\).-~Maaaon (E. /. U.)

Obverse c, JisjH^lkL-jJ\

Iteversc. c ^ b\?v*\jtf Ja_?^t ^ILLJIOrnamental Margins.

1 I do not definitively assign the coin from which the subjoined legends are

taken to Bahrfim Shah, for several reasons, without, however, having much doubt

of its having issued from his mint. It will beseen

that the legendsare

very irn

porfect. The first title of dLjJl j.t^iJis most crudely formed; the second,

*aaa)i*A is not used ou his other coins; aud, finally, his name is only conjecturally

deciphered.As regards the obverse surface, the designation.of tho Khalif creates no diffi

culty, but the absence of the name of Sanjar, whilo suggesting a grave doubt as tothe due attribution of this piece, in itself constitutes its interest in the question it

gives rise to, as to whether it may not have been struck during a period when

Bahrain had temporarily failed in his atlegiauco to that potentate.

No. 39 a.

Silver. Weight gr.?Masson (JU.lI.)

IIkv. Obv.

_JL.lt >-A ?Wj^ Juitf

Margins filled in with dots.


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General Table ofMint Cities and combined Dates deciphered on theCoins of the Ghaznavis.

Kings. Mint Cities. Dates.

Alptagin.. Anderabeh ., a.h. 347, No. I1.

Bulkatagiu .. Ghazni .. A.n. 359, No. 1, N.S.

Bnjkh .. .. a.h. 324, note, p. 143, N.S.

Subuktagin.. Ferwau .. a.h. 380, No. 2; 382, No. 3;

383, No. 4; 384, No. 5.

Mahmud .. Balkh .. .. a.h. 411, No. 40; 412, No. 45;421, No. 51.

Ghazni .. a.h. 395, No. 25, and No. 10,

N.S.; 399, No. 27; 401,No. 36; 405, No. 54, andNo. 1G, N.S. ; 406, Frrchii;

411, Nos. 13,44; 414,No.7?,

N.S.; 415, No. 7, N.S.

Hirat.a.h. 395, No. 14 ; 401, No. 15 ;411,No.l6; 413, No. 17,and

No. 6, N.S.; 414, No. 18.

Nishapur. . a.h. 385, No. 8 ; 386, M. Soret

(p. 379. Journal); 390, Nos. 9,10; 399, No. 26, and No. 4,

N.S. ; 400, No. 11 ; 401,Nos. 12, 13; 403, No. 5, N.S.;

405, No. 8, N.S.; 407, No. 19;

409, No. 20; 413, Frrchn;414, No. 41; 421, No. 9,N.S.

Sejestan.. a.h. ? No. 48'.

Wawaliu .. a.ii. ? No. 29.

Bukhara .. a.ii. 412, Frrohn.

1The simple numbers refer to the old series in the Journal for 1^48; the

numbers in this paper arc distinguished by tho addition of tho letters'N.S.*

Simple dates whero unaccompanied by mint identifications aro omitted from this

list?excepting only in certain instances, whero even in default of tho definitename of the locality, tho typical peculiarities of the coin itself authorize its legiti


48/72


49/72


GEOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY.

B Ferwdn, as it is written, or Parwdn, as it is indigenously pronounced.?In addition to the copious references by writers of various

epochs embodied in tho note at p. 297, Arol. ix., J.R.A.S., it may bo

interesting to complete tho more ancient notices of this toAvn as traced

by M. St. Martin, from tho data afforded by Ptolemy." Nous retrouvons ici Kapisa, et Kahoura (appolde aussi Ortospana) qui nous

