On The Coins of The Kings of Ghazní / by Edward Thomas

267
Aut. IX.?On the Coins of the Kings of Ghazni. By Edward

Thomas, Esq., Bengal Civil Service.
[Read Mh March, 1847.]
T??r coins to which tho following notice refers form part of the
made now
extensive collection in Afghanistan by Mr. Massen, depo
sited in the Museum at tho India House. Amid the more important
relics of tbo Baotrian successor? of Alexander the Great, which con
stituted tho bulk of this attention was attracted

acquisition, slight
of a Mohammedan the events of
by the medals subsequent dynasty,
whoso rule were well known, and whose in itself
comparatively history
possessed none of the classic interest attaching to the survival of the
Greek monarchies in Central Asia. From this and other causes, Pro
fessorWilson, in his description of the antiquities of Ariana, which the

labours of Mr. Masson had placed at his command, but briefly referred
to the numismatic monuments of the race of Sabaktagin. Such being
tho case, and adverting both to the numerical amount of these coins
now and to tho limited number of medals of the
available, very
Glutztiavi cither or continental writers,
princes yet noticed, by English
it scented that an at a classification of these minor
probable attempt
antiquities might not be altogether devoid of interest.

In additiou to the assistance derived from the free use of the
treasures of tbo East India Cabinet, has been
Company's advantage
taken of the liberal access afforded to various public and
equally
numismatic collections, to fill iu some of the lacuna? in the
private
serial order of the moneys of Z?bulist?n; the aid thus obtained will be
found duly acknowledged in the detail of the coins themselves.
The eventful period of Mohammedan history comprised in the
rule of the the brilliant successes of the arms of
early Ghaznavis;
Islam under as well as the material
Mahniiid; encouragement given
to literature by tho potentates of the day, have rendered the rise of
this the tbcino of ho many Eastern authors, that in the fulness
dynasty
of their narrations but little remains to bo elucidated by collateral
means; and in the instance room is left for

though present scanty
founded on medals, these fulfil their more
speculation effectively
use of authentic and thus
legitimate archaeological verifying history,
the of the various writers on the
testing comparative accuracy subjects
whose works are now extant.
they illustrate,
If the coins of the Bcrics, unlike the medals of Greece and
present
ofler no rare no or imitations of animal life,
Home, devices, effigies
268 ON TUE COINS OF THE
which, in their boldness and truth of execution, claim homago for tho
perfection of ancient art; or if they fail in affording classic allegories,
and indirect references to customs and superstitious, suitable for tho
display of antiquarian ingenuity, they record what is of greater im
portance,?a far more circle of facts. If
proportiouately ample they
supply a more limited field for the exercise of the imagination, and
therefore furnish a less fascinating subject of study, they at the samo
time narrow tho possible departure from truth. In so doing they may
claim excuse for want of or
fairly symbolical sculptural characteristics,
as well as a lenient criticism on the artistic demerits, with which, it
must be conceded, the later of the scries abounds.
portion especially
Some few of tho will indeed stand
specimens early mintages
comparison with tho best works of art of their class, both in respect
to tho fineness of the lines, and tho
elegance and accuracy of the
Kufic and, taken as a even for the
legends; suite, allowing great
deterioration in execution observable under the less sultans
powerful
of the dynasty, the produce of tho Ghazni mint must be admitted to
have attained a high degree of excellence in tho order of Asiatic
of its age.
coinages
Before proceeding to a detail of tho to bo found on
inscriptions
tho coins, a few be alluded to as of moro
points may offering subjects
general interest than the simple historical illustration afforded by the
major part of the medals of this collection.
The opinion advanced Mohammedan authors1 that
by many
Sabn-ktagin* should be looked upon as tho first monarch of the Ghaz
navi race, is not horno out the record on his on the con
by money:
trary, however and have
powerful virtually independent they may
been, Sabaktagin, Ismail, and Mahiniid himself in tho early days of
his rise, all acknowledged the
supremacy of the S?m?n? emperors,
and duly inscribed on the currency struck
by themselves as local
governors, the name of the Lord under whom
Paramount, they held
dominion. It was not until the 389 A.n. that the
year House of
Ghazni assumed as which
independence sovereign princes, ovent is
marked on Mahiu?d's met?ais of tho
duly period, in tho of
rojection
the name of the Suzerain and tho addition
Sain?n?, of the prefix
Amir to his own titles. (See Coins, Nos. 9, 10, 23, &c.)
The numerous coins of Mahin?id, in their varied titular
superscrip
i Hist. Gaz.
Mircliond, cd. Wilkeii, p. 5; Kbal?sat al Akbb?r
(Pri?e), ii.
277; Ferisbtali (Dow), i. 21 and 22 ; (Briggs), i. 13 and 14.
Oj 3
? Or ?
Subuktikin, ^ fxXxXx^ ? a8 ?? j3 written in a MS.
carefully engrossed
of Utbi in the British Museum.
KINGS OF GHAZNI. 269
tions, mark most distinctly the progressive epochs of his eventful

career, commencing with the humble pr nomcn of
comparatively
Scif al daulah, bestowed on him
by N?h bin Mansiir in 384 A.n.,
proceeding onwards to the then usual S?m?n? titles of sovereignty,
?1 Amir, Al Syid, conjoined with the epithets of Yam?n al daulah,
and Amin al Millat, conferred on him
by the Khal?f Al K?dir billah,
next to the of Nizam al din, and the occasional
advancing appellation
prefix of the pompous designations of Malik al Mem?lik and Malik al
Muliik, and finally ending in tho disuse of all titular adjuncts, and the
simple inscription of the now truly celebrated name he had received at
his birth. (Ex gr,, vido Coins, Nos. 8, 9, 43, 44, 49, 53.)
Tho absence of any numismatic record of the title of Glmzi, said to
have been adopted by Mahmud on his return from some of his
early
into India, leads to an inference, not unsup
expeditions altogether
ported by other negative evidence, that the term in question was not
introduced into current use, in the full sense of its more modern accep
tation, till a somewhat later period.
The coin of Mahm?d, No. 42, claims a moro
unique bilingual
than passing notice, though in the uncertainty regarding the date,
and the erasure of the place of no inference can
coinage, satisfactory
be deduced as to the possible circumstances under which it was struck.
Hence, viewing it on the ono hand as a coin minted in reference to

some occasion, it avails but little to on the
particular speculate preciso
section of Mahmuds Indian which was of such
couquests, judged
importance by tho victor, as to bo dignified by a commemorativo
or, on the other hand, this as the
medal; recognizing piece existing
of a local currency, it is to hazard
representative equally unprofitable
an opinion as to tho identical people upon whom it may have been
desirable to an exalted idea of the of their
thought impress greatness
now master, by thus communicating the sound of his titles through tho
medium of the characters of the in use. The letters
lauguago vulgar
on tho reverse assimilate in a measure to tho form of the Sanskrit
which is on
by the date
denominated "Kutila," proved the
alphabet
Rohilkund inscription to Imvo been in local use in the tenth century:
at tho samo timo tho Kutila no means suffices for their
alphabet by
full identification, many of the characters the
employed approaching
of writiug attributed to a period, antecedent centuries
style by many
to the precise at which these letters were some
epoch fashioned;
characters with the letters in the
agreeing accurately corresponding
Tibetan alphabet, and not a few being readily identifiable with their
equivalents in the Allahabad inscription of tho fifth century. Of
course, it was naturally to be anticipated, that the letters should
270 ON THE COINS OP THE
exhibit the local modifications incident to the dialect of the country

to which they referred, and amid tho many Hind? kingdoms subdued
by M ahm lid's prowess, it was scarcely to be hoped, that the legend in
question should be fully explicable by means of any given form of the
still limited number of recognized systems of Devauagari Palaeography;
but the present difficulty extends beyond this, inasmuch as the expres
sion of the characters is in itself undecided, and no means uniform.
by
For tho rest, allowance for a considerable of malforma
making degree
tion, these letters may bo looked upon as generally identical with those
employed by the Brahmanical kings of Kabul, and subsequently by the
Hind? princes of Northern India. In as far as the legend has yet been
it would to bo moro than a tran
deciphered, appear nothing partial
script of the Kufic inscription on the opposito surface of the coin.
From the imperfection of the form of many of the Sanskrit characters,
it would seem that the die must have been somewhat un
engraver
skilled in the language, the symbols of which he was called upon
to imitate. This deduction, if not justified by tho crudo shape of
several of the letters themselves, and theunsuccessful at a
attempt
representation of the due sound of the words of the
corresponding
Arabic evidenced in tho whole tenor of the transcript, is con
legend,
clusively proved by tho want of uniformity in what must be taken to
stand for one and the same letter, in different of the
parts inscription
itself. Tho result arrived at from this fact, as well as from the
superiority of tho execution of tho Kufic sido of tho coin, is

simply,
that the piece in question was not the work of native but
moncyers,
rather the production of an artist whose aptitude had been derived
from Mohammedan mints; and hence, that this medal should be viewed,
not as a new of the of a subdued but as
adaptation coinage country,
a of money fabricated in reference to some
specimen peculiar occasion,
to mark somo or some notable
particular victory, perpetuate conquest.
Mahm?d is related to have assumed the title of "Sultan," and
to have been the first Oriental potentate who this
appropriated
term1. A reference to the coins of this leads to some
prince, however,
doubt on the and their in no wiso militates
subject, although testimony
against the received account of the origin of the
generally designation,
yet it controverts the assertion of its immediate
inferentially adoption
and use by Mahm?d himself. D'Herbelot avers that Mahm?d was
first designated
by this epithet in 393, by Khalaf, Governor of Seist?n,
on the occasion of his himself to Mahm?d's after
surrendering mercy
a futile "
attempt at rebellion. II luy apporta les clefs de sa fortresse,
et le reconnut pour son Sultan. Ce titre de Sultan, qui n'?toit pas
1
Kbal?satal Akbb?r (Price), ii. 2H2; Elpliinstone's India, i. 53H.
encor? en usage, plut ?i fort ? Mahmud, qu'il le prit toujours depuis ce
et non seulement ? Khalaf sa r?volte, mais le
temps-l?, pardonna,
r?tablit encore dans son De the
gouvernement1." Guignes, accepting
samo narrative of the first enunciation of the word in its new sense,
adds a more and less assertion of the of Mah
probable express degree
in?d's self-application of the term in question?"Et ce titre jusqu'alors
inconnu, devint en usage les Princes Mahometans, il
parmi plut
Mahmoud le le les Princes
qui porta premier. Auparavant preuoient
' '
celui de Malek ou do 'Roi.' Dans la suite celui-ci s'avilit et ne
fut plus donn? des tributaires et soumis aux SulthansV
qu'? princes
From tho numismatic evidence available, it would appear that, although
it may reasonably have pleased Mahm?d to bo called by this novel
denomination, ho docs not seem to have caused himself to be
directly
thus officially designated. Had M ahm ltd either himself assumed this
or had he received it from any he
pnenomen, competent authority,
would most probably have inscribed the appellation on his coins,
whereon it will be seen he at one time much rejoiced to record his
greatness. Moreover, had this title been adopted and employed by
Mahm?d in the sense in which it was subsequently used, it is but
to it would have
reasonable infer that been continued by his imme
diate successors, as such, would have on their

and, appeared money;
whereas, the first Ghaznavi who his coinage wilh the
sovereign stamps
term, is Ibrahim", 4/>l A.if. Nos. 117, 119, &e.)
(See Coins, During
tho interval, the designation had already been nnother
appropriated by
the Soljiik Toghral Reg having entitled himself Sultan so
dynasty,
as 437 A.n., if not before that date, after having in the first
early
instance, on his of Khoras?n from Mnsa?d, contented himself
conquest
with the usual style of Amir. (See note to Coin 59.)
The coins of Mahm?d, in addition to the illustration afforded of
the various of his immediate ofFcr evidence on two
phases reign,
of one of which at least, under ordi
points contemporaneous history,
circumstances, should not have been for elucidation
nary dependent
tho medals of a The first of these refers to
upon separate dynasty.
tho non-recognition of tho Khalif Al K??dir billah, in the province of
KhorYtsan, until about eight year? to his virtual accession.

subsequent
It is necessary to that in the year 381 A.n. the Khalif Al
premise,
TnTh lillah was dethroned by tho B??ali Bah? al daulah, the then
Ain?r al Amar? of the court of Baghdad, and his place supplied by
? * De
D'Hcrbclot, Bib. Orient., p. MX Paris, 1097. Guignes, ii. 1G2.
3 a title
It still, however, remains question whether this may not have been
used by Masartd on some of his provincial Coins. (See p. 343.) Al Bt'hcki uses
the Anur and Sult?n indifferently.
Ahmed bin Ishak, who was elevated to the Khil?fat under the deno
mination of Al K?dir billah. The author of the T?r?kh Guz?dah
"
relates that the peoplo of the provinco of Khor?s?n objecting to this
superce?sion, which was justified by no offence on the part of the
late pontiff, continued to recite the public prayers in his name; and
it was not until Mahm?d of Ghazni, in disavowing his allegiance to
the S?m?n?s, became supreme in that that alteration in
country, any
this practico
was ellccted, when Mahm?d, between whom and tho now
Imam there existed a friendly understanding, directed tho Khutbah to
be read in the name of Al K?dir1."
The of this relation is out
accuracy fully borne by the archaeologi
cal evidence furnished the collection under notice, Mahmuds coins
by
invariably bearing the designation of tho superseded Khal?f, Al-T??'h,
iu conjunction with his own early title of Seif al daulah, up to the
year 387 (Nos. 8 and 22*); while his money of a closely subsequent
period is marked the simultaneous appearance of the name of Al
by
K?dir, in association with his own newly-received titles of Yamin
al daulah and Am?n al Millat. (See Coins Nos. 9, 10, 23, and
2d.) The second medal just cited bears uuusually explicit testimony
to this submission, in tho addition made to Mahm?d's
self-imposed
detailed denominations which are here seen to conclude with
honorary
the novel designation of Wal?3 Amir al M?miu?n (Servant of the Com
mander of theFaithful).
1 Extract T?r?kh East India Company's

Guz?dah, Persian MS. Copy, No. C4?).
J
-
y
%J? tj iX-u? iJL?

A?y^ lî ^ J^.?av>ô ^. ^1j.j ?^+sS
/^^/X?Xaam
A sonfewhat similar passage is to be found in tbo ltuuzat al Safa.

8A coin similar to No. 22 has formed the subject of an able
essay from the
pen of M. De Saulcy, Conservateur du Mus?e d'Artillerie, Paris. It is satisfac
tory to find the general accuracy of M. Do Saulcy'a inferences regarding the non
of Al K?dir in the province of Khor?s?n, confirmed
recognition by tho additional
historical evidence above quoted, as well as by the numismatic
copious examples
supplied by the present collection. See Journal
Asiatique, 1842.
3
D'Herbelot quotes the following auecdote from the T?r?kh al in
IChofata,
advertence to the said title of Wall, and the objections to its use to have
supposed
existed in the case of the Ghazuav? Sult?n:-?
"
Il est rapport? dans le Tar?kh al Khofata, ou Histoire des Khalifes, que le
Sultan Mahmoud, s'?tant rendu ma?tre absolu du paya de et de tant
Gazitin,
d'autres, par sa valeur, souhaita que le Khalife luy dounast uu titre digne de sa
KINOS OF GHAZNI. 273
Tho second circumstance referred to, which has now to be noticed,
also regards the dynasty of tho Khalifs of Baghdad. The Nisli?p?r
coins, Nos. 12, 19, 20, and 20, display the title of Al Gh?lib billah,
indicated as "designated successor" to Al K?dir. Who the indivi
dual thus nominated may have been, is not recorded in any of tho
histories of the time usually accessible to English readers, but a
manuscript copy of the Tarikh Guz?dah, in the Library of the East
India House, fortunately supplies the omission in the following passage,
which readily leads to an identification of the person in question, and
at the same time accounts for the of his name from tho
disappearance
money of and tho eventual accession of a son of
subsequent years,
Al K?dir, other than the one thus appointed.
puissance, et pour l'obtenir il luy envoya un Ambassade extraordinaire. L'Imam

Abo? Maiisor demeur? un an ou environ ? sans rien avancer dans
ayant Bagdet
l'affaire qu'il poursuivoit, pr?senta enfui un m?moire dana lequel il exposoit au
Klialifc les grandes conquestes do son ma?tre, sa puissance, et son z?l? pour la foy
Musulmane, la conversion de plusieurs milliers d'Idol?tres ? la religion Maho
metano, le changement de leurs temples en mosqu?es, et qu'enfin il ?toit tout ?

fait indigno que l'on ne reconnut pas le m?rite d'un si grand Prince par un titre
qui co?toit si peu de chose au Khalife de luy accorder. Ce m?moire fit son effet
aupr?s du Khalife, lequel craignant qu'un hi puissant Monarque ne tournant enfin
ses armes contre assembla son conseil, et mit en d?lib?ration
luy, quel titre on
a cause que ce Prince ?toit fils d'un esclave, qu'o?
pouvoit luy accorder, d?sirant,
un qui fut ?quivoque.
luy en donnast On trouva donc que celuy de Veli luy
conviendroit bien, parce que ce mot qui signifie Amy et Seigneur, signifie aussi
Serviteur et Valet. Mahmoud connut bien la pens?e du Khalife, et il luy envoya
un present de cent mille ?cus, afin qu'il njoutast seulement une lettre au nom, ?
stjavoir, un Elif. On luy accorda cette grace, et on luy envoya les Patentes avec
le titre do Vali, qui signifie absolument Ma?tre et Commandant. Doulet Schah."
(Bib. Orient., D'IIcrbelot, p. 53??.)

This story bears an appearance of much improbability when considered in
reference to the many early instances of mutual good will evinced on the part of
Mahmud and of his spiritual superior; as well as to the fact, that, later in
life,
Mahmud is proved to have received or appropriated titles numerous and laudatory
enough to have satisfied the most craving ambition for such empty honours; and
finally, Fcrishtali notices the receipt at the Court of Ghazni, so late as 417 A.n.,
of a diploma conferring certain highly complimentary denominations both upon
Mahmiid and his three sons ^cc#> Briggs's i. N|),
(?LjJJ t~*4^ Fcrishtah,
apparently the unsolicited offering of the identical Khalif who is reported to have
designed tho cutting reproach above described. It is true, it is not stated to
what particular period of his reign the occurrence of this episode should be
but Mahm?d's and seemingly
assigned; prompt voluntary display of the word
in immediate connexion with his own name does not look as if he had
e)^ any
scruples its employment, or any dread of consequent on hia,
regarding imputations
even
parentage, though the Wali was wanting in the so-asserted coveted AH/.
^lx?i>
?-??All y>\ \jy ?s*\ tfjW +f+j? j ?U* j? Sj&kxhLj?\$
Lei iXxjb^T *\?c J^ *N^ ?>^ ?^ Lr)3^ 3 ^ c^ ***^
L?~~L?j fli ?JuX?> *Aj^ ?J^tXll

$jf ^l^^X-Li
"In the a son was born to Al K?dir, who was named
year (3)83,
Ab?l Fazl Mohammed, and when he arrived at years of he
puberty
was created Wali Ah'd ; he, however, died during tho life-time of
Al K?dir, who, in this same yoar, 83, married Sukinah, the daughter
of Dahii al daulah D?lem?."
The Tabak?t N?sir? furnishes the following additional information
regarding the titular designations of Al K?dir's sons, and conclusively
fixes the identity of the first successor elect :?
j^mJ y j ?yj aML ?duL? $}+*? *X#? cHaôUj^)^ ^

^jjlXH
ijJli ?to uSi ?ML^JUJt \jy j ?jf ?) ?^ y6y?j j? [>?y?
The distinct information afforded by the money of Mahm?d on

this head, simply amounts to the fact that Al Gh?lib billah was recog
nized heir to the Khilnfat from 309 to 409 A.n. It would also seem
from the occurrence of this title on a coin of Munich id al
probable,
daulah Mcrw?n?, dated 392, that the nomination of Al Gh?lib as
"Wali Ah\l," must have taken place prior to this last epoch. Tho
piece here referred to has been described by Fradin and Lindberg3, and
1 East India House
MS., No. MO, p. 120. Library.
1
MS. Tabakut N?sir?. East India House Library.
9
Silver. Struck at M??f?r?k?i. A.n. (3)02.
Areas? m
m yt * *N1 -Vy
?X*.?\ô
*_J Aj-^^ JtiVs..