Bout deja connues. Parml lcs autres localitls Cnumdrdes, il en est encoro uu cortain

uombrc quo nous pouvons identifier d*une nmnicte au moins trcs-probabto, graconux details que les rdecntes explorations Anglaises nous out procures surla topo

graphic de co canton, llapaidpa, au pied meine du Paropanisus, ot dans la partiola plus haute du pays vers le nord, est iudubitablemeiit Parouan, a la tcte de la

vallde de Peudjchir, non loin do la passe de KhdvAk, qui ddbouche au nord sur la

vallee d'Anddrdb. Au-dcssous de Parouan, dans la mdmo vallde, un lieu du uom

de Bazarak, ou il y a des vestiges d'antiquitd, nous indiquc le site do Uarzaura,llapKavoa. Nous retrouvons dgalemcnt HaCopava dans Parvan, lieu notable du

memo, canton, situd dans le douab que formcut lcs rividrcs do Peudjchir et do

OhoArbend, et qui donno son nom a uuc des passes do PBindoii-koh. Parwan, commo

Bazarak, garde lcs traces d'un site aiicicn." fctudo sur la Gdogrnphio Grecquo etLatino de PIndc, Paris (M5H) p. 07.

For later notices of this site, see also Kanun-i-Masaddf JlJo J** i^Uj*and Ibn Batoutah, Paris edit., vol. iii. p. 87.

H Wdwdlin.?In my earlier paper I had assembled under onovieAv a series of extracts illustrative of tho nomenclature and true

position of this mint. Though in default of any Arery definite ortho

graphy on tho then available coins, added to tbe discrepancies to bodetected in the method of expressing tho namo in tho geographical

MSS. of the period, I was compelled to leave tho determination ofthe site a someAvhat open question, and even to offer for considera

tion two alternative readings and attributions, which had other data

to recommend them.

The Avritingon coin No. 17, N. S. now enables mo to revert with

more confidence to tho identification first proposed, and in spito ofstill existing variations in tho spelling of tho namo on tho diflerent

pieces, to associate it Avith .^jJLu?tho favourite orthography in tho

most authentic MSS.1?and which may be taken to represent a city of


50/72


some importance, not far removed from the position of the modern

Kundiiz1, which, in the process of time and intermediate changesof si to, may be assumed to havo eventually replaced the older city as

the district metropolis.L Mahmtidmr.?The reading of the name of this mint as ^ j?^^Vo

isso purely conjectural, that I refrain from speculating at any length uponits correctness, further than pausing a moment to justify the proposedtermination, which, though unusual, is not by any means improbable ;as instances occur of a somewhat similar combination in tho earlier

nomenclature of a town not very distantly removed from the possiblesito hero indicated, whcro the capital of Karman is defined in the old

Pehlvi as XaJJ^TM=

^aJI?^. It js true that this form alternates

withyo-6)^

=kJ^*? yo^^j

?^L^5 and \r6fjyOj

=

L^vif'Lo^ (asit is dubiously figured), but I suppose the meaning of

tho three leading terms to be identical, as referring to the provincialcapital, to the first of which the moro definite addition of ^ would

scarcely ho inappropriate. Seo Jour. R.A.S., xiii. 40 J, PI. i.

M Juzjan.?The mint which figures under the Arabic form of thonamo of

il\>-\^>'iindicates tho ihen capital of tho subdivision of tho

province of Khorastfn, known locally as ,.^u? or \j^\?. The designation is familiar to us from tho days of tho early Arab conquest2, when

1 See note upon Kiutdti/.. M. St. Martin, Mem. Aiiulytiquc (Hioucn Thsang),ii. p. 233.

Major Cunninghamid ntifies the O-li-ni of Huen

Thsangwith the

Valfu of the Arab geographers (J.A.S.B., xvii. 54). M. St. Martin is not satisfied with the conclusiveness of this assignment (Mem. Anal., p. 420).

y2 Seo Journal It. A. S., xii. p. 290. Tabari here notices it in association

with Mcrvalrud and Talakan. It is indifferently written as \>}&)&or

ijtata \&*The govcriiiucnt is also prominently mentioned by tho samo author so early asA.u. 31 (a.u. U5J-2.) on A*bdullah bin A'mar's rcconqucst, when the new distribution of A'mar's lieutenancies on this occasion is detailed as follows j?

Jo- \j u?XziA) j ^Sj^ji b^V^ (^ *?S^^ 3 \J^j? 3 f^J. ^

Huen Thsang, who visited theso countries at a still earlier period (Circa,A.u. 030.) refers to the province of Jilzjan; though the details and particulars ofits then existing government furnished to his biographers have not been preservedto us, the following is M. St. Martin's note on the subject:?

" P d t son a Hio en it i


51/72

188 ON THE COINS OF T11K

the dependency seems to have been held in higher consideration than itretained in after times. I now recognise its denomination iu tho Pehlvi

form of yoA^jA=

^J?ji?> whichoccurs on the coius of U'baidullah

bin Ziad of the year a ii. G3l. Tho Arab geographers of proximatedate to tho Ghaznavi dynasty refer only irregularly to the locality,but from their statements we gather the names of tho principal towns,

which sufiiciently determine tho general position of the province. Ofthe leading cities the modern maps still display the representativesof Maiinunah and Shibbergdn, and the ancient positions of Talakmi

and Fdridb are sufficiently determined ; the smaller urban subdivisionsare more difficult to define. Albiruni'a list embraces the followinglocalities, to which I have appended the latitudes and longitudes as

given, under the Arab system, in tho text of his Ktinun.'

1. J^U\^ ^LlJ (34?

30'? 88? 40').2.

J^\U\ (34?55' ? 88* 25').

3. ,US\ (36? 45'?. 89? 20').

vint a leur conr. II so rendit, quoiquc a regret, a ces invitations honorablcs, et cc

fut pour lui line occasion de rectieiller sur ces pays des renseignements qu'il a

consignds dans ses Mdinoires (Hoci-li les a stipprimcs). Jou'i-mo-tho dtait un petitpays . . . situ6 dans la montagne, vers le sud-ouest do llalkh; Hou-chi-kien,dtat beaucoup plus important (000 li de Pest a Poucst, 1000 li du sud au nord),dtait au siubouest de Joui-mo*tho. . . ,

" Hou-chi-kien nousparait

devoir sorapportcr

au district doDjouzdjAn (iimii

que les Persans prononcentaussi Djouzkun), eutrc Balklt et le district do Merou-er

roud. On peut voir les Iclaircisscmcnts instructifs que Silvestrc de Sacy a donnds

sur le nom et la situation de cc district dans son (Mdmoiro sur deux provinces dc

la Pcrsc orientale.* (Tird des Mines d'Orient et rdproduit dans les Aunalcs des

Voyages, 1313). Nous no trouvons ni dans lcs autcurs Musulmniis, ni dans lcs

sources plus inodoriies, aucuuo indication qui nous puisso fouruir la syiionymie du

nom de JouY-ino-tho."?St. Martin, I\ldm. Aualytiquc; Hiouen Thsang, ii. 239.

Sec also Ilistoire dela vie do Hioucn TliPaug (Stanislas Julien), Paris, 1K53, p. 07.1 See Coin No. 14, p. 291, vol. xii. J. R. A. S.; and also mint No. (55, p. 404,

and Plate I. No. u, Vol. xiii.2 These figures with nil their imperfections should be reasonably valid inter se,

I may note that Mervaln'id is placed in 343 30'?00? 40'; Ditmiifii in 34? 55'?

92? fiO't and Balkh in 30? 41'-91? 5'.3 The Mirdsid id Ittilft has the following note on Juzjani?

Jcy J3M ^ 3 J\)\ *u a^t, UjbJ^-jyr 3 u^jyrl^Lv^ji) tau % A> %?))\*j+ fj^J J j$ ^

&*~?\j ij\


52/72


53/72

190 ON THIS COINS OF THE

APPENDIX.

GHOIU DYNASTY.

In introducing tho following detached notices of tho coins of thoGhorl and other dynasties, immediately succeeding tho Ghaznavis, Ihavo prepared for the better illustration of tho extant examples ofthese more than ordinarily raro local currencies, a full list of tho

kings and sub-kings of tho diiforent branches of the Ghori race, whoruled severally at Firoz-koh, Ghazni, and Biimian.