3
aHL-i JL Ji ?JH_j
/tM_?_II
^.J.iX-JI *X
JLJ^JcJI'I^j ?MJH
A3A*?
13' yj\
Frsehn, Num. Kuf. p. 77 ; Lindbcrg, M?ni. de la Soc. dea Antiq. du Nord,
1K44, p. 20*1.
KINOS OF ?IIAZNI. 275
the title of Al Glu?lib billah was imagined by these authors to apper
tain to the Mcrwan Amir himself; but the more explanatory legends
on tho Ghaznavi coins indicate cl?arly the personage to whom the
epithet belonged. In 416 A.n. Abdallah, the son of Al K?dir, then
in the twenty-seventh year of his age, entitled Al K?im beamerillah,
was nominated successor, and acceded to the throne of his father in
the last month of 422 A.U.
The ample materials Mr. Massons collection, in lead
supplied by
ing to the identification of previously unafctributcd medals, shew that
the appropriation by the Ghaznavi monarchs of tho device of Nandi
(Bull of Siva), superscribed by the words Sri Samanta dev, as first
used on tho coins of tho Brahmanical of Kabul, took some
kings place
what earlier than has hitherto been and that, whereas
supposed;
Ibrahim was imagiucd to have been the first king who associated him
self thus far with his Indian possessions, it uow appears that the con
junction of Mohammedan titles with the Hindu Bull of Siva on one
and the same took in the of Modiid a. u. =
piece, place reign (432
1041 A.D.), if not at a still earlier period. (Sec Coins, Nos. .91, 92.)
Several have been advanced to account for the seeming
conjectures
of a sect, so on such as the fol
anomaly usually prejudiced subjects
lowers of as a device for their a
Islam, accepting money, symbol
to the source whence it was so idolatrous as
(adverting derived) purely
the one in question. In this instance a reference to the other coins of
tho collection assists in elucidating this apparent difficulty, it is to
be remarked, that, throughout all the and consequent
conquests acqui
sitions of new effected the House of Ghazni, there is to
territory by
bo seen a
general to disturb the currency of the
indisposition existing
subdued. Financial motives may have first
kingdoms probably
this conservatism ; but from whatever cause the
prompted arising,
efiects arc manifest the period of the more extended domi
throughout
nation of this dynasty. What description of currency Alptcgin may
have found in use, or may himself have introduced at Ghazni, there
aro no means of as the coin now extant, which bears
knowing, only
his distinct name, is a piece struck at Andcrabch in 347 A.n. (see Coin
No. but coins, minted in the of B?m??n,
1); Sabaktagin's province
vary from the currency of his masters, the Sam?n is, and
considerably
in weight and size to the local of Kabul, under
approximate coinage
tho Hind? kings of that city. Mahmud's Ghazni coins come in the
same category ;while the money of his N?sh?p?r mint differs materially
from these last, both in form and value. The like may be said of the
of Ihr mints of Balkh and Scjist?n, the former of which ob
produce
and the latter may be taken (o disclose their
viously, infcrcutinlly,
respective provincial peculiarities. The same remarks also apply

to the coins of Masa?d. The conclusion deducible from these
generally
facts is, that there existed on the* part of the Moslem potentates of
Ceutral Asia at this a desire to retain, as little as need
period changed
the local of the various of their dominions1.
be, currency provinces
Thus, if it be admitted, that it was not tho custom to alter the coinage
of a the Ghaznavi monarchs, in stamping
newly-conquered country,
the coins of the Hindus with their own names and titles, must be con
sidered, not as having placed the figuro of a Bull upon their own
"
but as caused the coin of these to be struck
money, having provinces
in their own names.'* The feeling of vanity incident to Oriental
which so led to this on the first
Princes, uniformly ceremony acqui
sition of now need not be upon, further than to
territory, enlarged
notice under this of retaining for the
obverse, the device o?
that, plan
the in with the proof of their own
existing currency, conjunction supre
on the reverse, a more record
macy, evidenced by tho legend explicit
of the conquest itself was attained, than would have resulted even
from a radical change of the entire coiuago.

The identification of tho name of the city of Labor on tho imper
fect margins of coins Nos. 92 and 129, points out distinctly the pro
vince to which these bilingual coins refer ; and a proof is thus fur
nished of the accuracy of the previous attribution of an intermediate
class of medals, bearing tho device of the Bull with tho Horseman
reverse, which have been to the Hind? of tho
assigned Sovereigns
and which aro now seen to form the link between
Punjab*, connecting
the original coins of the Brahmanical Kings of Kabul and the Mo
hammedan of this of money now under review.
adaptation species
i If it were to cite foreign and earlier of an [analogous

necessary examples
abseuce of more modern Moslem scruples in similar cases, it might be advanta
geous to point, among others, to the remarkable departure from the supposed
absolute rule on the subject, instanced in the retention by the Arabs, for the first
twenty years after their conquest of the country, of the Byzantine types of the
money of Mauritania, extending not only to the use of the general device of the
prototype, and the expression of Arabic names by means of Latin letters, but even
to au acceptance of a but slightly modified form of the cross itself. It is to bo
observed, moreover, that this enduring instance of freedom from the prejudice
above referred to, occurred at a period closely subsequent to the difference between
the Khalif Abdal Malik aud the Greek Emperor, which, in A.n. TO, led to the
first fabrication
of pure Arabic money, when, if there had been the most remote
of objection to the use of symbols on the part of the then followers of
feeling
Islam, it must have been expected to have shown itself with peculiar force. An
interesting paper on this subject may be referred to in letter No. 5 of M. de

Saulcy ? M. Ueiuaud, Journal Asiatique, a.d. HMO.
*
Journ. Roy. As. Soc, No. XVII., p. 184.
There is considerable discrepancy observable in the statements of
tho various authors' of the history of the family of Ghazni in the
recognition of the exact date of Abdal Itashid's succession; though tho
coins of tho series under notice are insufficient to fix with precision
when the event occurred, yet as they suffice to prove when it actually
had taken place, they assist in dissipating errors which it might
1 To obviato tho confusion incident to detached and to present at one

notices,
view a detail of the various historical writers to whom reference is made in the
present paper, the following summary of the several authorities quoted is here
t?
subjoined
1. Tho Biography of Masn/id, the son of Mahm?d of Ohazni, catalogued in
tho Royal Library, Paria, as the T?r?kh Masa?di, by Ab?l Fazl Mohammed bin
Al Ilus?ti Al B?hok?. The work contains a full and voluminous account of tho
reign of Masa?d, interspersed with occasional digressions upon the occurrences of

the day: it was chiefly written and finally completed after the accession of Ibra
him, 451 A.n. Tho writer also refers to his own T?r?kh Yam?u?. Ilaj? Khalfa
has a notice of this author's compositions, to the following effect:?"T?r?kh A'l
Subcktcgin, Historia magna Ghaznavidarum pluribus voluminibus comprehensa,

Auctoro Abu'lfadhl Al Beihacki." The Paris MS. is of modern transcription (a.h.
1019), and, as far as the contents of European Public Libraries are known, it is
believed to be unique. The existence of this MS. only became known to the author
of the present notice after the major part of these sheets had been prepared for the
press; and even then the time disposable for its examination only admitted of a
partial perusal.
2. Tabak?t bin Sur?j Jurj?n?, dedicated to N?sir al din
N?sir?, by Minh?j
Mahm?d of Delhi. A.n. C?O.
3. T?rikh Moktasar al Daul, by tho Armenian Abul Faraj. Latest date, f?fl3 a.h.
4. J?mi al Taw?r?kh, by Rash?d al din, Vizir of G?z?n Khan, and subse
of Olj?it? Khan. a.h. 710.
quently
5. T?r?kh Bin?kit?, otherwise entitled Rauzat ?l? al Alb?b, an of
Abridgment
the J?mi al Taw?r?kh, by Abu Soliman Fakhr al din D??d (vulg. Bin?kit?).
a.h. 717.
6. The original of the Annales Muslemici of Ab?l Fed? of Ilam?t was written
between lift and 732 A.n.
7. T?r?kh Guz?dah, by Ahmed bin Ab? Bekr AI Kasw?n?. 730 A.n.
8. Rauzat al Safa, by Mir Kh?wand Shall (otherwise Mirkliond), dedicated to
Ali Shir, Vizir of Sult?n Iltissen. The author died in Khor?s?u, in 903 A.n.
9. Khal?sat al Akhb?r, an of the Rauzat al Safa, 905 A.n.;
Abridgement
10. Habib al Sa?r, about 927 A.n., dedicated to Habib Ullah, Vizir of Inma?l Shall
Sufavf, King of Persia; both by Gh??th al din bin Hamid al din, Khondem?r.
11. Jemal al din Ab?l Mah?san Y?saf bin Taghr? Bard? (Egypt). Middle of
ninth century a.h.
12. T?r?kh Nig?ristan, by Ahmed bin Mohammed, Al Kasw?n?. Middle of
tenth century a.h.
13. Tabak?t al din Ahmed bin Mohammed of
Akber?, by Niz?m Mokim,
Herat, written at Agrah, in the time of Akber (about) 991 a.h.
14. T?r?kh al Jen?b?, by Ab? Mohammed Mu statt (vulg. AI Jen?b?). Latest
date 997. The author died in 999 a.h.
15. Mir?t al A'lem, by Bukbt?wur Khan. Time of A?rungz?b.
10. T?r?kh Ferishtah, (B?j?p?r). a.h, 101? = A.n. 1009.
278 ON THE COINS OF THE
otherwise have been somewhat dillicult to rectify. Minh?j al Sur?j

(the author of the Tabak?t N?sir?), Ab?l Faraj, Ab?l Fed?, and
Rash?d al din, unite in a?lirming that both M?d?d's death and Abdal
Rash?d's accession took in the year 441 a.ii. The three latter
place
authorities, indeed, assume a direct succession, but the more
probably
accurately informed Minh?j al Sur?j allows an interval of two months

for the joint reigns of Masa?d II. and Ab?l Hasan Ali1. The
T?r?kh Guz?dah gives tho year 441 A.n. (Rajah) as the date of the
death of M?d?d, and 443 for tho accession of Abdal Rash?d, and these
periods have been accepted with little variation by the authors of the
Rauzat al Safa, Habib al Sair, the Khal?sat al Akhb?r, and the T?r?kh
Fcrishtah. The evidence derivable from coins would indicate that
these historians are one and all, to a certain extent, incorrect in their
determination of the in inasmuch as the medal of
epochs question,
Abdal Rashid (No. 93) clearly displays the written numbers 440,
proving that tho prince, under whoso it
thereby iucontestably, auspices
Avas struck, had obtained full of regal honours somo time in
possession
the year recorded. In thus approximately fixing the timo of tho ac
cession of Abdal Rash?d, and in so doing ante-dating the period
usually
for M?d?d's death at least seven months, some assistance
assigned by
might have been anticipated therefrom in tho solution of another
doubtful point, viz., the duration of the of this last-named
reign prince.
The averments of different historians on this head vary to the amount
of no less than two years and ten months5'. Of courso this
discrepancy
to a. certain oxtont a di?lbronco of as to
implies corresponding opinion
the date of accession. Thero is, however, less variation in the assign
ment of this aira than have been from the contra
might expected
dictions adverted to ; the period of tho decease of this monarch being
now in a manner demands an of tho of thoso
fixed, acceptance testimony
authors whoso relation assimilates most with tho probabilities
nearly
resultiug from the facts available. The year above as
assigned having
witnessed M?d?d's death, 440 a.m., in reference to even tho
placed
earliest date any one of tho writers whoso assor
proposed by conflicting
tions it is desirablo to reconcile, does not admit of tho of his
possibility
having reigned nine years. It becomes, therefore, to ascer
necessary
tain how far tho shorter of seven will meet tho
period years exigencies
of the case. Here a inasmuch
again, weighty objection presents itself,
as the corroborative detail of contemporaneous and the means
events,
1
Or Xc ?J?i)Jl \.AS Bah? al daulah as he is called the Guz?dah
Ali, by
and Habib al Sair.
* Ab?l Fa raj, .Icii?hi, Tabak?t
N?sir?, Akber?, and Fcrishtah, nine years;
Ab?l Fed?, nine years and ten months ; Rauzat al Sala, nine years and eleven
months; Tarikb Guz?dah, Habib al Sair, ami Khal?sat al Akhb?r, seven years.
KINOS OF OHAZN1. 279
of accurate by the author of the T?r?kh Masa?d?,

knowledge possessed
admit a as to the correctness of his statement, and
scarcely question
this is to the effect that Mddud captured and killed his uncle Moham
med in Shab?n, 432 A.n.1 If this is to be taken as the actual date of
accession, it leaves an interval to be filled up of eight years, more or
the exact duration of the asserted seven sway, is thus
less; years'
ante
manifestly unsupported by tho evidence cited; it is true that, by
use of the
dating still more the epoch of the decease of M?d?d, the
term seven years, or less than eight, might possibly be justified; but it
must at the samo timo bo admitted that thero is no direct testimony to
support any such solution of tho matter at issue*.
Whatever may bo the correct estimate of the of tho
length
roign of this Prince, the origin of tho diff?rences to bo detected in
tho assertions of the historians above noted seems to be ex
clearly
plained by a casual observation to be found in the Mir?t al A'leru ;
viz., that "M?d?d reigned for seven years subsequent to the death
of his uncle Mohammed, and in all nine Hence it would
years3."
appear that it was the among
some writers to compute the
practico
commencement of M?d?d's reign at an epoch much prior to his full
accession, that is to from the time when he was first in
say, placed
charge of Balkh, &c, on his father's departure for Ghazni, in 431 *, or
T?r?kh Masa?d?, Bibl. du Roi, Paris.

1 M. De Guignes in quoting from various authors at one and tho
(ii. 177),
same
time, has placed in a difficulty
himself in respect to this question. He
takes Ab?l Faraj's statement, which he cites as a.h. 433, for the date of Mo
hammed's second accession ; then mentioning Madrid's death and quoting from
Ab?l Fcd?, he states that this monarch died in 440, after a reign of nine years
and ten months. The seven years actually adopted from date to date, as the
duration of MoMud's reign, in which also must be included the brief sway of
Mohammed, is thus, in the confunion of authorities, amplified by two ycirs and ten
months. Moreover, tho quotations themselves are both incorrect; the printed
texts of Ab?l Faraj and Ab?l Fcd?, severally give 432 as the epoch of the revolt
against Masa?d and the elevation of Mohammed [see p. 343 (Pococke, Oxon.
1043), and p. 132, vol. iii. (Rcisk), respectively]. In like manner, the period of 440
will be seen in the printed text of the original to be 441 (sec Ab?l Fcd?, iii. 132).
?fi\* +*?. v3ît> \\ tSxj I v*2**"

if?Jy2>- SyXi+t.* (-yt *3^3*
Mir?t al A'lem, No. 7G57, Rich Collection, British Museum.

4
Shaw?l, 431. Ab?l Fed?.
VOL. IX, U
a period still earlier, as Ferishtah asserts that M?d?d

possibly from
was invested with tho "ensigns of
royalty" some timo previous to this
occasion.
The next circumstance which is capable of elucidation from tho
coins of this scries, a matter of no is a fit
although particular weight,
of remark, as the possible value of numismatic studies
subject showing
in historical investigations of greater importance. A single medal of
Ferokhz?d is adequate at this distance of time, and in tho hands of a
strange people, to decido with what tho authors of tho Guz?dah
certainty
and the J?mi al Taw?r?kh, writing with all tho advantages incident
to their were unable to a correct
positions, pronounce opinion upon,
viz., the parentage of tho in who is hero
prince question, distiuctly
announced as "the son of Mnsai'id."
(No. i)7, &c.)
Another which has attracted much notice from tho various
inquiry
authors whose evidence is extant, is the duration of tho rule of Ibrahim.
This difficulty, even in the absence of any direct medallic dates, is
of solution from the collateral record borne coins. Fortu
capable by
nately for the facility of present proof, the discussion of the question is
much simplified by the circumstance of the debated point
being, not
up to what time the reign extended, but as to which of the two periods
of or is the correct of its total
thirty forty-two years', representative
duration. All writers concede that one of those two
given quantities
is the true one: heneo a settlement of the matter is reduced to the
of one or the other. There seems to be little
simple acceptance ground
for hesitation in tho admission that either the year 450 or 451 a.m.,
(probably tho latter,) witnessed tho accession of this Sultan. If thirty
years be taken as the limit of his reign, Ibrahim should have ceased
to rule in 480-481 A.n.; but as the No. exhibits the nanio
coin, 125,
of the Khalif Al Mostazher billah, as contemporary with Ibrahim,
whose money it purports to be, and as this Khalif did not ascend his
own throne till it is clear that Ibrahim of
pontifical 187, Ghazni
lived and ruled subsequent to this last The inference that he
epoch.
his full tho circumstances,
reigned forty-two years is, under sufficiently
legitimate.
It remains to notice one more illustrated tho of tho
fact, by money
period,?that Bahrain Shall held his kingdom under
Sanjar, governor
of Khor?s?n. Ab?l Fed? refers2 distinctly to this
point, and even
goes somewhat beyond what the coins of Bahrain (Nos. 142, 144, &c.)
1
Date of Ibrahim's death, to different authors:
according N?sir?, 492; T?r?kh
Guzidah, idem; T?r?kh Bin?kiti, idem; Ab?l Fcd?, Mirkhond, and Jeu?bi, 481 ;
Ab?l Mah?san, 492; Ferishtah, doubtful! ! De Guignes, 401.
XfJic 2)lô1 l^JU??vs?.l?^r?^ is*3^3 *Jy* y^+* S^-^3

KINOS OF OIIAZNl. 281
altogether support, in respect to the mention of the recital in the Khut

and on the of the name of Sanjars
bah, consequent inscription coinage,
brother, Mohammed, the Selj?k emperor. The J?mi al Taw?r?kli,
more confines its assertion to the now affirmed
accurately, recognition
of alone1. Mirkhond no information on the
Sanjar's supremacy gives
subject of this vassalage; and Ferishtah only alludes to it indirectly
in noticing the original grant of the kingdom of Ghazni to Bahrain by
Sanjar on the occasion of the latter1? defeat of Arsl?n Shah. The
medals of Khtisn'i Shall (Nos. 148, 149) indicate that this feudal sub
the
jection extended to the early part at least of the reign of this,
succeeding king.
Adverting to the numerical amount of the Ghaznavi coins in the
East India Houso some is due, the
Cabinet, explanation regarding
But this deficiency
apparently limited result obtained in actual dates.
is readily to be accounted for. It will be seen that in the silver
money of the kingdom of Ghazni it was the custom to record both the
the
date and place
of coinage on
margins forming the extreme edge of
Two causes have combined in the present instance to render
piece.
the inscriptions on these margius generally illegible. First, to judge
from the specimens extant, the insufficient breadth of the planohet in
itsolf could have afforded but little probability of securing a complete
than
marginal legend on any given piece, the dies being usually larger
the surface of the metal to be Second, the coins of Mr.
impressed2.
?XaX^ ? v^^ $}X"~o (?yl ?UlaLwdt yy*3

(v>^ *\>?*o\yQx\
+.J JS.+JJ *J> ?X*:s2QjllaA.îJ
j?aX\ A?k*\jQj (^jU?AmJ? jî~?
Ab?l Fed?, Ann. Mos., iii. 384.
3 ,
*Uj Xa.Io=? j
??sy j.zs\~s ^Maxî ?j$
Persian J?mi al Taw?r?kh, British Museum, No. 7028.
8 The of the process of coining, as in use at Delhi at a
following description
somewhat later period, probably represents pretty accurately the mode employed
in the fabrication of the coins of the present scries:?
"The Mcltcr melts the refined plates of gold [silver, &c], and casts them into
round ingots.
and
"The Zerr?b
je-dâS 1
cutR from round ingots, pieces of gold, silver,
* in Iran and Turan
It is that
copper of the Bize of the coin. surprising,
an anvil mad"6 on pur
they cannot cut these round pieces without | IjJLaJ
pose; and in Ilittdoostan, tho workman, without any such machine, performs this
business with such exactness, that there is not the difference of a single hair.
"The Seal-engraver ongraves the dies of coins on steel and such like metals.
"The Sickchy places the round piece of metal between two dies and,
| ?&.^ J,
the of the both Bides are at one stroke." Glad
by strength Hammerer, stamped
win's Ayin i Akbcr?, i. 15,
U 2
Masson's collection were on the locale of their issue

gathered original
and more immediate circulation, and unlike the reserved
subsequent
store of current coin, or the choice of a
less-freely foreign specimens
miser's hoard, have, in the of instances, been inhumed
they majority
in detail, after been to an extensive series
apparently, having subject
of successive transfers in the ordinary commerce of their The
day.
coins have suffered and much of what was
accordingly; probably
clear, is now often obliterated.
originally wholly
The same causes have offered obstacles to the full examination of
tho geographical involved in a comprehensive
questions decipherment
of the names of tho mint cities. There, seems to bo less
however,
ground to regret this circuinstanco, as, judging from tho names already
identified, there is reason to suppose that, dating from the reign of
M?d?d, with tho single exception of the produce of the city of Laho'r,
tho monetary circulation of the was from tho
empire supplied solely
mint of the capital. It is not proposed
to
enter into a lengthened
examination of the positions and relative of the different
importance
cities recorded on these coins. are in accordance
They sufficiently
with accepted history to require but little separate notice; where any
difficulty in regard to due identification suggests itself, full geographical
references are in the notes to the coin on which
appended pertaining
the name first occurs.
In the detailed enumeration of these cities, tho abseuco of tho name
of Kabul, looking to its magnitude and local importance, might be

noticed as somewhat singular; but it would seem, from the limited
numismatic evidence at as if Ferw?n, in the first
present available,
instance, and Ghazni, had satisfied the monetary wants
subsequently
of tho entire Hill country in which they were situated. The poli
tical value of the position of the former, in reference to tho S?m?n?
to tho northward, together with its advan
possessions immediately
to the silver mines of Punjhir, may have
tageous proximity probably
first inlluenccd the adoption of Fcrw?n as a leading mint
city, in
which it would seem to havo tho functions of
respect superseded
itself, which was at one time a of of tho
Punjhir place coinago
of Bokhara1. tho timo Mahm?d
tho had ascended
Emperors By
throne, tho regal city of Ghazni may be to havo risen to a
supposed
elevated as a to do away with the
sufficiently position capital necessity
of the services of a second mint in the circumjacent
territory.
Though not strictly within tho limits of the prominent subject
under as a matter connected with the rise of
review, yet, intimately
1
See Coins, Nos. ?75 (a.h. 294) and "133 (a.h. 302), Fnehn'a
^?.
Reccnsio.
tho Moslem power in an integral portion of the Ghaznav? dominions,

it may he useful in regard to tho closely previous history of Kabul1
itself, to examine the narrations of tho as
briefly contemporaneous
1 In it will be
citing the subjoined extracts from different geographical authors,
useful to premise the dates at which these writers severally flourished, as without
full advertence to this particular, many of their assertions regarding the state of
backwardness or advancement of the various localities described may appear incon
sistent, and even conflicting.

In of the more modern close atten
judging also of the credibility geographers,
tion must be paid to discriminate between the original observations of the author
himself and tho incorporated transcripts from earlier authorities: these last are
often but when not admitted to be quotations, are manifestly liable
acknowledged,
to mislead.
The earliest production to which it is necessary to refer, is the Arabic original
of the Persian MS. translated by Ouselcy, and published by him in the year 1800,
as " The Oriental of Ebn Haukal." Ouseley's MS. was at that time
Geography
wa Mum?lik
supposed to be a Persian version of Ibn Haukul's Arabic Mus?lik ;
the text in has been attributed by Uylenbroek to Ibn
intermediately, question
Kbordadbah, whose original composition was supposed to bear a similar title, vi*.,
or J?llrl Gildemeister has, however,

J?llr^ J?UU uÛf J\ J?UJ.1.
"
determined that Istakhri
c^ysîa*^! âmA?II Ob&l ?A auctor libri
climatum
^JIj^JJ (_?jS Oju inter anuos 900 et 025 Chr. scripsit. Sindiam
iuvisit terne tabulam deliueavit. Editus est ejus liber ex versione P?rsica
ejusque
in Auglicam linguam translatus ab Ouselcyo." Arabum De Rebus
(Scriptorum
Indicts, p. 70.) Mailler also, the Editor of the lithographed facsimile
of the
original Arabic text of Istakhri, testifies that "Idem est opus gcographicum, quod
vir eel. W. Ouselcy in Anglicum sermonem translatum anno 1000 hoc nomine
'
The Oriental Geography, &c.,T Londini edidit;" and he adds, regarding the date
of the composition "
itself, Inde apertum est, Abu Isbakum annum 303 inter et
annum 307 vel 309 h. opus suum geographicum
(= 915?921 p. Chr.) confe
cisse." (Liber Climatum, &c, J. II. M ller, Gothic, 1029, p. 22.)
Ibn Haukul began his travels in 331 A.n. "scieutia? cupiditate ductus longis
itiner?bus fere omncs terras Musl?micas invisit, ex quibus redux sub annum 366
(inc. 29 Aug., 976) opus suum gcographicum J?lcL J?LgJLi i_t\Xf

inscriptum coucinnavit ita, ut id I?thakhrii libro quasi fundamento superstrucret
suis observation ibus aucto et perfecto." (Gilde., p. 70.)
In like manner, Mueller observes?" Diserte igitur Ibn Haukalidcs unice ad
opus Abu Ishaki el faresii se applicasse, ejusque formam et expositionem scquutum
esse profitetur, ita ut Ibn Haukalidis opus non nisi altera sit auctior et emendatior
Abu Ishaki opcris cditio.
(p. 4.) Ibn Haukalidcm opus suum anno demum 366
?367 H. (=976-977 p. Chr.) ex itiucribus suis, qu anno 331 h. (= 942 p.
Chr.) iugressus erat

reducem composuissc, cujus rei nul lam clarissimi Uylen?
brockii sag?icit?is reliquit dubitationem." (Mceller, p. 22.)
Alb?r?n?'s K?n?n is the next in order of antiquity ; the exact epoch of its
completion is not known, but an approximate estimate may be formed from the
284 ON THE C01N3 OF THE
as the more to its

well modern writers who refer conquest by the
Mohammedans, as it is by no means clear from their varied assertions
fact of the author's death having occurred shortly subsequent to 430 A.n. = 1038
?39 A.D.
KdrisPs work
received its finishing stroke in Shaw?l, 548 A.n. = 1154 A.D.
Kasw?u? bin Mahm?d), the author of the Ath?r al
(Zakaria bin Mohammed
=
bel?d, died in (?74 A.n. 1275 a.D.
And, lastly, Ab?l Feda* concluded his geographical compilation (Takwim al
Balad?u) iu 721 A.n. = 1321 a.d.
1^x3^ 4Xs?l?uXi^k ?bi\j /^*a:?UL ?^KOy* J<X?4* 1^1 \$3

?i?ji c> J*$\ \^3 (?jyl^s
^ <?j3*y?3^?s i^j y^ys
(Liber Cliraatum Auctore El Issthachri, J. II. Mouller, Gothic, p. 110.)
The sentence regarding the inhabitants of Kabul appears in the following form
in the Persian Mes?lik wa Mcni?lik.
j tsiyo * * * y*^
?y^x*** j*n^p ?y? (Sj??$$
&c. sl? ?S ?\xjy\ j (j?}j
*XJjUy^? yîSx^
(Persian MS. ? J?Ia*** E?ist India House.)
J?L#.^>
"
Kabul is a town with a very 6trong castle, accessible only by one road: this
is in the bands of the Mussulmans ; but the town belongs to the infidel Indians.
They say,? &c. (Ouseley's Translation, p. 220.)
Ibn Haukal follows Istakhri with sufficient precision in tho main point of the
occupancy of the town and castle; but he seems, intentionally or otherwise, to
have made the into

?J^H ^ Jj&\ AâI^ jUlft.
l^.xi^ 4*?^ ?J?jk *x\\j i^jXX&xllj ?yoy* jiX?$3 1^1 J^lT $
Ibn Haukal. Bodleiau Library, No. 530, Hunt.
Kasw?u? does not throw any new light upon this subject, his version of tho
matter being much to the same purport as tho following mis-quotation of Ibn
Haukal by Ab?l Fed?, where it will be seen that the nice distinction of tho tenure
of the castle by the Mohammcdaus, while tho Hindus still occupied tho town, is
entirely lost sight of.
Judging from tho French translation

(G?ographie D'Edrisi, par M. Anidd?c
JAiibert, pp. 102, 103; see also p. 450),
the passage iu Edrisi, corresponding with
the first part of the above quotation, appears to be somewhat confused, and a
simultaneous reference to the city of Kandahar, is strangely mixed up with many
local details, which manifestly apply to the town of Kabul.
J^3 u>*u*?ji i^-ij vjUoU y** ?* jo^j y?y> y A ?b

at what exact period the city first passed from the hands of its ancient
masters. unnoticed the attacks of the of the
Leaving early generals
first Khalifs, the wars of Uejaj, and even the of Arnin',
conquest**
which affected the permanent of the
scarcely independence monarchy,
the explicit statements of tho Tabak?t N?sir?2, and the Rauzat al
^? ?aM?ji ?jb?wt^ ?i?n y&2 l?+\\ ^s ?y$\ p^j-? ^>*4"

3
?JVJC ?AJtX* ?jj ?Agit *^>} ? ^ Xaw^H jyXJ ?y

IgAJjX
Arabe, par MM. lteinaud et De Slane,
^(GCographio D'Aboulfcda^Tcxtc
Paris, 1043, p. f HS )
"Ibn 11.m lui I said: Kabul is in the jurisdiction of Dami?n, and in it arc
Moslems and infidel Hindus. The Hindus are of opinion that the King, who is
is not to the dignity of Shah, unless the sovereignty be
the Shall, rightly entitled
covenanted to him in Kabul. It is said in the K?n?n (Albiruni), that the Castle
of Kabul was the residence of (the) Princes of the Turfes, then of the Brnhmans
* * to the west of
it is one of the frontiers of the Moslems towards India:
it also is the city of Ghazni."
Before of the geographical

leave authors who illustrate the various
taking
connected the age immediately
with that to which the present
subjects preceding
it is desirable to attract the attention of the curious in such matters
paper refers,
to the valuable but little known MS. of Ibn Khordadbah, in the Jlodlcian Library,
which contains much miscellaneous information India and Central Asia ;
regarding
~ 3
the work is entitled ?iu?? î J?LJII tylxT |>v^.j ?Ml tX*.*x

\jhy}\
j tX*x . The Oxford MS. was engrossed in 630 a.h. Ibn
?oM^yis- aJJl
Khordadbah died in 300 a.h. (= 912 A.n.); hi* composition? are largely praised,
and were used 332 a.11. Meadows of Gold, &c,
extensively by Masa?d?, (Vide
Oriental Translation
Fund Edition.)
1 " In the of Hesham, the son of Abdulmullick,
year 107, under the Khalifat
his Governor of Khorasan, Amccti, the son
of Abdallah Cashecry, conquered
Ghour, Ghurgistan, and Nccinroz of Cabul. From that time, under the Khaltfs
of the Houses of Ommiah and Abbas, these provinces continued to be dependent
upon Khorasan.*' Gladwin's Ayin i Akber?, ii. 209.
3 v^-r^. '-??"'j* 3 * * ?r^ vy^v. A?^

ca^H^'k
^3-i os**?}"0 !> u-^^* 3 v^-1*^ **** y34 y* ?* ^

MS. Tabak?t N?sir?. East India Jlpuse.
Safa', show that Kabul was in the middle of

completely subjugated,
the third century of tho Hijrah, by Yak?ib Lith, the first of the
Sofnrians of Sejist?n.
Istakhr?, writing early in the fourth century of tho Hijrah (303 to
309), notices the citadel of Kabul as being in the hands of the Mo
hammedans, the town being still occupied by the Hindus, and he goes
on to add that the King is not entitled to the
sovereignty unless it be
covenanted to him at Kabul; both the one and the other
expression
implying that the king, to whom the latter sentence refers, did not
reside at Kabul, his castle in the occupancy of of another
being people
race, and the very fact of the necessity of his to Kabul for
coming
that he held his court in some other
inauguration, evidencing generally
Ibn Haukul, in almost verbatim the exact expres
city. reproducing
sions of Istakhr?, gives additional authenticity to tho original text,
which he as the basis of his own work, thereto
recognises appending
such observations as the progress of time aud his own more extended
knowledge enabled him to

supply*.
Alb?r?nfs averment, in tho K?u?n, which has been preserved
8^4j Jai? ^
?\JUj iyLc **jf ci~KX2>\j^ (j-jU y vy^?
clx?s yy?~~o jLs y ^ 3 cl?, ca^* î y

MS. Rauzat al Safa, Royal Asiatic Society, No. 43.
* For the passage which
instance, shouldcorrespond with the text of Istakhr?,
p. 110, line 7, M ller, and which is translated from the Persian version by
Ouseley, p. 225, last line, and two first lines of 220, runs thus in Ibn Haukal:?
W ?^1 LS^]y iS* iS^S CU^l* 15^1^ *<** is* W^3

Xi' d^?^
(?j?3 **J4rH 'i?jS l<p^ ?tiy? (*r^ yf\ \^=ss^^ JLo
IA I A . . ?
XjUvXj^ LT^" ***"
iryÂM^m3 is3 l_5JA*-*
And among his many additional observations on Kabul, he iu one place thus
expresses himself :?
?\1?
^j.?ilt (?j-* Cl*^ uÛamIj (?J>3? Oj*X^L? ciiX?Ij
The few passages in the present

cited, paper, from the Oxford MS. of Ibn
Haukal have been collated with a copy of
carefully the Leydcn MS. of that
author in the possession of M. Reinaud.
by Ab?l Fed?, is strictly consistent with his assertions in the T?r?kh

Hind; but at open variance with the deposition of Istakhr?; so
much so, that it is difficult to reconcile the obvious discrepancies. If
Istakhr? be correct, the castle of Kabul was in the possession of the
Moslems in the early part of the fourth century of the Hijrah; it had
possibly remained so from the time of its capture by Yakub Lith.
Alb?rnn?Vj mention of its being the residence of the Turk, and subse
quently of the Brahman Kings, would appear to indicate, that, how

ever much of continuity there may have been in its occupancy
by the
royal line of the former race, and whether they wore the parties losing
and
recovering it, or not, one fact is clear, that the Brahinan.s, as well
as tho Turks, onco it. Alhiruni's iu the suite of
possessed position
Mahm?d of Ghazni, and his consequent opportunities of obtaining
precise information on the spot, to the closely preceding history of
which his observations refer, together with his admitted knowledge of
the language of the country itself, render his evidence on this point
unassailable. Recognizing this, and at the same time holding deserved
confidence in the accuracy of Istakhr?, who, it is to be noted, was also
an the statements are
original observer, apparently conflicting expli
cable only by concluding that Kabul having once been subdued by
the Moslems, was recovered the rulers some time after
by indigenous
tho visit of Istakhr?. This may have been effected by the Turks; but
it is more that tho Brahmans on the as,
probable recaptured city,
and a and conquer
attaining supremacy, speedily becoming powerful
and also in view the prestige to the
ing dynasty, having attaching
ancient which has formed the subject of remark of the
metropolis,
Mohammedan authors now their endeavours would
cited, early
be directed to the of so desirable a
naturally re-acquisition possession.
In examining the correspondence of the different epochs, it will be
seen that the which succeeds the date of Istakhri's
period directly
accords with sufficient exactitude with the conclusions
observations,
arrived at from indirect as to the date of the sub
already testimony
version of the Turk, and tho rise of the Brahman It may
dynasty1.
be that the wording of the sentence of the K?n?n above
objected
referred to, might be taken to mean that the Brahman of the
occupation
Castle of Kabul was as was their of the Turk
direct, supercession
but this can scarcely be said to bo the sole and necessary sense
Kings;
of the terms employed.
Before these observations, it may be requi
concluding preliminary
site to advert to an important element of any numismatic
concisely
standard. The monuments at command, whence
system?the monetary
1 Journ. As. Soc, No.
Roy. XVII., p. 179.
all inferences on this head must ho drawn, though numerically ample,

nre, as has hcen remarked, in a state of
already generally imperfect
not so much from any direct incident to
preservation, arising injuries
their as from a detrition a
age, necessary consequent upon prolonged
circulation; heuce, any attempt at an adjudication of tho original
mint weights, must be founded less on any extended average, than on a
limited number of selected It will tend to

comparatively specimens.
disembarrass tho of much of its apparent to
inquiry complexity, reject
all advertence to coins, and to confine the attention to the
provincial
of the mints more on the seat of govern
produce directly dependent
ment, as these will offer a more accurate criterion of the
manifestly
Imperial standard, than the curreucics of the several
palpably varying
departmental governments.
In the unsatisfactory state of the materials which arc to form the
more immediate in the aid may be
proofs present investigation, great
from ?an identification of the
anticipated approximate mouetary sys
tem upon which the Ghaznavi was founded. Two most
currency
obvious sources themselves for selection?the of the
present system
S?m?n?s, from whose court the monarchs took their rise;
newly-made
or that of the Brahnians, to whose succeeded'. Tho
kingdom they
of tho Bokhara have not been ascer
weights moneys very accurately
tained. Marsden,
however, after upon the standard of tho
deciding
coins of the Khalifs as 65*6 grains; silver,
averaging severally?gold,
45 on to observe, that the S?ini?n? dirhems to have
grains,?goes appear
been slightly heavier than the corresponding coins of tho Khalifs; and
his own published of these in number?show
specimens pieces?thirteen
an of 45*30; the of coin
average weight highest weight any singlo
49-5 If these last are to be taken as tho accu
being grains. figures
rate of tho standard of the Bokhara silver it
representatives coinage,
would sccin to have been too to have stood as an for
light exemplar
tho money of Ghazni, as a at the weights noted with
cursory glance
each coin now described will discover numerous silver of
pieces 51,
many of 52, and some as as 55 The most ancient Indian
high grains.
coins known, which consist of "small llattened bits of silver, atanipcd
1 As
far as
can be ascertained from the numismatic records they have left
behind the currency of the Drahmans
them, would seem to have formed a very
large proportion of the circulating medium of the surrounding hills. It is to be
noted also, en passant, that the precise Dynasty that ruled at Ghazni at the time of
its capture has not yet becu identified, but state
by Alptegin judging from Istakhri's
ment
(Ouseley'8 Orient. Geog., p. 200), the futuro capital of the empire of Mahm?d
was a place of but small in the early part of the fourth
importance century of the
Hijera.
at random with the supposed "marks of successive

punches," dynasties
authenticating the currency," average in weight 50 grains'; the old
a and of silver coin, also
Varaba, frequent widely-spread species
50 and, the Rajput, or what are now
averages grains'; finally,
known to be Kabul Brahnianical silver average over 50
pieces, grains1,
and appear, from their direct connexion and close approximation in
as the true models upon which the Ghaznavi
weight, to have served
was based4, and this inference receives additional confirmation
money
from the fact of an attempt at an assimilation, observable in
apparent
the outline, form, and shape of the moneys of the and suc
preceding
ceeding dynasties.
All reference to the of tbo I lou.se of Ghazni lia?
gold coinage
hitherto been avoided, as there Ls no known piece of the Braliuian
gold
of whereon to found a indeed, it would
Kings Kabul, comparison;
seem as if the of this metal, if existing at all, in the form of
currency
national coins, in the Hill dominion of this race, must have been very
limited5. Moreover, to say, among the many
closely .singular gold
medals of Mahm?d and his immediate successors, struck in various
of the extensive which owned their there is not a

parts empire sway,
coin in Mr. Masson's collection that dates
single metropolitan gold
to the reign of Mo'd?d. These and the extant medals
prior succeeding
of this metal, like the provincial coins of N?sh?p?r6, &c., in their ex
variation in weight, offer serious obstacles to any satis
traordinary
identification of the intentional standard. The Ghazni gold
factory
on a be inferred to have had a
coins, rough estimate, may proposed
of about 65 or Go* and to have been modelled,
average weight grains7,
in point of form, upon Mahm?d's early N?sh?p?r Dinars, which he
first issued while still only a Governor for the S?m?n?sB.
1 Vol. IV. p. 027 (50 grains, or the tank of