The series of these names and titles havo been extracted from tho

Tnbakat-i-Nrfsiri, a world have previously had occasion to commend,but which, iu this section of its history, is far less complete and lucidthan I could have desired.1 The lists of designations havo boon retainedin their original Oriental form, with a view to tho moro ready identification of tho corresponding nomenclature iu the legends of tho coins.

Notwithstanding that tho statement of tho family successions andthe geographical distribution of tho scvoral kingdoms is somewhat

complicated and involved, I havo considered it best to follow the textof iny authority, even in its defective integrity; endeavouring at tho

same timo to connect and systoinizo, in some measure, tho original

arrangement?which adheres neither to tho order of timo nor to tho

division of kingdoms?by interpolating additional letter references tothe names of the monarchs who often figuro in two or more of my

author's dotached lists ; adding to the whole a running comnicnturyiu tho form of foot notes, corresponding to the numbors iu tho leadingseries of names.

1 Iii addition to the Persian textof two MSS. of this work (No, 1952, E.I.II., andNo. 12, It.A.S.), I have availed myself of M. Dorn's translation of this division ofMirchond's Rausat-as-Safa, appended to the history of tho Afghans (London,O. T, Fund, 1829), and M. do Frdmery's Histoiro des Sultans Ghourides, from

h


54/72


Table I.?Ffnoz-K6iL

Names. Titles.

No. 1.i^Jl* ^ J^y

(Interval.)

(Interval.)

7.(jwLs ^

iXk^L*

8*(J"V^ M^*0" ? (*tf,^\ L-Aa3

Notes to the Series of Kings,

1. Contemporary of Abu* Moslim, who was Governor of Khorasan from a.u. 129to 137. (Hamza Isfahanf, p. 172.)

2. This namo is doubtful. MS. E.I. II. gives it indifferently ?Cl|and

^s^j

Elliot quoting the Jahau kt&, makes it i^ljlf) ^ .^sXk)Ho seems to

have been a contemporary of Hardn Alrashid's. (a.ii. 170 to 193.)3. Our author acknowledges difficulties about this portion of his history, aud

after adverting to tho disadvantages of writing at Delhi, at a distance from localsources of information, ho concludes

?

cTwta o yis. ta>-j ^\J&k) j\ *Jc*T Jj j J Jy XdJ* JL>ta>- ^-i ^jtal^o4. A contemporary of Mahmdd of Ghazni, imprisoned and killed by the latter.

Rauzat-us-Saut, Do F. p. 17. Dorn's Hist. Afghans, pp. 77, 7?, and 81.

5. Under Mahmdd, displaced by No. 6. during Masadd's reign. Mirkhondomits Nos. 5, 6, 7, and quotes authors who make Hasan, No. 8, succeed directly to

Muhammad bin Sdri, whoso son ho is reported to have been. Mirkhond properlypoints out the suspicion attaching to this statement. Defr&ncry, p. 18. Dom, 82.

6. Shish was the son of Muhammad bin Suri, No. 4. A'bbris wasd h


55/72

192 ON THE COINS OF THR

Names. Titles.

0. I have retained the orthography of theso names as given by tho author from

whom I quote, though I am able to set him right iu tho truo designation of the

father of A')rf-ud-din Jaha'nsoz. Tho attempted determination of this point, as

well as the doubtexisting

as to AMA-itd-dfnVi ownname,

hasgiven

rise to much

debate and discussion among Oriental writers (Dom quoting Mirchond, p. 83?

De FrGmery, citing various authorities, p. 20). The coiu of Fakr-ud-dfu Masatid

(No. 51, infra) distinctly proves that tho father of the seven brothers was called

"Hasan/' and not "Husain." Minhaj bin Siraj quotes tho following tabular form

of the territorial possessions assigned to tho seven sons of A'iz-ttd-dut HasAU:?