Prinscp, Jour. As. Soc. Bengal,
3 mashas.)
8 *
Idem, p. 07K Idem, ?77.
4 to any possible rule of even par
There are some unaccountable exceptions
for instance, No. 05. The silver coin, No. 37, which
tially equivalent weights, as,
havo had an original mint value of 1J Ghazni
weighs 7G grains, may possibly
Dirhems.
5 "The Unit of the Hind? system [India] was of gold, and the old specimens
found arc of GO or 120 grains in weight." Prinscp's Useful Tables, p. 15.
0 flft'4
Tho N?sh?p?r gold coins of Mahm?d, Nos. 0, 9, 10, and 12, average
No. 9 differs in weight from No. ?0 as much as 20'1 grains. Masa?d'?
grains.
the latter actually the pro
Coin, No. 51), and three other similar N?slu?p?r pieces,
but vary in different specimens to the
duce of the same dies, average C4*il5 grains;
extent of 23"2 grains.
7 Nos.
77, 7?\ 93, and 90, average C5 gnins.
n in the British Museum, amid an ample scries of Sam?n? silver
The Cabinets
The copper currency would appear, from its general characteristics,

and the weights of the better specimens, to have been intended to
correspond with the silver currency. It will be seen that brass was
occasionally made use of for coinage, though probably only in lieu of
the accustomed copper; but the minuto silver coins of 5*25 and 5*50
grains (Nos. 74, 103) must have greatly superseded the necessity for
an extensive copper The mixed silver and or
currency. copper,
billon, of the Punjab may bo assumed to havo boeu continued,
coinage
in point of weight and value, on tho old Hindu standard.
A few words seem to be to introduce to the notice of the
required
reader an item of occasional in numismatic
consequence investigations,
the niouograms and mint marks. In the present iustanco, it may bo
sufficient to remark that the former but few notable attri
present
butes, and that their range is limited to the following unimportant
varieties :?
1. Words of some excellence, such as _Jj^ Justice

expressive
(Just?)1; ^vxi Victory, <kc.
coius, contain
only five specimens of the gold coinage of the Monarcas of this
House, and
these are, without exception, the produce of the N?sh?p?r mint ; their
are as follows:?a.h. 346, 06*4 grains; A.n. 3G5, 02*0 grains; a.h. 37o*,
weights
750 grains; and a.h. 384, two specimens, 54*5 and 48*0 respectively.
i It seems from the frequent at almost uniform use of
probable, and, times,
the word _J*Xc on the dies of Kufic that its employment was designed
Coins,
to refer to tho integral value of the piece to bo impressed, and, as such, that it
o -
should be read as ^JtXx Just, and not as _J*Xc Justice. The appearance
of other distinct substantives, such as ?i?, which occasionally take the

^v?i,
place of thcso also may bo taken to refer, less directly
_J*Xx?though
to the Coius bo inscribed?certainly militates the cutir? con
perhaps, against
clusiveuess of this suggestion ; but, on the other hand, the of Arab
early history
money, and the subsequent numismatic employment of the word -J4XC and its
derivatives, tend to show that the present may very be admitted to be an
fairly
open question.
The earliest coinage of copper money under the Arabs (ante, A.n. 7b'), or
rather the but slightly-modified adaptation by the followers of Mohammed of tho
existing currency of the Syrian provinces of the Byzantine Empire, in which are
associated Arabic words in conjunction with the old devices and partially retained
Greek legends, shows that the probably initiatory application of the Arabic alpha
bet to these Coins was to denote the of issue and the full
employed simply place
and fair measure of the value of the piece; the one conveyed by the curt inscrip
tion of the name of the mint city, the other in the record of either of the following
2. Abbreviations of titles, as I^ ^Û &c.
3. The names of the Arabic months, * &c, refer

i_x^r psô
ring possibly to the month in which the piece was struck.
4. The designation of various cities of the empire, such as
,_,Lt>Jl / . ,LJ &c. It does not appear quite clear what maybe the
intent of these last superscriptions, as they are found on coins fabri

cated in cities other than the town whose name is expressed by the
monogram.
words: ?-?Ls? current, lawful; ?-?-aaIo good; ?\j (weight). fullOcca
sionally tho Arabic words arc used in direct reference to, and correspondence
with, the customary Greek word KAAON, to be found on the opposite surface of
one and the same Coin, thereby their meaning?long unknown?as
evidencing
well as their use and origin. de Journal Asiatique, 1039; see also
(M. Saulcy,
Marsdcn, PI. XVII., Nos. CCCIV., CCCIL, and Nos. CCXCVI., CCXCVIII.)
The primary examples of the inscription of _J*\c are noticed in Frtehn's
Iteccnsio Numorum aB discovered on certain

comprehensive Muhamedanorum,
Bokhara Coins of the Khalifs?A.n. 105, 190, and 209?which maybe
copper
from tho tenor of tho legend, and the circumstances under which they
supposed,
were struck, to have required some unusual authentication; thence the use of the
word may be traced as of constant recurrence on the medals of the S?m?n?s,
whence itmust have found its way to the anomalous position it is f-ecn to hold on
the Nagari Coins of the Hind? of Kabul Roy. As. Soc, No
Kings (Journ.
XVII., p. 107).
Whatever have been the previously accepted signification of this mono
may
in this case admits of but one explanation, that it was
gram, its adoption namely,
intended to attest the current value of the coinage thus marked. Had it been the
of the Kabul Monarchs in any way to refer to their own justice, or to
object
in the as a virtue to be inculcated in the every-day transactions of
equity abstract,
those who were to use this money, the monogrammatic word would have been put
in a form and character to those who were expected to profit
forward intelligible
of the Sovereign with whose device it
either by one or the other?the subjects
of an isolated
was thus identified?and not, as is here seen, in the superscription
letters of which the native die-engravers were
word in a strange language, the very
scarce able to imitate; whereas, in adopting the attestation mark of his neighbours,
the Ruler of the day may well have proposed to himself to ensure the free circu
lation of his own money, if not in the adjacent dominions, still, unobstructed by
undue depreciation in the marts and bazaars of the conterminal cities.
JAc , it may be sufficient to refer
For tho after adaptation of the import of
to its frequent appearance on Coin9 authoritatively into circula
generally passed
tion in a for whose express use they were not in the first instance
country
The currency marks in these cases were given by a subsequent punch
designed.
and the adjective of ?J<Xc, the most common of these
impression, meaning
is indirectly attested by the oft-recurring use of the nearly analogous
stnmp words,
The letters, which are found convenient

single occupying any
comer of the area, arc held to be mere mint marks, and seem
usually
to import little or nothing calling for extended observation1.
t.
contre-marque g*-?'/
current (Fradtn, pp. 463, 499) ; more rarely is to be seen
the punch-mark of .?la victory, which, though convertible as Sib victorious,
may be accepted as a substantive denoting perchance the acquisitions of victory,
in the same way that the original die use of this word and its synonyme
?**
may be supposed to have referred to a similar means of attainment of the compo
nent materials, or to have the less direct in the mere
conveyed allusion, implied
commemorative record of a recent conquest.
The_5iXc is also often conjoined in these second impressions with the

name of the Monarch who wishes to stamp the authenticity of the medal.], (Sec
Numismatic Chronicle, Coin of Humayun, Article "Pat?n of Delhi,"
Kings
1847)
And, lastly, the term seems so to have passed into mint that it is to
parlance,
be seen as A*J?Xc and ?J<X? on the
(j**.Xi (Frtelm*s Itecensio, pp. 431, 432)
moneys of the descendants of Timar; and by Mohammed of Delhi the
Tughlak
word is applied as tho direct name of a novel of Coin introduced
JfcXxJl species
by himself. (Num. Chron., 1847.)
1 Professor
Fradm at one time advocated the opinion that the isolated Kufic
letter or letters *- cs U?and __3 to be seen on ancient

(j* occasionally Mo
hammedan Coins, were intended to denote the month in which the pieces thus
marked were struck these
(Fr hu, ProL, i., 15), being supposed respectively to
stand for the initial letters of Jum?d al Awal, Z?'l Hajah, Rab? al Awal,
Sitaban,
and _J for the final letter and of Shaw?l. asido the
represenlativc Setting
admittedly unsatisfactory character of this theory, its application to the present
series is clearly shown to be
inadmissible, by the fact of the occurrence of
one of these initial
supposed indices (j* in conjunction with other single con
sonants, which might also stand for the first letter of tho name of a month, as in
No. in addition to
3; but, this, the same (j* is seen on three several Coins,
Nos. 84, 8f>, 80, in association with the full names of three distinct and
varying
Mohammedan months.
KINGS OF GHAZNI. 29:3
TABLE I.?The Ghmnam Dyna.sty, and, the cotcmporary

Khalifs.
Accepted Onlf? Notlcc.i of various Date* assigned by

Khalifs of Unglitlud. of Accession. King? of Ghazni. dillercnt Authorities.
A.n. A.n. A.n.
Al Miiti'h llllnh . 334

Abd., Zi'l Kndnh, 3<?3
. Revolt, 350, Rauzat al Safa.
Alptegin
Al T?l'h llllnh. 303
Opposed by Halm al i)7d . A Iptcg?n's ?loath,doubtful. Sit note. p. 2?H.
daulah, (Sluib?u) ?HI Islmk
Ab? Ishak "Ibrahim" Ibn Ilaiikal.
\)77 Sabaktagin
Al K?dir blllah. 3HI
Died, Zi'l Hajah, 422 ?W7 Ismail. Sabaktag?n's death, 380, N?s?i?, Jen?b? ;
3S7, Ab?l Far?j ; 387 (Stinb?tt), Hniiznt al
Sala, Ab?l Fed?. Khal?sat al Akhb?r.
998 Mahmud. entitled Seif al daulah, 384: takes posses
sion of Ghazni, Habial Aival,3H8f becomes
Independent, 38?I.?Varions authorities.
103(1 Mohammed Mahni?d's death. Hab? al A'kltir, 421, Ab?l
Fed?, Khal?sat al Akhb?r.?See note to
Coins AU,ft 11 fice.
1030 Masa?d . Mohammed's 1st relgn, 7 months, N?siri.
Masa?d's accession, 422, N?siri ; 421 (3rd
Al Kftim beamerlllah .. 422 Shaw?l), Itauzat al Safa, Khal?sat al
A k libar.
Died, 13 Shab?n, 407 1040-1 Mohammed Rebellion against Masa?d, 432 (Rab? al
A'khir),Ab?l Fed?; Mohmmned's restora
tion, 432, N?siri, Ab?l Faraj ; 432 (Jtnmid
al Awill), Akber?; 433, Habib al Sair; 433
fJum?d al Aual), Guz?dnh.
104! M?d lid Mohammed's 2nd relgn, 4 months, N?siri.
Al?diid's accession,432 fShab?n;, Masai?d?:
432, N?siri, Ab?l Faraj. F.ntry iutnChazn?.
432 (23rd Shab?n), Ab?l Fcd?. Accession,
434. Guz?dah; 433, Khal?sat al Akhb?r,
Fcrlshtah.
1048 Masa?d IT.. M?d?d's death, 441, N?siri, Ab?l Faraj :441
(Ilajab). Ab?l Fcd?, Guzidah, Kauzut al
Safa, Khal?sat al Akhb?r, Habib al Sa?r.
1048 Abul Itasnn Ali Masa?d II. and Ab?l Hasan Ali, length of
llah? ni daulnh relgn, jointly, 2 months, N?siri.
Masa?d II., Imonth, Guz?dah, Habib al Ma?r;
5 days, Tabnk?l Akber? ; ?days, Ferishliili.
Ab?l Hasan AH, length of reign, 2 years, Gu
z?dah, Khal?sat al Akhb?r; nearly I year,
Habib ?1 Sa?r; 1month, Tabak?t Akber?.
1048 Abdal Rashid . Accession,440, fixed from Coins- 441, N?siri,
Ab?l Faraj, Ab?l Fed? j 443, Guz?dah, Kha
lasatnI A k libar.
10f>2 Toghral .... 444, Ab?l Fed?.
lor?2 Ferokhz?d Length of Toghral's rule, 40 days, Nasiri,
Khal?sat al Akhb?r, fcc. Ferokhz?d's ac
cession, 443. Zi'l Kadah, N?siri.
Ibrahim .... Accession, 451, T?r?kh Masa?di, N?siri,
Ab?l Fed?, Jen?b?; 4.ri0,Guz?dah, fcc.
AI MokIndi beamcriilnh
Uled,l5Mubarrlm,4H7
AI Aloslnzher blllali ...
IHed, lORubiAkhlr,f>l2 1on.) Masa?d ?II. Ibrahim's ricalh, 4??2, fixed from Coin*, N??
sir?. Guz?dah, Ab?l Al abasan; 4SI, Ab?l
Fed?, Raiuat al Safa. See p. 280.
508 1114 Sh?rz??d . Guz?dah, Jen?b?, &c.
Knmnl nl daulah
1115 Arshin. Accession, f?09,N?siri, Guz?dah, fkc.
Al Alostarshld blllnh ... 1118 13a liram . Capture and sack of Ghazni by Al? al din
Killed, 17Zi'l Kadah,r>2y Jeh?ns?z, f>47.
.
Al llashld blllah
Al Moklofi leiunetlllah
Inaug., 12Zi'lHajah,530
1152 Khusr?. Accession, 5.ri2,N?siri: f>44. (?uz?dah ; .r>43,
or r?.r?0,
Ab?l Fed? ; ?i47,Akber?.
AI Mostanjcd billah ... 1100 Khusr? Malik,... Khusr? Alalik Dually dispossessed of Ghazni
The monthly Hatw in by the Ghor??ns, M7, Ferish'ah ; forced to
sin render at Lahor, '?B?,Rauzat al Safa :
t/iii column urn laten
/ -..,., */,,)! r.ir,,. fiKl, Akber? ; f?b'_',
FerMilah.
294 ON THE COINS OF THE KINGS OF GHAZNI.
It has been usual to consider as the Obverse of pure Moham
medan Coins that surface of the medal which bears tho formulas of
?Ml SI aJI S &c. ; this rule will be seen to have been adhered to,
where circumstances would permit, in the following description of the
Coins of Ghazni; but it is necessary to notice that, although the
custom of tho Obverso or its on tho
European placing representative
left hand has been complied with generally in tho cngraviugs, it has
been found to reverse the usual in the
necessary practice printed
of the of the medals, as the nature of tho
transcript legends language
employed?being written from right to left?and tho parallel juxta

of the contents of the Obverse and Reverse?which in many
position
instances are intended to be run one into the other?rendered this
almost It will be seen, however, that this

arrangement imperative.
has not in all cases sufficed to tho end in view, as tho dio
accomplish
cutters seem at times to havo all at
disregarded attempts uniformity,
and to have considered their task fulfilled in the mere insertion of a
number of words, without much to tho order in which
given regard
they were required to be placed.
The type lines, which are occasionally to bo found above tho

Arabic are intended to mark that of the word or sen
legends, part
tence that is clearly legible, in contradistinction to what may be either
doubtful or, in some cases, actually illegible. They have been adopted
as less in their association with tho and more conso
unsightly type,
nant with Oriental than the brackets in use Westorn
practice among
natious to iudicate restored passages.
It is to be observed that Roman numerals havo been attached to
those Coins of which are to be found in tho plates.

engravings
Tablo I. has boon in its present as

placod position boing proporly
in showing the order of succession of tho of the
introductory Kings
and the several contemporary Khalifs. Tables II. and
Dynasty III.,
giving the summary of the dates and mint cities, are inserted at tho
conclusion of the description of the Coins which havo furnished tho
results indicated.
DETAIL OF THE COINS.
ALPTEGIN.
No. l.
Silver. Ander?beb? 347 A.n. Frrehn, Nov. Symb., p. 15.
Rrv. Obv.
A?
?Ml iX^^s\ô
_J^|>
-?_?_A_11
e_r
Marg. ?HA iS+^y^ Marg. 1<X?> ?Ml

A^y ^Jy?r ^Jjl uy? ^
\$&A L-V 4,1 (?+??3 ^f^W
Ll>3~/?U
TnE coins are noticed in this as

following place probably deriving
their origin from a mint under the control of Alptcgin; there are
of this
in favour
classification, it is not defi
many arguments though
tho pieces are
as in tho distinctive name of
nitively adopted, wanting
tho chief in question, and tho assignment now is at
proposed perhaps
variance with the from the acceptance of the
requirements resulting
reading of a medal, presenting many identical peculiarities given by

Professor Fraehn, whose of the coin is reproduced below.
description
It will be seen that the St. Petersburg Professor discerns the name
of Bokhara, as the of of the coin referred to, which

place mintage
identification, if correct, is slightly adverse to the attribution at present
suggested: however, without directly impugning the decipherment
vol. ix. X
the presumptions iu support of the

adopted by Professor Fnehn, pro
above advanced may be enumerated.
position briefly
The first coin of the class now cited (letter A) has been assigned
to Abdal Malik, the sixth S?m?n?1; that itwas struck during his reign,
and under his there can be little doubt, but, as
acknowledged auspices,
will appear from other of mintages, probably
specimeus analogous
either iu honour, or under the immediate influence, of an exalted oflicer
of the State, if not actually in one of the chief cities of a provincial

governor.
It is to be premised in entering on this discussion, that the quota
tion of c_o 'i ?All /. , which occupies the prominent
5*03* Y-? fxaj
of the area of one face of tho coin, and will be seen to form tho
portion
distinctive mark of the series, is found on none of tho other
present
coins of of tho three several whose names are recorded
any Emperors,
on the surface of the medals now described. This
opposite peculiarity
would in itself that the coins thus emblazoned, wore
imply separated
from the other monies of these Princes, on account of some local or
cause hitherto and wero thero no other unusual

political unexplained,
facts observable in to these this alone would induce an
regard pieces,
inquiry as to the possible design which originated this want of uni

formity.
The first in the examination is, to fix with as much
step present
xWith a view to avoid textual and future references to tho

recapitulation,
authorities, a detail list of the S?imtu? Monarchs is hero annexed :?
original
Accession.
A.n.
1. Nasr bin Ahmed - - - - 281
2. Ismail bin Ahmed - 279
3. Ahmed bin Ismail .... 295 Safar, Khal?sat al Akhb?r.
4. Nasr bin Ahmed - - - - 301 Juntad al A'khir, idem.
5. Null bin Nasr .... ;jai idem.
Rajah,
(i. Abdal Malik bin Null - - - 343 Hab? al A'khir, Ab?l Faraj
and Ab?l Fed?.
7. Mans?r bin N?h I. 350 Shau?l.
8. N?h bin Mans?r - 3(?6 Ab?l Faraj and Ab?l Fed?; 30*5
Rajab, Khal?sat al Akhb?r.
il. Mans?r bin N?h II. - - -
387 Rajab, Ab?lFed?andKhal?sat
al Akhb?r.
10. Abdal Malik bin N?h - - - 389 Safar, Khal?sat al Akhb?r.
Eilck Khan enters Bokhara - - 389 10 ZV I Kadah, N?sir?, ?lc.
11. Ismail bin N?h
(M?ntascr), killed in Rab? al Awal 395, Khal?sat ni Akhb?r.
The months
given generally indicate the date of the death of the preceding
monarch, and do not always so accurately represent the tinto of the inauguration
of the successor.
* u
Assista nee from God, and speedy victory.*1 Koran, surah lxi. ver. 13.
KINOS OF Q.UAZN1. 297
prccisiou as the materials will admit of, the period of time embraced
in the issue of the various extant medals the motto above
bearing
referred to. This will be seen to extend from the sixth of the
year
reign of Abdal Malik, through that of Mans?r bin Niih I., to the
early part at least of the domination of N?h bin Mans?r, or during
the period included between the years 348 A.n., as proved by the St.
Petersburg coin, and 366 A.n., the first year of the reign of the third
of theso monarcliH.
The second condition in this investigation is to decide the locality
in which the pieces in dispute received their stamp. The coin (A)
has been asserted to have been struck at Bokhara; all the others,
which retain cither the entire record or trace of the name of
partial
their mint disclose the whole or of the word ForwuV.
city, portions
The last point to be determined is the identification of the individual
on other of medal, may be found to have used the
who, any species
Vide Istakhr? (Mocller,) pp. 109, 112 Text, and Map

lMl*_5
i . ^?* XVIII, p. 111. See also Persian MS. Mcsalik wa

\L*l,?>- Xr+'?
Mcm?lik, East India House Library, p. 91.

"The river of Penjhir runs through the town, mid passes from
(x>L> rUs*)>
lariatteh till it comes to , # .L 3 Fcrouan, and so proceeds into Hindoostan.'
Ouseley's Oriental Geography, p. 225.

" mais ses environs
La ville de Carwaii #A j est peu consid?rable, jolie;
sont ses bazars fr?quent?s, Res habitants riches; les maison? y sont
agr?ables,
construites en argile et en briques. Situ?e sur les bords de la rivi?re qui vient de
Bendjehir K -?\j * cette ville est run des principaux march?s de rinde." Geo
\f"H
476. Paris Edit. 1836.
graphie d*Edrisi,p.
Abulfed?, quoting Ibn Haukal and Abiil Majd Ismail al-M?sal?, also mentions
as a considerable town in the province of Dami?n; vide

. yA 3 (Fer?wan)
Texte Arabe. 1840.

p. 404 and 467, G?ographie d'Aboulf?da, Taris,
4?
Barwan," Ibn Batuta (Dr. Lee*? Translation, pp. 97 aod 08).
" route [from Balkh to Kabul J is that of Peru an. Between Perw?n
Another
-
and the high mountain, thero arc seven minor passes, which they call tbe II eft
becheh (the seven younglings). As you come from the Aitdcrah side, two roads
unite below the main pass, and lead down on FcrwAn by way of the ?Seven
This is a very difficult road." Erskine's Daher, p. I3?.
Younglings.
" there are some districts; in the
On the skirts of the hills [of Gh?rbend]
tipper part are Mitch, Kaeheb, and PcrwAn." Idem, p. 14??.
" must have existed at Perw?n, about eight miles,
A city of magnitude bearing
*
north nineteen west from D?gr?m. Coins are discovered there in large
* * * M?homedans
quantities. The site in Perwfin is called by Mprw?n, and by
Hindus MhV?n." Masson, vol. III., p. 166".
motto of * to
^ ij V
^?i* aMI .
y*o
.AaJ The
only
other reference
the numismatic of this in Professor Froohn's own

employment quotation
voluminous works, to the coin of No. 1 of this series.
points Alptegin,
These data having been disposed of, it becomes necessary to con
sider how far the direct historical, as well as the numismatically
inferential accords with the conclusion, which the last coin
testimony
cidence renders obvious, that the medals under review are in some
way connected with Alptegin himself.

The undisputed coin of this Chief, No. 1, received its stamp in
347 a.h. The earliest coin of the doubtful class was struck
present
in the year following; the later pieces,
(B) and (C), in 365; and the
latest, (D), may, for the present, be inferred to have been coined in
366, or the first of the rule of the Sovereign whoso name it bears.
year
Tho period, therefore, embraced in the issue of the various coins
under notice, almost with the time intervening
corresponds exactly
between the prominent of the rise and the decease of Alptegin,
portion
which last event is variously in 365 and 366 A.u1.
placed
Regarding the geographical question involved in this inquiry, all
written unites in affirming, that the hill encompass
testimony country
ing Alptcgin's new capital of Ghazni defied the attempts of the S?m?
n?s towards its resubjection* and that Alptegin continued in effect
absolute master of all the high ground south of the provinco of Balkh3,
from the time when his position at the Court of Bokhara first became
on the accession of Mansiir bin Nuh in 350 A.n., up to the
equivocal,
i The Guz?dah does not notice the exact epoch of Alptegiu's decease, though,
in affirming that he held domini?n in Ghazni for sixteen years, it in effect accepts
"
the year 366. The Chronicle of Ibn Haidar (quoted by Wilken, Mirchond Hist.
Gaz.'*) also adopts sixteen years as the duration of this Chieftain's independent
sway. The Rauzat al Saf? docs not give the date of the death of Alptegin with any
prccisiou, merely reporting that event as taking place shortly after tho accession of
N?h bin Mans?r, in Raj ab 365 a.h. It will be seen, however, that there is reason
to question this last date, as Ab?l Faraj and Ab?l Fed? assign the decease of Mans?r
bin N?h I. to the year 366, instead of to 305, though Mirkhond's statement as
regards the survival of Alptegin, and his consequent contemporaneous existenco
with N?h bin Mans?r, which is at present the real point at issue, tallies well with
the other evidence. Jen?b? most erroneously places eveu the first assumption of
power by Alptegin so late as 306 (Dorn, Hist. p. ?0).
independent Afghans, Notes,
And Ferishtah, though he boldly affirms that this Chieftain died in 305, yet, in the
very context of his narrative (351 Revolt -f- 15 years* reign = 366, and not 305;
Briggs, vol. I. p. 13,) he conveys a palpable doubt as to the accuracy of his own
den ni te assertion.
' al Safa, History
Rauzat of S?m?n?s; Elphiustone, vol. I., p. 525.
8
Alptegin would appear to have been unable to retain Ander?bch. See coins,
No. 315, Fnehn Recensio; No. 39, Nov. Symb.; and No. 44, Num. Kuf.
KINGS OF GHAZNI. 2.99
date of his own death. the above statements as to tho terri

Accepting
torial possessions of Alptegin, they necessitate a conclusion, that in the
year 365 A.n., when coins (B) and (C) were fabricated, Ferwan was in
the hands of that chief. Such being the case, and adverting both to
the mint customs in like cases, and tho avowed attitude of defensive
hostility assumed by Alptegin towards his quondam masters, it would
be highly improbable, that the produce of the Ferwan Mint should be
put forth unmarked by some record of tho successful general, who
then swayed the destinies of the rising empire of Ghazni.
In this of view therefore, the appearance of the
point superscrip
tion of <_KjtJs ?HI , . *-? r*3?> ?l8 a reference to

fs?S} denoting
Alptegin, merely tallies with what is demanded by the probabilities

of tho case1.
thus far under one view the earlier and the later
Having brought
coins the motto of <_KJ J ?ill ,. wo -xai, it is
bearing jÔCi* requi
site to discriminate tho alteration in Alptcgin's position at the dif

ferent when these numismatic monuments were fabricated.
epochs
At the time of the issue of the coin (A), Alptegin was the honoured
and obedient vassal of his S?imin? as such, mention of, or
lord; any
reference to, him on the money of the must have been due to the
day
sanction of his Suzerain, and tho money disclosing such allusion
would bo expected to partake of the general characteristics of tho
current hence it is seen that these coins, a
mintages; though ofTering
most novel de vico in tho reverse area, preserve on that side the usual
legend of ^\ ?JJ &c*. At the period of the

marginal coinage of
1 It is to the matter in hand to observe, with reference

pertinent to the pecu
liarly local characteristics of Mr. Masson's referred
collection, already to, that in
an accumulation of mednlR, numbering thousand?, there arc not ten proper coins of
the S?m?n? Emperors?a race, occupying territory, the boundaries of which were
immediately proximate to the country whence the present monuments were culled,
and whose money is in other places so plentiful that the published notices alone of
the partial contents of different European cabinets, admit of the possibility of the
citation of a coin corresponding with nearly every single year of the domination of
the family. Thin fact, though remarkable, i? strictly in accordance with the
inductions which should result from the testimony of written history, viz., that the
pure Bokhara Imperial money obtained but little currency in the hill country of
Z?bulist?u prior to the conquest by Alptegin, and that after the fall of Ghazni to
the arms of that Commander, the circulating medium was supplied from sources
other than the mints of the S?m?n? dominions.
*
Assuming that Professor Frouhn has not fallen into the very facile error of
reading from a possibly worn coin the legend ?JJ &c, (Koran, surah xxx,
^?\)l
ver. 4, 5,) in place of ?j ^\ [f, &c, of Coins (B), (C), and (D).
the later of this money, was in the anomalous con

examples Alptegin
dition of a revolted who had a new
Governor, actually conquered
kingdom for himself, simultaneously retaining part of the territories
of his late masters; and while he showed himself able and prepared to
defend his still rendered a nominal to the race
appropriations, homage
of his ancient benefactors. Whether the altered record on tho reverse
margin of coins (B), (C), and (D), about to be noticed, is any indica
tion of such a stato of things, is perhaps not altogether beyond a
doubt; but there on these later coins, a dubious
appears curiously
which well be to emanate from a
marginal legend', might expected
scnii-recusant governor, who, although he acknowledges, in a way,
the feudal supremacy of the successors of Abdal Malik, cither cannot
claim the permission of his Suzerain to coin, or will not
legal compro
mise the dignity of his partially-perfected independence, by admitting
that, the money his own mark, and struck iu one of his
bearing capital
cities, was fabricated order of the but who reverts
by reigning Emperor;
to Nasr bin Ahmed for his authority to issue money; alluding probably
to the first of the name, the prominent founder of the family to which
his own allegiance was due, or, possibly referring to the fourth of the
line of the same designation, the Nasr bin Ahmed under whose early
patronage he himself must have been advanced the first on tho
step
road to power*.
If the proposed explanation of the meaning of the Toghrd} which
forms the central ornament in the reverse area of these curious coins,
is correct, the namo of -A Null, also bo understood as expres
may
sive of a to refer to another member of the Sam?n? the
design family,
N?h bin Nasr, from whom Alptegin received the distinguished honour
of the nomination to the command of the army.
1 It is to notice,
right though it is difficult to explain, the iippcaruiico of a
seemingly similar incomplete marginal legend on a coin of Mans?r bin N?h,
struck at Bokhara 35H A.n. The inscription reads?
/ ?X^.1 try-i * * *
.?AJLajJll j*^fi\ t?y* /k*^ ?u^l \.c
Fnehn, Die M?nzen, &c, p. 51, pi. xiv., fig. 22.
* The notices of are
Alptegin's early history naturally somewhat scanty; it
seems to be admitted, however, that in his youth he was the slave of Ahmed bin
Ismail, the third S?m?n? monarch. It is stated in the T?r?kh Guz?dah
that, during
the reign of N?h bin Nasr, he was promoted to the command of the Imperial :
Army
(v-HoL ?zl dÛt ?V 3? ?)U/ f? ej.^50

Under Abdul Malik, he rose to be Governor of Khor?s?n, and on the elevation
of Mans?r bin N?h I. to the throne of Bokhara, in 350 a.h. he revolted, and
erected a quasi-independent at Ghazni.
chieftainship
ADD-UL-MELIK I. FILIUS NU'H I.
[A.] No. *2C?). N. ccr. rariss. et notabilissim. cus. ibidem anno

[Bocharte]
eodem [348] _
XjI&XSj (?j?*->^3 ^_
In supr. A. I. ?t infra autem .ju?=iU3
A. II'r- In medio denuo occurrit . .i.g,n

inscriptioartificiosiusdisposita.
cinctum a A *j fort. ?A) extra quod

(ecu quater repctito,
^
tÂ?/5 tf** er4 j**'J
Auxilium a Deo in orbem sunk
(venit) et victoria instant, disposita
Marg. r^\ ?M &c
Ferw?n. 3fl? a.h.

[B.] Copper. Weight, gr.
The name of N?h -. A four times a\J
repeated, radiating from the centre of

the area, and a circle a
forming by
curious distribution of the final ?
together with the motto
T-V ?> 3} ?Ml ijj^

disposed in the shape of a square in tho
four compartments.
*aj -A^yi U" Marg. ^JLJl w.?an

Marg. ???o? ^ f,fw--*
/ . *?j
<X?9?-l
A second coin, weight 3/1 gr., apparently the produce of the same dies, exhibits
the words , # .L ?^ quite distinctly.
1This is confirmed of four of coins

reading by the marginal legends specimens
similar to the above.
[C.l Copper. 46*7 gr. Ferw?n. 306 a.h. British Museum.

Weight,
Area as above [B.] Area as above [B.]
But without the word
Marg. >?? r**M *?r*' ^C Marg. \&J> ?111?**i

V*
-ft? ' *?? '

1^3-^? Qj ti?V* u^*"
(Jj-ft ^11 3 ??y*k~3
The name of the mint is nearly obliterated.

city
?D.) Copper. Weight, 36 gr. Unique.
Area. Area.
As above [B.]
M
|| ?V-V ||A*:sv?- ||
Marg. 91 J? Marg. Illegible.

1?J* /** 4*>
Jv^l
KINGS OF GHAZNL 303
SABAKTAGIN*.
No. II.
Silver. Weight, 60 gr. Ferw?n. 380 a.m. C.
Rbv. Obv.
. All
_)
!>"/ yi *_Il V
Z3->
m K?X
-^ *M1
/>
il_U. Ji
/ /
Marg. l?x?> d? (<^

J/"
&M*
^âjU (_-_>lty*? rfy4^
*
Thesubjoined account of the succession to Alptegin's is given
Chieftainship
entire from the Tabak?t N?siri, as
offering a version of the question to which it
refers, widely differing from that to he found in the writings of the more generally
known Authors; and although there are many objections to the unqualified admis
sion of its verity, yet the N?sirfs undoubted and UBual accuracy entitle
antiquity
the statement to full consideration.
i_*S?> ?2kj?& \\ *SXj . -aX?A)

?Iaj^^j.} ?2k^*.jJ jIa* y??** $ J?JjJ
itXi <^l-^ ol^l

C1k+j\& 2 ?y? 0\>AO** wJ^jU j ?Aa*??Aj }\ vAM^
VOL. IX, Y
oL?^l <yxj 3 3 ^c' ^

j? ?UXi y\ tj^Sjfj &^J* JW **3*J*
3 A?j?LaJo ctjLoi* ?y>^y ya^ -^^?yf

y "t^x&ilL)
?y+j *i? j^j U?XxamI

?y*. ?j3\ ij^jir ?ys ?c î *>j*^r
V^XAOk.^ C*-**?* ?*?

vAawI _j L^-v?Xj )j}IjumJ IjjW?^^ I^JU<"o) 3 ?j
ej*% ?3* 3 ?J3S ?j^>*? J e-SjL Jî V ^ i*/

kj*?
???y? KtX-cl ÂAM tf w ?Lwi jl y&+&> ?Xol^J ^l U^vw^J
Persian MS. Tabakat N?sir?, E. I. House Library, No. 1952.
This MS. is "said to have been copied by the Author" Vide Stewart's Catalogue.
A second more modern copy of this work, in the possession of the Rev. W. Cureton,
? No. l
has the following deviations from the above reading: wuo|
??i)A
Sx*. No. ? and ?

No.'jJ^T X^L \Ji?s?ASL â&UL
No- No' * No- 7
?3? ?j*. ?3o^?y ?j*?- ^3*
No. No. "?
No. *j
c^ L*^^
jîib
No. 3.
Silver. 51 gr. 3?2 A.n.

Weight,
Legends in Areas similar to No. II. Mint marks, Obv. _ and Rev,
Obv. Marg.
A nearly analogous Coin has on the Obv. Marg.
_ or XJU I?JS
jUSl yj?l (?JjjX*ÔJI
No. 4.
Silver. 43*5 gr. Forw?n. 303 a.h. British Museum.

Weight,
Areas similar to No. II. Mint marks -
<_3.
Obv. Marg. *jl?15 3 <-^ **~

j <j^* Cl^/*
No. 5.
Silver, 45 gr. a.h.

Weight, (3)04
Areas similar to No. II. Mint marks at the foot of the legends f
Obv. Marg. -
**"
-^ (?J&l* 3 #/'
A correspondingCoin has-^ ?j^ _
^\ (jjUJu Jfy
In Coins of the three last classes the Rev. Marginal legend usually
ends with x aJ?aJ.
No. 6.
Silver. 40 gr.
Weight,
Rev. Obv.
All o
yi A_Jl y
*ui S*X -^>% ?Ml
-;
J3-*
Cl^
/
Margins Illegible.
ISMAIL.
No. VII.
Obv.
_ll V
?, ?Ml
jd- ?L
?M
?.?I_L?_Il
Marg. Illegible. Marg. Worn, illegible.
On the Rev. Marg. of one of Ismail's Coins is to be seen tho commencement of
the usual symbol ?JH *X*=sA^ &c.

_Jj*y
MAHMUD.
No. VIII.
Gold. Weight, 7?? gr. N?sh?pur. 385 a.h. British Museum.
Rev.
il_k_II 1
Mnrg. ?Ml .X_*_=sS~<i Marg. int. \&J> ?M!

_J^_?.y. i^y? ^
/,. H?? ^f^Nr'W *^"r'
*lib 45-^ V*
IrLJ
ej^'
Marg. ext. $\ *U
tho Apostle of
<zj" r
Mohammed, God,
whom he sent with instruction and the <X/w*+J ? *SKi
C/-*-J ?^?.J
true faith, that he might exalt it above
all other creeds, even though Unbe M
lievers be adverse thereto. ? Koran, f**. (?jy*^
surah ix. 33, and lxi. 9. Dominion, both past and future, is of
God, and in that day the Faithful shall
rejoice in the aid of the Lord.?Koran,

surah xxx. 4, 5.
I -? an Apylum.
No. IX.
Gold. Weight, 57'3 gr. N?sh?p?r. 390 a.h. British Museum.
Obv.
?Ml SI *_11 y
?Ul_j
j?l??_51
Surah ix. 33, aud lxi. 0.