Name.ank* Kingdom.

A 12. ,Mj?U^ji\ C-Af* CAL> I J^J ijt,^

C 13. \x> ..tî ? lsO-i>?

jy?. j {jjXojS*

I) 14.,j^*>- ij}^\

^ ÛaL** o)^^ 3 U^'O* )JFE 0a. x^Sjy ? I ^^xjji jjj?F 11. *L ^jJl l#

?jj?.

G 10. J^kÛ^tJuXil i^-JbJ

I ? I bjsjjjfJ j jj?.

Mirchond raises doubts as to tho relative positions of Siif-ud-din Suri and

Alfi-ucUdui Jehdnsoz (Do F. 24, 27. | Dorn, 03, 84.) Miri'iaj's expressions are

definite enough as to the former's succession to the supremacy amongtho brothers,

and Ibn Athfr (Def. 24, note) is distinct as to his independent action from the

time of his conquest of Ghazni, in Jumad ul Awal, a.v ?j43, up to his defeat aud

destruction by Hahrftm Shah in Muharr^m, a.h. f>44.

da. Saif-ud-din Suri (E.) succeeds bis father A'iz-ud-dinHasan (No. 9.), and

distributes tho local sovereignties among liis brothers; Ffrdz-kdh falls to the sharo

of wV^-iL* JjJl t^JaJf, who, in Miulutj's general list, is placed tonthin tho

X\Zs?.

order of succession, and a special series of accessions at Ffrdz-kdh is hereuponintroduced into tho body of the text in tho following order:?

1np ii t Is killed at Ghaznl by Bahrrfm Slifih. T. N.;1U -T'^^-^(jr ^'

C-îai alsoDeF. p. 18; and tho samo author (quotingIbn Athfr) p. 24. Dorn, p. 02.

11 F.Lwgu^\S\ ,jJ f

L> ^ ^ W'Accession at Flrdz-k6h, a.ii. C44. T.N.

, rt . ii i A Succeeds to the kingdom of Madfn and a portion12 A. J^jÛ ^JJ\ C_>lf4 ofGhdr.


56/72


Names. Titles.

14 D.

?

^ Jl l#

21. (Sou of No. 14.) ^\i* ^.}^\-

^\ 5b

22. (No. 18. lteaccession.) J^k^U _


57/72


Table II.?GiiaznI Puoi?mt.

Names. Titles.

1 ?.(jy^^r

~^.^ ^)

III.^U^UI ^jJI? ^

_cJjoJ\

U

IV- J^. - ^


58/72


trusted general, who, shortly after his master's decease, on two

occasions, expelled a scion of tho royal houso from tho imperialmetropolis. The anomalous position in which llduz found himself atthis juncture, may well explain his motive for resorting to a coinageof this description, iu preference to continuing tbe current styloavowing himself a slave1, committing himself prcmaturoly by an issuein his own independent name,

or compromising bis futuro freedom of

notion by tho definite recognition of a living superior whom he

designed to supersede.

Ihluz,it must bo remembered, avus still

virtuallya slave, as such

professing allegiance to his lato sovereign's nephew and heir, Ghids

ud-din Mahmud, but taking advantage of this pretended vassalago to

Avago Avar against the Bdmidn branch of tho Ghori family, avIio contested persovoringly tho possession of Ghazni. Tho time had not yetcomo whon ho could safely throAv off tho mask, and it was not until

tho final defeat of the sons of Baha-ud-din in a.ii. G03a, that bo at

length determined upon tho overt act of causing his own name to be

recited iu thepublic prayers3,

aproceeding

AvhichMahmdd was at themoment so little ablo to resent, that he shortly afterwards conceded thedesired manumission, and Avith it tho insignia of royalty, conveying tho

patent of Taj-ud-din's right to tho kingdom of Ghazni.