Marg. Marg. int. |Sjb ?Mli^M
Marg. ext Surah xxx. 4, 6.
No. 10.
There is a second Gold Coin in the British in weight

Museum, 77*4 grains,
similar in every respect to the with the exception of tho c
above, on the Obverse,
which is placed on tho right of tho field, instead of being at tho foot of tho
legend,
as in tho
specimen just described.
No. 11.
Gold. N?sh?p?r. 400 a.ii. Fr hn's Rcccnsio, p. 142.
Rbv. Obv.
aU
?X zsv * SI A. Jl V
M _3, m
X_1?>\_JI ,.
?
ML., /il_?_11
Marg. Surali ix. 33, and lxi. 9. int. As No. with

Marg. IX.,
XjL?
?Jr\
Marg. ext. Surah xxx. 4, 5.
No. XII.
Gold. 623 gr. N?sh?p?r. 401 a.h. British Museum.

Weight,
Rev. Onv.
aU
<X,.4_3CV- m*
_J<Xc
- __ ??Mlill *_Il
M
_J,-mj.
y
sf aJJb ,al_?_It y **X^

Svr
nr
?
?-8-* LT-^ ^li?l ^jl
Mi c_JbUI
Marg. Surah ix. 33, and lxi. 9.

Marg. int, l?x?b *Ml
*?>/*> f?wo
/>-* r
*^/^
No. 13.
A second Gold Coin, of the like dato and place of mintage, varies in the dis
position of the inscription : the usual short symbol the whole of the
occupying
Obverse area, the Reverse area the of the mission of
containing acknowledgment
Mohammed, the designation of the Khalif and his successor elect the
(excluding
words B^X/ix as well as the three titles of Mahm?d the
J*)> himself, ( # ?g
a"** too &11I one on each side of the rest of the
XLtXlt f . t+*\ being placed
The word ?uLo a in the record of the date.

legend. wanting
No. 14.
Gold. Weight, GO gr. Herat. 396 a.h
Rev. Onv.
" All '*
?Ml ?Jvwy iX^JSXô Ml *_il y
sJ^. ?Ml
Surah ix. 33, and lxi. 9. int.

Marg. Marg. Ijsjfc m
^S? P*i
X?I??x* rUjtXll
IjM??. x\,?g?i
*?
i .*.\
joUvaj .
3 ^ y****** 3
No. ir>.
Gold. Weight, b*5 gr. Herat. 401 a.h. Masson.

Gold. Weight, 50 gr. Herat 401 a.h. llritish Museum.
Similar to Coin No. 14, but imperfect in the exterior Margin of Obverse,
the word A^> A\ wanting the final / .
^.
KINGS OP GHAZNI. 311
No. 16.
Gold. Weight, 56 gr. Herat. 411 A.n. Lady Macnaghien.
Differs slightly from No. 14, in the absence of in the Obverse,

_jj?^
and in tho initial ?X^^s^ in the Reverse standing in a line by itself ;
the being reduced in size to meet the thus

concluding ^vaJ?I ?j\
increased demand for space.
No. 17.
Gold. Weight, 65 gr. Herat. 413 a.h.
As No. 14; but the exterior Margin of the Obverse is perfect.
No. I?.
Gold. Weight, 63 gr. Herat. 414 a.m.
Ornamental Kufic; otherwise similar to No. 14.
No. 19.
Gold. Weight, 77 gr. N?sh?p?r. 407 a.m.
Rev. Obv.
a)J
?MlJfc*K/. 1X4JSX?
m Jl M
?ML^r*\ V W 4
*>
? o
=^ ?Ml ^
xk KiX
-4 ^3 I
?ML-, c?JLJLJI *?1 y
?L_^_a
XlyxJI
Marg. Surah ix. 33, and Ixi. 9. int.

Marg. \??> v_>,? ?Ml
^
X,_k ?m ??am r*.)Lg*A.?J rl?-JtXJI
xAjiJr\)
Marg. ext. Sumh xxx. 4, ft.
VOL. IX, Z
No. 20.
Gold. Weight, 67 gr. N?sh?p?r. 409 a.h. Dr. Swiney.
Similar to No. 19, except that in the Obverse rw*H a,,d

*jI ?*?*
are wanting.
No. XXI.
Gold. Weight, 59 gr. 4*- A.n. British Museum.
Rkv. Odv.
All
-JS\
M _3.
XJJLl 3 21?1
/^?-?l
aML-?
jJL-JL?II r^ I_?_11 ^l
JkiÛ
IMarg. Surah ix. 33, nnd Ixi. U. Marg. int. l?ub m ,?*xJ
-^/?
Aju*
ext. Surah xxx. 4, 5.

Marg.
A Coin apparently struck by Masn?d, while acting as a local Sovereign, during tlio
lifetime of his Father, Mahmiid.
a.h. 407. "Returning to ?ulkh, Mahmood gave the government of Hirat to

his son, the Prince Ameer Musaood."
"
a.h. 4If). He conferred the Government of ilye and Isfahan on his son, the
Prince Musaood.**
Briggs's Ferishtah, Vol. I.

No. XXII.
Silver. Weight, 40 gr.
Rev. Onv.
aU .
o ? o
3H ?_Il M
K*X ?Ml
XJjtK?I ?M
?_J_b_Il
(3^fSX?
Margins. Worn, illegible.
On one specimen is seen ?$\ ^JLaw*. cX^^rU)
This Coin must be inferred to have been struck in or after the year 307 A.n.,
or the year in which Munsur bin Null II. ascended the throne of Bokhara.
No. 23.
Rev. Odv.
All
*X-#-=? yi ? Ji y
?Ml _V ?Ml
xJ A.
?ML-j
j?\-??11
Margins. Illegible.
No. 24.
Rbv. Obv.
?Ul J*.-w? iXi^^vo
?HI s>i ?_11 ?

\3 SLJîXJl^^
X-J y Ki\?*3
?J^?
,^-iV^
LIT* e^
Marg. Surah xxx. 4, 5. Marg. Imperfect.
9> JL?
*>/yo*.J
a 4>JU \?& ?Ml^w
f$/4Xll ^jyb
No. 26.
Silver. Weight, 42 gr. (3)95 a.u. C.
Ret. Obv.
* AU *
?IA_Il y
* *Nl KiX.
^ ?All
XUI C_J-V*' I 3. S_J A-J ?L ?? y
??L-?
/t3l_?i_11
<!**&
Marg. Illegible. Marg. x

ir*_$.
.*(jj**~-^
The Obverse Margins of two similar Coins exhibit the words ?"JU* ?.J ;xj $r?^ll
Different specimens have respectively the letters c ?1 m? below tho Lvc

on Obverse.
No. XXVI.
Silver. Weight, 70 gr. 3?)0 a.h. Coin.

N?sh?p?r? Large
Rev. Obv.
e#
?Ml
?JyMr ?XfrJSX* ?Ml yi ?_Il y
/ .
?L_J^t\_J\
X-JîX jK.
XJU.I *\ ?ml.
^ /jiai
Marg. Surah xxx. 4, 5. Legible. Marg. |?_A ?111,<v*?

7"^
/*L ftxJl
?Ml fJ&?J
(ji33*0*3^*
No. XXVII.
Silver. Weight, 50 gr. C.
Rev. Onv.
* o *
?Ml
_Jâ
?X#.:sxô 5? A.
?ML-, ?HI
/4M_?_51
*J ?L
J (JO
Marg. yi ?h Marg.
/? ?^
d.^^' C/*? "^^s J> (jâXamJ^
(?Ml)
^
Another Coin discloses on its Obverse Margin the words
?xa* ?Jixj l?X^

jjm^- j?r^l l-r-V^
No. 2tf.
Similar to No. XXVII., with monogram at the top ;

legends ,_>Li>J|
and at the bottom of Obverse; and

v??
Monogram < > at the top of the Reverse Area.
No. 29.
Rbv. Obv.
o a? o
?Ut r>"V ?X4-3?U0

m A_11 y
i \\
?dlt_? /fc>\ SiX.
-s?, dit
5U^\J1 *J a -w y
(?j*-4l
Marg. Composed of thin Marg.

straggling
letters, utterly illegible.
cjA
^ ir*
W?l?nlaLJbJ
^t,
y\ f? (jjr^**y?(^ ^ ?f-*W(jj-** Il ?f**Wcjl)4^0d>liL*~o
Istakhri (M ller), p. 112.

Sco also Map (Idem) No. XVIII. /.
^L*!^ 3r>**
^ |^ /' 3 */V J* A^ ^ Il??* /?A iTjIsU*

??* /'
Persian Mem?lik wa Mes?lik, p. nu. See also Map, p. qu*.
"From Balkh to Khulum, two

days' journey; from Khulum to
Valeiu two days'journey."
f^yxl^t Ouseley's Orient. Goog., p. 230.
"Ou au nombre ?les de cette derni?re
compte d?pendances pro
vince (le Badakclian # ^LiîXj) les villes do Ai &c.
f.wJl*/j>
De Balkh ? Warwaliu, ville agr?able et commer?ante, dont d?pendent
divers villages, 2 journ?es. De Warwalin ? Talecan (,, ?Ullis)?
2 journ?es. Do Balkh ? Houlm, ville situ?e ? 2 journ?es a Tonest de
Warwalin, on a 2 journ?es de chemin ? faire." Edrisi
(Jaubcrt), pp.
474, 475.
TIio above identification is proposed without any great amount of
as the of the name of the
confidence, orthography city whose position
is here indicated, varies to a more than usual of in
degree uncertainty,
asmuch as the facsimile MS. of Istakhri, in four repeated references to
tho town in no loss than the same number of discordant
question, gives
readings, viz., p. 109, Mem, i>-n2> aml

^^1^* (jj^^J ^j^V^
Map No. XVIII. or possibly
^Lll^, ÛIU.
Tho East India House Persian MS. Mcs?lik wa Mema]ik also
exhibits discrepancies in the mode in which the namo is written,
in one a"d on two occasions
having place /.wJLr? subsequent
^no salno may oe sa*(l ?f translation, which is

t t*l'? Ouselcy's
made from other MSS. of the same work, and which afFords the several
examples of . ;, p. 223 and 224; and P- 230. Ibn

^J|^ ,9j*i\y
Haukal1 avows a as to the correct mode of expressing
openly diiliculty
tho namo, .. or t . ^n^ as W'N oe

writing *?JL#* r^Wv """^ty?
seen from tho above extract, the French Translation of Edrisi gives
the word as . v/JLr* A bul Fed? has no notice of the place.
A more serious however, itself to the admis

objection, presents
sion of tho correctness of the locality suggested, in the fact of tho
dissimilarity observable between the form and fabric of the Coin itself,
and tho general characteristics displayed by the Balkh money, which
is seen a the two Coins,
last to bo uniformly thin broad piece, whereas
the whole, or the of
Nos. 29 and 04, upon which major portion, tho
doubtful namo
is found, of the character of the more common
partake
of the narrow Ghazni currency, and if any faith is to be placed
types
in such would necessitate a search for their of coin
indications, place
ago somewhat nearer the or, at all events, in a province
capital,
more to the of tho
whose monetary types assimilated closely produce
1
MS. Bibl. Bodl., No. 530. Hunt.
mint. As the name of Malin might

metropolitan such, ^.^jJLo
claim as in its letters with
consideration, corresponding component
what remains of the Kufic word on tho margin of No. 29. There are,
no Herat silver coins, whence a
however, recognized judgment might
be formed as to the identity of style; so that no valid argument could
be raised on that Moreover, the of Mal in, like
ground. orthography
that of W?U?n, is open to much as, ?u addition to tho two
question,
d i li?rent modes of pronunciation to which tho naino is liahlo, as
noticed by A bul Fed?, it is written by both ?stakhr? and Edrisi
. JLo. whatever be said the admis
However, might regarding
sibility of the adoption of Miilin as the place of fabrication of tho ono

Coin, No. the same can no means be extended to the piece No.
29, by
the initial letter of the monetary of which, can never bo read
64, city
as a Mini +, or other than one of the three letters (_3 or + .
(_J
An identification which seems to meet more satisfactorily the
various numismatic it is the demands
requirements, though opposed by
of absolute exactitude of literal is suggested some
uniformity, by
casual references made more modern writers, which tend to show
by
that there must have been a town, or a fort, of a very similar
certainly
denomination to that to bo found on the Coins, cither in or near tho
Hills, somewhere northward of Fcrwjin. An indication

proximatcly
of this locality is furnished by Mirkhond, who mentions tho siege of
tho fortress of Walian ,. yUH* by tho generals of Jcngiz Khiin*,
which castle appears from the context to bo identifiable with tho placo
alluded to B.iber in the sentence:?"There are besides
by following
three roads in Ghiirbend ; that which is nearest to Perwa.11 is the pass
of the Yangi-yuli (the new road), which descends by Walian and
KhinjanV This last position is marked in many of tho later maps;
and one of tho pusses to this retains its naino of
neighbouring* d:iy
AVdl??n, though in tho hands of modern geographers it would seem to
have been into Gwalian.
corrupted
?\J> _U>l?-21J> _V-?l

^^L? ^j^JyLi ^j~* (jj^lLo
Ab?l Fed?, p. 45?.
? Sec Rauzat al Snf?, History of Jell?l al din Khw?rizm?; also Price, from
Khnl?sat al Akhh?r, Vol. II. p. 410.
8
Erskine's B?ber, p. 130.
KINOS OF GIIAZNI. 319
No. 30".
Area as in No. XXVII.

t
Monograms
Area as No. XXVII., with r^J?\
^\
at the top.
U?fi
Margins. Illegible.
No. 31 .
Silver, Weight, 40 gr.
Rkv. Onv.
O 0 o
?Ml
-_3ywr tS+?S\~4 y? A_Il y
*ML.^L-JL-ll t 8<X_ ?Ml
g
V
JjâCU*
Margins. Illegible.
No. 32*
similar with the monogram , # \U?i inserted between the ^Jjsx an<*
A Coin,
of the Obverse, as in No. 29.

?J) at the top
No. 33.
Silver. 40 gr.
Weight,
as No. 31 ; but the as in Obverse, No. 31, wilh

in Reverse, Legend
Legend
?? to the left of the rest the addition of the word Ju , possibly
*m .
tA-?l
of the jsju, on tho right of the field.
inscription.
Monogram, supra, ?$ ; infra, ?J.
VOL. IX. 2A
No. 31.
Silver. Weight, 46* gr.
Reverse, three lines, as in No. 31; but , Obverse as No. 31.

the second title is placed thus?
?y+^\sO
^
e/"
Monograms, supra, ?\J <> <oj
No. 35*.
Silver. Wright, 17 gr.
Reverse. The same inscription as in Obverse. The same as No. 31.
No. XXVII.; but with the

J^jsA-o
at the top of the and . .
held, rj^?\
X.VJLI *?t the bottom.
No. XXXVI.
Silver. Weight, 45 gr. t?ha/.n?. 401 A.n.
lUv. Onv.
*X-+-SA--<o yi *_11 V
?031 _J*_**r ?*X m
?^
aML_,
fA_SL
Marg. Composed of Bosses ?nd x\]

Marg. X?Uxj ?Ml
->l?0 {?\xxJ
alternating.
&A*iuA iXXAM
<i?*y=>\ x.
3
Many of these several classes of small silver ('??ins have men; careless imita
tions of the usual marginal inscriptions, tmeh as obviously could never have bet.n
intended to be legible, the scroll between the parallel circles being at times made
of certain characters that may be taken to represent
up solely by the repetition
filled in with a confused con
the word *?>a* > mid in other instances jumble of
secutive masses of the common form of -1- interspersed with an occasional
a or
,rr
KINGS OF (?IIAZNI. ?J21
No. 37.
Silver. Weight, 7?r??r.
lloverse. Broad Area, with the legend Obverse. Small Area, legend as in No.
XXXVI.
?ML ?Ml tX4^Xo
^?UH ??y"f
XUl ?JîXll
^jA^j
Narrow; inscription illegible. Marg. As the Iteverse Margin ol Nu

Marg.
XXXVI.
No. 3?.
A Coin similar to No. XXXVI., having both Margins composed of hoses and
A\j alternating.
No. 30.
In this Coin the accustomed marginal legends are disposed around the fnld,
and are not separated from the body of the inscription by the usual lines.
ltBV. O ?v.
-ji> ?Ml
f{\*_J
<*+*.
Ji y
'3- *<y_ ?JJI

JuJ A-j
-U?I >-i?/ 1 I, *Ml_. y ?I-?-II
...<
No. 4?.
Silver. Weight, 42 gr. Balkh. 411 a.u. Broad Coin (ornamental Kutte).
Rev. Onv.
AX3
*Hl _5*_*?r
?tX. m
M-*
rA_?_11
*_1 ?L-j?? y
X-VvJl
,N>I*U Marg. li^jb i_v->? ?031

Marg. f<w?>
?x iS-*l ?L_>?**
?f^? f*?/4^
?HA jJ^lxj Cr>3**i^ ?V ^

A-> >L?JOrl
No. 41.
?fi gr. 414 A.n. Broad Coin. Dr. Swiiiey.

Silver. Weight, N?shap?r.
lvKV. OliV.
Ail
^Ml iX^^xo
_*3*?j>
xML^ /4>\_S_11
The usual Symbol in three lines?
SL-X-JLI ^
^%jv??I
xxx. Marg. J^_?, ^_,-? ?&\

Marg. Surah 4, 5. ~^
?*?. *****
f~>A r^jL^xij f^/4^
**S*i^3
KINGS OF GlIAZNl. 323
No. XLII.
Silver. 454 gr. Unique

Weight,
Rev. Oiiv.
?Mb
?Ml !il x_)| y
^ MRAIIAMRIO
?
?MlJkA*)f ?X^JSXo Â H?^
-?|
If^X maiiarXnriva
?J"*f
TTH^f? MAIIAM?I)
t3^+?SXo
XUl a**}3
Marg. ?Ml ffW?J

M??*g- *Ntt 8?^ with R^gf
^
sXmvXt 412 ?yatan mXiiXm?ij
l?X?>
'/* 37JJl
Analysis of tub Sanskrit Lbtters.
No. 1, ygft Sri; possibly ^f a. 2, H Fri of the seventh century; or XI
pri of tho ninth. 3, cR Art/ of the fifth century (Allahabad Inscription); the
Kashmiri feu of the present but little from this form. se of the
day differs 4, ^
fifth century; or ?| me of tho seventh. 5, 7f n of the ninth century (see Kutila
Inscription) ; possibly cither H ?A or off & of the same century. 0, ^ Mr. 1,
\
h of the fifth
century; possibly ^ d of the ninth. 0, J{ mri; or If mu? in
this latter the "3"? might be objected to, but it is the form in use on the
Gupta
Coins, and there is no saying how long it may have remained in partial use (see
r?ate XIX., Vol. VIL, Journ. As. Soc., Bengal). 9, ^ </. jn, ^ a. II,
If ?1? 12, ^f h; or "5f Fi, fifth century : the letter to the modern
corresponding
palatal Tf has not been identified in the Kutila Inscription. 13, "^ r. II,
7T ?iri; or *f ?u. 15, *J v. 10, If 71/? 17, ^ A. 10, H m?. 10, ?r d.
No. or v{ J\f. cf v. ninth a

Margin. 20, ^f S; 21, 22, ^ u, century:
letter of the same shape answers at the present day for a If t in the Punjabi
alphabet (vide Carey's Grammar); accepting this last rendering, the first three
marginal letters might be taken us intended to represent the word Samval.

If "^"rT
23, ^ 4. 24, <\ 1 : the character to be seen on the Coin assimilates closely to the
form of an ancient Kashmiri 1, given in Plate XX., Vol. VII., Journ. As. Soc,
Bengal; and the modern form of the numeral varies only from these in the june
tion of the ends of the figure. 25, ^2; the Oevanagari 2 of the tenth century
is but little dissimilar to the unit figure on the Coin, which latter might, however,
be read as an X r, but that it differs so much from the r in the body of the
20, ^ a; or ^f\ sri. 27, IT y. 28, Z ? ?f fifth century. 211,

Inscription.
or off I: d.
7T n; 30, J{M. 31, f h. 32, If m?. 33, *^
No. XLI1?.
Silver. Weight, 45 gr. Clutzni. 411 A.n.
Rkv.
aVJ
<\\)l *X*sSAô
JyMj
*JJt
?La
ML-J
/t)L
C *> c) k.^^?^V.^5 (J**

t^ffi
*?i"-g. Si3M Marg. l?v_J> ? aMIjfw?V

(jjtfi "V^
XUl (jj-i-*' s
A Coin, in the possession of Lady Macuaghten, exhibiting generally similar
characteristics to the above, has the Obverse Margin occupied by tho words
JU*w XJiXj (expressed in most accurately formed letters) fivo times

$rtXll
repeated. The Reverse is filled up with a like reiteration of the words

Margin
U?
?U^l
No. XLIV.
Silver. Weight, 30 gr. Ghazni. 411 A.n. Lady Macuaghten.
Similar in shape and legend to No. XL!

II., with the exception of the name
of Mahntud, the letters of which are curiously in intaglio,
impressed
instead of being raised like the rest of the inscription.
The Reverse Monogram is correctly formed on this specinteu; but

Xx^t
the Mint marks on the Obverse are altogether omitted.
Much of the Obverse marginal legend, given at length under No. 35, is
traceable, and the Reverse Margin displays the outline of the following
words?
_, XJ,oJ\ ?All ?UJ.I U>

(^t ?u^\
KINOS OF OIIAZNI.
No. 45.
Silver. Weight, gr. Balkh. 4)2 A.n.
ItKV. Ofiv.
aU
?Ml cK^jS^wO
^)y*Nj 5? * Jl y
-?-3 ?Ml
^WJUIyj\ (^jjjJI
?MU/oli?l
Marg. Marg.
?^ ft
**y*&^ 3 /^ c^^'1
-(?J3**3^
No. XLVI.
Silver. r,0 gr. 414 A.n.
Weight,
Legends in both Areas as in No. 4."?.
Marg. Surah xxx. 4, r?. Marg.

|
No. 47.
Silver. 47 gr. 410 A.n. Unique.

Weight,
Rev. Onv.
?Ml
-^JyMij
tS+S?\?C m iii *_11 y
?Ml?, ja ?Ml ^^Jfc.AA./? ?X?.S?V^Q

j?\_*_11
o ?3+*=*-* o f^w?ll j.jl
Marg. Illegible. Marg. ?JUw I

jyS f(WJ
?ul^l^ ,?s ?a~j

No. XLVIII.
Silver. Weight, 63 gr. Sejist?n'. Broad Coin.
Rev. Ouv.
AjJ _5iXc
?Ml
_J>^/
*>^**S^-0 M yi JL. Ji y
*1 ?L.J--J? y K?>0^
-lus xm aUL-j
(jj^w?i 3 j?\_?_11
^1X11 yj\ (jJ^.i>Jl i^tf

Marg. Surah xxx. 4, 5. Marg. l?X_il> ?Oil rC**??
^jpi
.fr
C?> .*WS??TW~>
^jJI
^tfft?
1 called also Sejist?n, as of the of that name; the
Zarauj; capital province
Dooshak or Jellalabad of the modern Edrisi, p. 431 and 432. Abul
maps.?See
Feda has the following :?
***** &f3 ?^V* ??l? (?J^*? ***** ??//

CJ^
(^^?
Texte Arabe, p. laj^û .
"
Zarauj, Capital of Sejist?n. Ibn Ilaukul said Zaranj is a large city of
Sejist?n; and it is further said that (the name of) Sejistatu is applied to Zaranj
itself.**
For examples of the numismatic use of the name in this sense seo Coins of
Har?n al Rash id, Nos. 135", 136*, p. 11^ ami 145*, p. 13**, Frivhn'a Recensio.
The T?r?kh Masa?d? quotes the following authorized detail of Mahni?d's

titlesin a copy of a Missive from the Khalif Al K?im be amerillah to Masa?d, in
which the recognized designations of the latter*? father aro thus at full
given
length?
.tfwi?ii ^ji xm
^jaa^^?i jKso\ y3 (jj-î^
With the single exception of the ?II
-^^1
.ûJU^ |_*?."=>
these several titles are to be found on the Coins above described.
KINOS OF OHAZNI. 327
No. 40.
Silver. Weight, 20 gr. SmairCoiu.
Hbv. Onv.
A.
?), Jll *UI _J,
?mJa?X^J) / . frA_l}
Marg. int.
Marg. ?UUU ?MAI
-*Jj?Xll (^^ytfi ?UU.
Marg. ext Illegible.
No. 60.
Silver. Weight, 45 gr. (Apparently of the Balkh fabric.) 421 A.n. ; Broad
Coin.
Rev. Onv.
aU
<X , ?-sX 5)1 ?_11 V

?HI
-)>
*?X ?Ml
? ?AM_11X-A?X
?MU
ÛUl
Marg. Surah xxx. 4, 6. Marg. 1,3s_?> ?Ml_

u-j,?**
?]3^ ?~f qr? ?,^1

?L?Lfj>rl^ CvT^.r^^ ^ ?Xs?! ****
Hab? al Awal
Ja.YI*HJ _)^l *Ajy.
VOL. IX. 2 B
No. 51.
Silver. Weight, 53*5 gr. Balkh. 421 a.u. Coin. British Museum.
Large
Areas as in No. 50.
Marg. Surah xxx. 4, 5.

Marg. \?jt>
<Qf?\\ ,_,^?
*?*it]3 i?rtr*3 e^
Dirhem, at Balkh, in Jum?d al Awal, the year
iu~ _J^y\ ?1*4- ??fi f$
No. 52.
Silver. Weight, CO gr. Small Coin.
Rbv. Obv.
aU _J*Xc
?mi yi ?_il y
?Ml _J._~r
4M-,11 ??A ?ML ?-J

ft- jdLJUl
Marg. Surah xxx. 4, 5. Marg. t^Jv^l ,

?Cî
XHL^/' J lUV^* *
KINOS OF OIIAZNI. 329
No. 53.
Silver. Weight, 42 gr. Small Coin.
Rbv. Ouv.
aAJ
K<X_ m
*_1 ?_>,
Marg. int. Marg.
_U.3 -?^l ?OJ 1 X?a* **!**>

^j.o
Marg. ext. Dots?
The above Coins

present too many novel to admit of
peculiarities
their over in silence, the mutilated state of the
being passed though
inoro of each, as well as a deficiency
important portions corresponding
on the sub
of
uiupiestioned
historical data, may render any deductions
embraced somewhat inconclusive. Still, whatever may be the
jects
correct of the abraded of the several two points
reading parts legends,
at least evidence a from the uniform in
departure practice prevailing
mintages the of Mahrniid's sole vnti
previous :?Firstly, inscription
tied name; and, the insertion of an unusual additional detail,
secondly,
what would seem to bo the name of the month, us well as
intimating
the accustomed record of the year of issue.
These two remarkable indications are found in concurrence the
(in
thrco most legible Coins) with a notification, purporting that tho
medals themselves were struck in the year 421 A.n., the of
early part
which witnessed the decease of tho Monarch whoso name bear.
they
There are but two of the four 50, 51) that retain a
specimens (Nos.
clear of those of the it is
sulHciently impression portions legends
to to permit an to a satisfactory
sought decipher, approach conjecture
as to their intent and and these severally disci >se
original purport;
the worn and imperfect outline of the characters which represent
the names of the Arabic months of Rab? al Awal aud Jiunml al
A irai1, or tho third and fifth months of the Mohammedan year, located
on the margins of the Coins immediately preceding the annual date.
The two smaller Coins (Nos. 52, 53) display on their Ohverso
surfaces, in the spaces devoted to the of mo
generally reception
nograms, the same concluding and distinguishing word _3*^1,

with traces of what once stood for ?m, .
together probahly
Whatever may have become the custom in after times among
Mohammedan nations in to the of the months of
regard inscription
the year in which Coins were fabricated, their appear
unprecedented
ance on the pieces under notice, as well as their immediate subsequent
disuse, taken as isolated facts, can bo to to an
only supposed point
intention of fixing, with more than usual tho montent of tho
precision,
issue of the Coins thus marked, and, as such, to advert to sonic pro
minent in the of the race were
epoch history by whom they put forth.
Now, as the periods inscribed closely coincide with the supposed date
of Mahm?d's death, the question naturally suggests itself, Were not
these moneys in some way connected with this event?
In addition to the default of sufficient numismatic data, the diffi
of arriving at any correct estimate of the tho
culty design attending
of these medals, is much enhanced a co-existent doubt
production by
as to the mouth in which Mahnuul
precise died; and, consequently,
as to whether these pieces arc to be as the latest record of
recognised
his life, commemorative- medals struck in his honour after his deceaso,
or the mere mechanical continuance of the use of his name the mint
by
officials.
This last suggestion 6eems to bo at once negatived by the appear
ance of purpose to be detected in the
singular changes already noticed;
the is therefore narrowed to the consideration of the two re
question
maining possible explanations.
1 on the
In concluding that the doubtful letters Margin of Coin No. 51 repre
sent the namo of a mouth?and looking to their position tho
immediately following
record of the mint city, and preceding the year of the date, they cannot well bo
taken to import anything else?it is to bo conceded that, aside the worn
setting
state of tho writing, the expression of the words is by no moans the i
perfect,
abbreviated to --3 is not unusual inMS.), and the

being (which, however, J of
t^L**? in its present shape would more the function of an (j

accurately perform
or any other of tho convertible letters for which tho Kuiic medial -1- stands
sponsor, rather than the |, which the context seems to require.

KINGS OF GHAZNl. 331
Tho balanco of written testimony greatly preponderates in favour

of tho assignment of the 23rd of Rab? al A'kh?r1 as the date of the
death of Mahmud; at the same time, the event is
variously reported
diiFercnt authors as taken on one of the three follow
by having place
ing dates?11th Safar*, 13th Rab? al Awal3, or even so late as Jum?d
al Awal4.
The second and third of these four epochs are the
only periods that
aro not at variance with the idea of a character
posthumous attaching
to the Coins under review; and there is clearly too little reliance
to be placed upon tho authorities citing these dates, to justify a re
in their favour of the statements of more esteemed to
jection writers,
meet tho wants of a so in numismatic as the
theory incomplete proofs
oue now discussed. Indeed, if the apparently conclusive testimony
xÛ ^ cftX^.1 3u*wJ^yi

*Na^j ^^ X-iI^j^? 3 ^j^s. cf^l^ jl
<sjit ??xi?xT *?? ?Ml *a-?1 ?T
?3j\.j ijAÛs. 3 ??ibj Jy*:s? u~j?^
?axv, ?^-r**-? ubi*4* ?-^-^ J* 3 ^-^j^ t?*? j* VrLr-* ?^
Lo ?J ?*?* ^?j k-**

^llaX** *x3jl?X=i Syj &'??y> ?5^^ cA^4r
?i>JLo LH^xifc -^
f^.yi ?Viî jl ?j-y j^> aa>^c?j ja, ?Lijlr ?^
<X?m <*4a?*i*KJ
MS. ?5=1.Li' Bib. du Roi, Paris.

tfJ^XAw^
Tho authorities also cite Rab? al A'khir as the period of Mahnnid's
following
decease:?Ab?l Fed?, Annales Muslemici(lleisk), Vol. III. p. 70; Rauzat al Safa
p. 231; Habib al Sair, MS., No. 17, East India House;

(WSlkcn), Akberi, MS.,
East India House; Ferishtah (Briggs), Vol. I. p. 84.
* Ihn Hist.
Haidar, quoted by Willccn, Gaz., p. 227.
cf*x^.i XA**?3y\ ?*& p^^y^*" ^y**2?1!. j3j j** ??^?x* &xs\3
?3* <?3J *?*>J 3 (j*ir^c 3

Lithographed at Bombay, in 11129.
j^l?^jfeo ^.jIj?
* Quoted Vol. I. p. 240, and Vol.
by De Guignes, II. p. 170.
The N?sir?, Ab?l Faraj, and the Guzidah fail in mentioning the mouth in
which Mahmud died.
of the Ti?r?kh M asa iul ? is entitled to the credit its circumstantial

detail and high antiquity seem to demand, this class of Coins can only
be taken to have originated with Mahmud himself, though, in all
likelihood, only late in his career; and that having been thus intro
duced into use, the Balkh mint continued to fabricate the like species
of money?with altered monthly dates to meet the progress of time?
up to the period of the receipt of the intelligence of tho decease of
Mahmiid at Ghazni, or possibly until tho full inauguration of his suc
cessor'. In at this conclusion, it is necessary to consider tho
arriving
causes of tho discontinuance of the insertion of monthly
subsequent
dates. This may be explained by the supposition?fully justified by
their respective medals?that M ahmud interested himself in the mint
of his dominions, an advanced state
arrangements thereby insuring
of excellence in tho details of his coinage, whereas Masaiid*, to judge
by the results, paid but little attention to the fashion of his money,
and the omission of tho moro exact record of tho date
disregarded
introduced by his father.
It is less easy to account for the motives which led
satisfactorily
to the first monetary change already described. That Mahmiid may
at tho last moment have affected humility, and refrained from the
of all titular distinctions, is just but no means
employment possible, by
probable, considering his admitted and proved to the uso of
partiality
titles of honour, and tho fact that tho acts of his life?tho
closing
contemplation of his boundless treasures, and the reviow of the
splendid equipments of his powerful army?savour of still

strongly
surviving vanity. It may be doubted whether the seeming humility
implied in the disuse of titles, may not havo been in
honorary reality
the result of an increased degree of which and with
pride, imagined,
fair reason, that so a name as that of the of India
great Conqueror
no titular
required adjuncts.
1 It
may assist in the due determination of the value of the above
suggestion to
note that, at Mahm?d's death, there was not only a disputed succession, but that
at the moment, both Mohammed and his brother Masa?d were absent from the
capital?and equally so from Balkh, the mint city wherein the Coin No. 50, if not
51, was struck?the one brother being in Jurjan, the other near Ilamad?n; and that
it was not until a certain interval after the decease of Mahmud that Mohammed
was elevated to the throne at Gliazui: the exact duration of this interval is not
stated. Vide Ferishtah (Briggs), Vol. I. p. 03.
* It would be on the almost
useless to speculate Coin of Mohammed
unique
(No. LV1I.)
KINOS OF ?HAZNI. 333
No. LIV.
Brass. Weight, 50 gr. GhaEui. 405 a. h.
in *. ji v
"V.
?iX_ ?Ml
VA <J
"7
? < %>
?>wi
* Marg. l?X_4_j ||
? ?Ml r?W
#
V
H ?LU?_3y.
^
*. /\ ^
y
U^ -llu^?
/ ^ff/k
The above arrangement of the legend of the Reverse is merely intended to

show the contents of each compartment. It docs not in any way carry out the
intricate cross-reading to be seen on the Coin itself.
No. 55.
Copper. Weight, 40 gr.
Areas. Legends as in No. 27, Silver Coin.
Obverse, infra - Reverse, supra ?M .

Monograms. ??aC,
Margins. Illegible.
No. 50.
Brass. Weight, 30 gr.
Rev, Obv.
all
?Ml ^-Jy**r tS+C&?*? Ml *
*_J A.
?ML
ÛUt
Margins. Illegible.
MOHAMMED.
No. LVII.
Silver. 40 gr. Very scarce.

Weight,
Rbv. Obv.
?*\y ? Mo
?ill ***^-* yi & ji y

_5y?f
_J^L.^ -^ AMI
?-4,<X_il
xJULl xJ ?L ? y
**** LU'
,J Os^si ?AILôl?H
Margins. Illegible.
The issue of this Coiu is to bo referred to tho first of Mohammed, as

reign
Al Kadir, whose name is here inscribed, died ten or eleven years before this
Ghaznavi Monarch's second accession.

KINOS OF OMAZNl. 335
M ASA ?l).
No. LVIII.
Gold. Weight, 75*7 gr*. N?sb?p?r. 422 a.h. British Museum.
Rev. Obv.
?Ml
?Ml $\ *_ J? S
?ML, _?_si
??l *^_
-*., 411
k*X-a?
13 \sÂ
AM^b {c:
m
<?j#> /*u
Marg. int. |?^ ?Ml

c_y? ^j
*?=> y\3 *Xj?= ,. *j,X_lt , Jle
Marg. cxt. _UJ J)j ?J]

^^ ^
Os-x-j
?/-*-? ?>*-*>^ ^-?j
?Ml
jAOl?j ( \^*-*>LI
1 of other analogous 57*0 gr., 52*/igr.

Weights specimens?73*0 gr.,
* to be a mistake for . m
-?*c iu original. The J^s. (10) is assumed yj^?r
that Masaud is known been to have
(20), for various reasons, notwithstanding
of the of and
Governor (on the part of his father) province Herat, possibly Nfch?p?r
In the first place, it is highly that the use of
itself, so early as 407. improbable
Mahm?d'fl name should have been discontinued on the provincial Coins during his
the binominal No. XXI., seems to prove a contrary
lifetime; indeed, medal,
to have prevailed. Tn the second it is known that Al K??irn be
practice place,
whose titles are to be seen on the Coin immediately in question, was
amcrillah,
not appointed Wall Ah\l till 410. And, the very existence
(Mirkhond.) lastly,
of the ? wau after the J?'| would in itself evidence an error, taking the sentence
as it now stands, as this conjunction is not usually employed to join the two Arabic
words any given number between 10 and 20 !

forming
VOL. IX. 2C
No. 59.
Gold. 56*4 gr. N?sh?p?r. 431 A.n. British Museum.

Weight,
Rev. Obv.
All
dll^L-f f^LJUI
XtK.
-=?, M
?Ml s 5>
^jjJ y-^L-i
AMI f? il ^
Û O^Xaaaô
Marg. Surah ix. 33, and Ixi. 9. Marg. int. |?jfr ?Ml
ff\*o
i_y?
am
tf<X=*l 3L ? ry>L*+xxj yUjtXll
ext Surah xxx. 4, 5.

Marg.
ft mark or used to distinguish the votaries of any particular creed.

rL? symbol
The legends of the two following Coins of Toghral Beg have been inserted,
both in advertence to what has already been stated regarding the first adoption of
the title of Sult?n (p. 271), as also with a view of showing, by the earliest available
numismatic evidence, the actual loss by the Ghaznavis of the city of N?sh?p?r,
which was finally taken from Masa?d by the Selj?ks in 431 A.n.
Gold. Weight, C2*5 gr. N?sh?p?r. 433 A.n. British Museum.
Rev. Onv.
m &+?S3*4
J3"f
aMIôL-j ^jl
Marg. Surah ix. 33, and lxi. 9 ; which Marg. ?nt. Jj^ ?Ml <wj
<_y?
is, however, incomplete, ending thus?
*?Wj (?J$?3
No. LX
Silver. 54 gr. 422 a.h. Broad Coin.

Weight,
Rev. Oav.
Ail
?Ml
?Ay*r
?X#m2*X? yi * Ji 3
?Ml
(jjJ>> r-^L-^ ?in
?Ml fl_K?? l?iU* *_J ?i_.
v
Marg. Surah ix. 33, and lxi. 9. Marg. int. \&J> ?Ml ?w*
?__y?
?H1**/-'.*
Gold. Weight, GO gr. N?sh?p?r. 439 A.n. My Cabinet.
On v.
yi ?_II if
*?X -^ ?Ml
*J ?L ? y
?L-,
U^J .J^L
?Ml^cb
Marg. Surah ix. 33, and lxi. 9. Marg. int. )&J> ?Ml j?>j
v_y?