1 See Nos. 5 and 7, Old Series; also No. 42, infra.2 Ibn Athfr, among tlic events of a.h. 002, relates that when Ilduz got pos

session of Ghaznf from Ald-ud-dfn, he made a display of obedience to Ghiiis-ud

dfn, except that ho did not order the IChutbah to bo rend in his uame, or in anyone else's; but he had the Khutbah read for tho Khalif, and prayed for mercy on

Shahdb-ud-d(n (i.e. Muiz-ud-dfn) the Martyr?p. 145.On the subsequent occasion of tho capture of Ghazni from Ald-ud-dfn, in a.h. 003,

Ghlds-ud-dfn is 6tatcd to havo written to Ilduz to claim to have the Khutbah readin his name; on a repetition of this demand, Ilduz directed the Khatib to read the

Khutbah in his own name, after tho prayer for mercy on Shahdb-ud-dfn, p. 103.

Muihdj-us-Sirdj tells us that Muhammad bin Sdm's name was recited in the

public prayers iu the mosques at Delhi cveu unto the time when he himself wrote.8 No. 0, Old Series, bearing the inscription reproduced below, possibly illus

trates the earliest phaso of Tifj-ud-din's independent coinage, wherein ho alludes tohis

martyred lord,aud

stylushimself " the

great King,Sultdn of the

East,"&


59/72


60/72


61/72

If)8 ON THE COINSOF THE

XIX. MAHMUD BIN MUHAMMED.

The ordinary copper coins of this prince, with the squarely-formedArabic legends, and the Horseman in Toghra* roverso, aro not

uncommon ;l tho following types aro, howovor, raro, and hitherto

unpublished :?

No. 43.

Silver and Copper mixed. Size 2fc,?Lady Sales Collection.

Obverse. _ ?Ur. *i\ ^ALLuJl

Reverse. A rudoly executed figure of au Elephant. Margin filled in withdots.

No. 44.

A similar Coin.?Lady Sale's Collection.

Obverse.JycAs* ^S&_

,

No. 45.

Silver aud Copper. Size 3. Tdlakdu.?Colonel Stacy,

Obverse._y\ Jl^l ^ILLJl UU11L>

ltcvcrsc. The usual typo of the Ohori horseman.

1 See coins of the Pathan Sultaus of Dehli (London, 1847), p. 11. These

pieces bear a legend of


62/72


Table III.?Bamian Line.

l.B. (No 9-^.oJlj^) dyi^ ^oJl^-soi

4. (Son of No 3.) JL ^jj( JiL>Son of No 2. Jyi^ ^jJl 1c)

Interregnum AvhileNo. 4 is in captivity at Ghazni.)4. Beaccession of Jalal-ud-din A*li.

Notes.

No. 1. is stated to havo been established in the kingdom of Bamian by A'la-ud

din Johfuisdz after tho conquest of Ghanzi. On the first rise of GhiCis-ud-dfn,Fakr-ud-dfu aids him under the condition that all conquests in Khorasiin should

pertain to the former, while the acquisitions in Gh6r should fall to his own share.Tho ultimate extent of his dominions is thus summed up by MinhaJ-us-Siraj :?

\j ^liL^LkU? j Cmanother place ^IaJLj ?3 JU*u> JL^T uliOU^

^ Fakr-nd-dfn seems to have enjoyed a long reign; tho date of Ida death, however,is not mentioned.

2. Assign the Ghdrfs against Sultan Shah Khwarizmt at Rtidbar, and is elevatedto tho ranl< of :ultdn on the occasion, and endowed with the appropriate symbolof a black nn Ha. He further extended the boundaries of the kingdom, includingtho city of Hal- Sec. Neither tho length of his reign nor tho period of his deceaseare mentioned ?ugh the date of tho latter may be inferred from the history ofhis successor.

3. Mirkhond affirms that this prince reigned fourteen years. The Tabaka

Supplementary contributions to the series of the coins of the kings of Ghazní / by Edward Thomas

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Transcript of Supplementary contributions to the series of the coins of the kings of Ghazní / by Edward Thomas