Marg.
33S ON THE COINS OF THE
No. 01.
Silver. Weight, 47 gr. Broad Coin. British Museum.
Rbv. Obv.
?U
5)1 it_Il y
*M1 -J, VtX_
x-1 ?L -? y
?mu
??m
Marg. Siu*ah xxx. 4, 5. Marg. |?x_jt>

JJ-^
?Ml f?UM
^
XHL^/V
No. 02.
Silver. 50 gr. 425 A.n. Broad Coiu. My Cabinet.

Weight,
He v. Onv.
All
y ?_ii y
?Ml
_Jj-wf
*?x_ ?Ml
?MlÛa ÛLJl v
Marg. Surah xxx. 4, 5. Marg. l?x_jfr ?Ml fiW^

j^? (<
e^V^* u"*" _rtxll
No. 02 a.
A of au analogous Coin bears ou its Obverse Margin the words

fragment
**~ (4)27
mir** &~
No. 03.
Silver. 45 gr. Balkh. (42)0 A.n. Broad Coin.

Weight,
Similar in legends to No. 02 ; but the characters are coarsely executed.
Obverse Margin.
_? ?j^ ?&Xxj l?sA ujj? _
ffy?Ml
8, ?>>. oi.
Silver. 47 gr. W?l?n. Small size. Very scarce.

Weight,
on Areas the same as No. 01.

Legends
Marg. Marg.
3i9
<Xju
<?y r* yi mi .?Sm, . ... Jl l?v_it>
^??
XJU?
(\yt)\yi
W?l?ll ?J..A?KI? '?Xms N

(^jfSSyi f
No. G5.
Rev. Obv.
aU
rk (cS31\
-*_25X_--0
yi A. ji y
i
M-). I
Mil
I
*_J ?L
Margins. Illegible.
A second Coin has the Obverse monogram formed thus ^ I-. .
No. CO.
Silver. Weight, 50 gr. Small size.
as Ko. at and at the bottom of

Same 65, with ?:(jill
the top, ?JH^cLi
Obverse Area.
No. 67.
Rev. Otiv.
_J*Xc
?Ml
~J>**r
*X*.s?S-? SI ?_!1 S>
?<X ?Ml
_>3
?Ml^b ÛUI
?Ml ?_1 ?L
(-j^ j?*=>'?>
Margins. Illegible.
Some specimens of this class of Coins have their Margins quite plain, the parallel
lines being separated by four small circles.
No. LXVIII.
Areas as in No. 67, with the monogram ttt *"e *?P ?f 01>vers<*>
l_Ar??\
and AlJ at the top of the Reverse legend.
No. 69.
O11V.
yi A Jl *
-*> ?Ml
?-J ?L -? ?
?J^Xaa^?
Margins composed of circular lines -.?Obverse, quite j Reverse, lines

plain
separated by bosses.
No. LXX.
Rev. Obv.
?Ml yi *_._Jl S
?Ml <3 _.xa\_} x<X_ ?Ml

iX , h X M? ,1 ?_J ?L ? 5?
r
Marg. - ?Ml Marg. Illegible.

^_>? f?W
S?*it*3
No. 71.
The same as No, LXX., but with /rUUl at the top and at tne
?Ml-?b
bottom of the Obverse legend, in the place of ^J^X? and and

.^;
cXfrjSXo an entire line, in lieu of the aU on tho Reverse,

occupying
No. 72.
Rev. Obv.
_J?Xc
?Ml *y^ssô y\ ?_? y

_)y?f
K*\ ?Ml
-*>,
?Ml
ej^>
LJ ?J ?L ? y
Margins. Illegible.
No. 73.
Rev. Obv.
?Ml <X*jsvô
_Jâ?y
s*X ?Ml
?Ml ~-*?LJ *_1 ?L
(jj^^
?SaXam
yj\
Margins. Illegible.
No. LXXIV.
Silver. Weight, 5*5 gr.
Rkv. Obv.
&S*
C a3+ e^
No. 75.
Same as Silver Coin No. 07. Margins without legenda.
No. 76.
Rev. Obv.
Same legend as No. 01. Usual in three Hues.

| symbol
Margins. Illegible.
The subjoined Coin is inserted in this place, instead of being located in its due
position in the series of the moneys of Masa?d, as there are some doubts
regarding
its correct identification consequent upon the worn state of the name of tho Khalif,
and the obliteration of the Obversemarginal legend, which would have served to
fix the date and place of coinage. The piece is remarkable if it be from any of
tho mints of Masa?d of Ghazui, inasmuch as the word Sult?n appears for the first
time on the medals of this dynasty. that it really belongs toMasa?d,
Supposing
the son of Mahmud, it will be necessary to conclude that it was struck in some of
the provincial governments of his extensive as the'type and the stylo
dominions,
of tho legend equally differ from those of any of the Coins of Ghazui.
recognized
The following is an enumeration of the various territorial of Masa?d?
possessions
t/rl'j ?Mo I?^J V?&s. A.??aXo /^jI?j

^1?a*^jJoj (jjlî^'
_ui ?ciii3 âi *% x^ ?a**]^

?s-sjij ^?Ji gî*
Ab?l Fed?, Ann. Musi. (ed. Reisk), Vol. III. p. 114.
This summary does not appear to require any lengthened comment, the
majority of the places indicated being sufficiently well known to modern geo
It may be necessary, to notice that the word , mA
graphers. however, \\
is frequently used , mA A note

by Ibn Haukul for (see Geographic d'Aboulf?da,
at foot of page 387); and to explain that -pv^JI, or is the name ot

;^V^J|>
a district of tho province of Scjist?n, situated up the River Helmund (see Istakhri,
p. 101; Ousolcy's Orient. Geography, p. 207; Edrisi, p. 444; Aboulfeda, Geo
p. 342). Reisk, in his translation of tho above passage, adds the name of
graphie,
Mekr?n, which, though not to be found in his Arabic printed text, may possibly
have had its place in the original MS..
Brass. 60 gr. Unique. Mr. Masson's own collection.

Weight,
Rev. Obv.
*hi su a_n y
?Ml ?*?
?Jywy
?Ml_j/t>\.
Surah xxx. 4, 5. Marg. Illegible.

Marg.
Tho curious
annexed passage, relating certain unaccountable posthumous
honours to Masaud in the public prayers, is extracted from the T?r?kh Ma
paid
no means that a similar commemorative record may
Ba?d?, as it is by improbable
have been extended to the coinage of the day.
U ??jÎ *y* eft-? xL?

?X?l ?X^v*<: }3j -J2J
jlxx^j ?-*l?>- jfj$
3 ??û ??u 3y?*

îkju 3 u*?-?y\ j**\ Ûj 3 ?jyi *yy
**
JV ?)' ***"*^^ vy?'^^ ??*j? "H^ $3 f^ lH *>**
?aL?Ûri *3x?+*^y ^ *f
?s3y><>+i y >i cF^f. ??*yf
cHaxIAj
?Xj^^j ?a-??? <Syf
vol.. ix 2 1)
M?D?D.
No. 77.
Gold. Weight, 52 gr. Ghazni. 433 A.n.
Rev. Obv,
aU AU
???S
?Ml
^-Jy**r
?X?v2EX4 St*_II $
* *
i?>!(} ?
?O X?X.
S?J^tXJl =^?MI?
x-J ?L
^J>^ ?Ml
r-WÛUi
int. ?Ml
Marg. ?JJ| cX^cwo Marg. Jjsjb
f(VyJ
?X^l ^J^^ ^-v
<?K??I cUli ^ ,?LkkJI

a^Li/J /^%J^ ?*M"^
*-^
*r=> 3~*3 ej?*? J* *?\&^3 (jJÂ^J
ii)r=>^
Marg. ext. _J^S ??J
^^ ^y|
.Xaô...?
c^r?^
?HI
^ ^û^l
No. LXXVIII.
Gold. 02 gr. Ghazn?. 435 a. h.

Weight,
Rev. Obv.
A? AU
^slh
?Ml
?iy?j
**+?sa*9 yi ?_il y
*?\_
JLJ?<X-Jl t_>l$_? ^?Ml
?_LJLl t , s
,Vt...,.y^
xJ ?X j? y
?Ml i
Marg. int. |?JS ?Ml x\*u

i?y?
t?x ,<l
kÎ?aI r^tJ^ ?f?X^lb
?LIS
sîb ^.J^ (jjJ*>JI ^^
Marg. ext. __Vjj> -*yt ?M

^ô
?X-*-J
?/-*-* ?>~^ ^^
?Ml t>o?*i
{?J>3***3^
No. 79.
Rev. Obv.
?Ml -~Jy?r C^+scX*

yi ?_il y
?Ml
^-ob f^LJUl x*X ?MI
*-J ?L
-r
Ju y
u*
Margins. Illegible.
No. 60.
Similar on both Areas, with the monogram , m at the

legends Aj?ôt top,
and . at the foot of the Obverse, in place of

.^.
ObverseMargin. ?j!Jb ^$rjJl.
No. 81.
Silver. Weight, 41 gr. 433 a.h.
Rev. Odv.
o ... o
o o ? ? o -^ o
?*^
?Ml <S+^S~o ?MI?\ ?_Jt y
?)y*?f
?x?lx ?Ml Cf. i c
xJ^Jv-JI i_>l^?? ?MIÎ-j ÛUt

?3?yA C
Marg. Illegible. Marg. |?x_it> ?MI t*?*>

-?>r"
LaXj ??A_4?
No. LXXXII.
Silver. Weight, 51 gr. Ghazn?. 434 a.h. Common.
Rev. Obv.
o o| o ?**>^ o
f&
?MI -^s^*
?J^wy
SM?_It y
3A_ ?MI
**S-J_Jl ?_,1
*_J ?L
*M?
^>L f<:UH
Marg. ]&_& *MI Marg. 2LJ i_i_j

u-Jj-^ f*w ^_
lX -*
> ??<f 1 31
?-<f ^?ll
There aro two thick of this 63 gr.

specimens type of Coiu, each of which weighs
No. 03.
Silver. 55 gr. Ghazni. 4?? a.h.

Weight,
Rev. Obv.
AU *?IA? All
?Ml
?Jy?r tXfJSX* yi ?_11 y
x<X_
3L-LJLl < m hVi

V3
*J ?L _? y
Surah xxx. 4, 5. |?^(h ?Ml (?s^j

Marg. Marg.
?pj?
XJuv y 1
SLJy ^?X?l
No. LXXXIV.
Similar to No. 03, with the word Muharrim over the l.Vt^
J^sX^q
in Obverse. Mint mark

U"
No. 05.
Silver 40 gr.
(impure). Weight,
Similar to No. 03, with the word Rajab over the l.Vgi
in Obverse. Mint* marks ? u*
No. 80.
Similar to No. with the word _5L? Shaw?l over the _Jj^je
03,
in Obverse. Mint marks

t U"'
No. 87.
Rev. Obv.
?Ml ?X+JSX* NI ?_Jl if

?4>C
->j ?Ml
JUJ?L
'*_L-^^l
?Ml
^L f^l?ll
Marg. Illegible. Marg. Worn.

J?^Jb f$/*>J'
?JL*1 Hope (faith).
No. 88.
Rev. Obv.
o V
X-JîX-Jl t_>lfl?? SI x. _ll S
X?L-?5)l ._=L ^?Ml

xJ ?L
Jl A
?Ml
^b ÛB?
?3?y^
Broad Margins, with bosses and a\) alternating.
No. 89.
Legends in Areas as in No. 87, Silver Coin. The Obverse is wanting in

the usual and has the mint mark on the left of the
^Jj^r, ^ legend.
Marg. As usual.
^^ ^*$\
?JJ | Marg.
XjIÎ
?Ml?**i
No. 90.
Areas as in No. Silver Coin.
LXXXII.,
Marg. Illegible* I Marg. ____ 13^ <

V*
No. XCI.
Copper and Silver, mixed. Weight, 44 gr. My Cabinet.
Rev. Obv.
k?l*tX?11 ? ??
?I?
3UUL1
??a-.U..:?3
Figure of Nand?.
?3C3^
Marg. Illegible.
No. 92.
Copper and Silver. Weight, 45*5 gr. My Cabinet.
Similar to No. XCI.
Reverse Margin. ?
/VA ftM Wi^
The earliest Mohammedan notice of Lahor is to be found in Alb?r?n? ; it is to
the following effect:?
wo- o -*?
'?xjmJ u_j.AU *J>

âa? ^11^ ry&CLj?\ ?yll?JU?Jlj (jJ^J ^
03 O^ 3 O-.
Xa?? *^'n?l r<P ( 1y? ^Xc ^L^J^l ?AA3.S f}l=Dy&>&K* ^11^ XZw
"Si del? [Canogel on se porte vers le nord-ouest, on rencontre Adathaur, ?
la distance de neuf parasanges ; ensuite Hadjannyr, ? la distance de six para
sanges; capitale du Lauh?our (Lahor), sur la rive orientale

puis Maydahoukour,
du Iradha (lo Ravi), ? la distance do huit parasauges."
Fragments Arabes, &c, Reinaud, pp. 00, 114.
i^l^l Uflbl lfl.1_iU?j ?aAI '?fAji^D

G?ographie d'Aboulf?da, p. 350.
"
It is stated in the Lubab, L?h?r is a great city of the cities of India, possess
ing many advantages. It is called also Luh?vmr."
1The Lub?b of Ihn Alat?r is not extant. Reinaud et MacGuckin de Slane,

Pr?face. Idem, p. 37
ABDAL RASHID.
No. XCIII
Gold. 74 gr. Ghazui. 440 A.n.

Weight,
Rev. Obv.
aU
?Ml ?^=^ô
^Jy*r
yi ?_Ji v
X_)3<S_Jl f-c
^ X-\-11 | a?X -^ ?Ml

(?J?f3
?Ml ? J ?U ?L j&y
>r
*XaX ?mi
Joy?jJI ^l îai
Marg. int. |?^ ?Ml

Marg. ?OJJ
J3?AiV -V* f(wj
J??l XX*?
?^j?j?3 iSiSîlj *l*?y ClJ^x</l *-y-*-j /UjjJI
4*d?a ?J
*A^t -^?^/b
/^vX-JI t5?1-C
^3*3
<^3?=>y&? Marg. ext. y? *u
L^* /
?/ ?Xaô^j*
?Ml *A??j
(?.A**-*^'
No. XCIV.
Gold. Ghazn?. 441 A.n. M. B. Allard.
Rev. Obv.
AU
?Hl
^-JyMir
?\+?SX? yi ?_il y
^ X_)^>_Il y_C 8?\ ?Ml
^
XJLil ,. +f3
?_1 ?L
?Ml
"
/ ?Ml^b ^.l?ll
Marg. ?Ml i\ -srvo Marg. int. \?J> ?Ml

_J^_^ i_y? jfv^
<_x?.\ XJu* X-J;-JL-j *Uj?>Jl

<f?HlW ?J^/l ?fi\.r*?l
^^j.-^)^
Marg. ext.
(jj-* /
yi *m
-i <j_r?.>
Cf^î
?Ml /alj
(_^jy^?^Ll
No. XCV.
Sliver. 4? gr. Gliazni. a.h. Hare.

Weight, (4)42
Rbv. Obt.
?
??Ml
7~
M 31 A Jl y
-">*"/
*, ?Ml
*_J ?L _? y
Mf.1, Ûill
Marg. Marg.
**~ ?I ?ju? XJ;xj
-*<r!* c5i5i *y** f?/?^'
"
? second of this description of Coin has the words At Glinzni,
specimen
VOL. IX. 2 E
year # ou the Obverse

(4)42" t^fU is*^^
*^" ***r*? clearly developed
; and a third similar piece discloses on both Margins the more important
Margin
confirmative unit of A (SS?s>\ X?am (44)1*
No. 9G.
Other of a have the word /

Coins, nearly analogous character, ,jj> /
written in a manner differing from the form observable in the Engraving
of Coin XCV., the Kufic / , above the line of tho

^ being projected
word, as is usual in the old stylo of tho letter. also vary from No.
They
XCV. in the Obverse monograms, which are occasionally seen to be
and
On the Obverse of ono specimen is likewise to be detected the imperfect
marginal date of 441 Tlf^ _*fl ^?^l
The examination of the mutilated marginal legends of the concluding examples

of the Coins of Abdal Rashid has been followed out in more than usual detail,
with a view to determine, by satisfactory corroborative evidence, the credibility
of the date of 440 a.h., to be seen on medal No. XC1II. This has been under
taken, not so much on account of the existence of any doubt as to the correct
decipherment of the inscription on the Coin itself, as to meet any objection

arising from the possibility of an omission?on the part of the die-engraver?of
the word which should express the unit number in the date. Had the remaining
Coins of Abdal Rashid indicated no dates but such as would maintain the state
ment of those writers assign who this Monarch's accession to the year 443, and
thereby negatively have justified the iuference of an error in the preparation of

the die of No. XCIII., some havo been iu
difficulty might experienced accepting
the historically unsupported testimony of an isolated Coin; but, the specimens
now cited, though they unquestionably do not directly ailirm the doubtful date,
uphold it so sufficiently with immediately consecutive annual dates, that the value
of the initial numismatic record may fairly be relieved from all suspicion.
FEROKHZAD.
No. XCVII.
Gold. Biblioth?que du Roi, Paris. Kufic letters.
Rev. Obv.
?Ml
^}y**r
tX^s^wo yi a. Ji y
?_J,*\-Jl ^JL.^ *?x_ ?Ml

-^
3UULI _Jl_??dj
*J ?L
?MlÛ ^.Ull
Marg. int.
Surah ix. 33, and Ixi. 9. ,_, Jj ?Ml xv+j
Marg. l?x?

Marg.
No. XCVIII.
Gold. Weight, 72 gr. Persian letters?single Margins. Unique.

Rbv. Obv.
aU
?Ml ?Jy**r ?X*.^5E^0 ?mi yi ?_ ji y
?! ?\_?,_? y XiX-**
t, MÂ-* fisLJUl
?_J,?x_Jl _11_5?. ?3*~* & ?]s?A
Marg. |?x_j?> .>,??? ?Ml .?â
rUjv\ll
X->Lfjrl_j
Ll>3?/^] V^ 3*3
This Coin is noticeable, as offering the only instance in the prcscut series of
the use of Persian letters, in lieu of the accustomed Kufic. It is known that
Mahm?d's Vizir, Ab?l Abb?s Fazil, introduced for the first time, at the Court of
Ghazni, the practice of writing public papers in the Persian language; and that
Khw?jah Ahmad, the son of Hasan Mcimendi, who subsequently became

Minister, reverted to the Arabic for all permanent official documents (Ferishtah,
Briggs, ?., 88). It is possible that the altered style of the legend of the above
medal may indicate a similar attempt at the re-introduction of the Persian lan
guage, as shown in the adoption of its characters on the
coinage of the day. A
more probable explanation of the origin of the change in the form of the letters is,
however, to be found in the supposition that it may have been designed to convey
an allusion to the temporary success of Ferokhz?d over the armies of the Selj?ks in
Khor?s?n; or, indeed, it is by no means unlikely that the medal itself may actually
have been struck in some of the Persian cities during their brief occupation by the
troops of the Ghaznavi Monarch.
No. 99.
Rev. Onv.
?Ml *X*?sx? 5H ?_Il y

~Jy*Y
s?X_
o
i ?\ *_1 ?L
*V?r?>
jMI^L (c\Jti\
Marg. Marg. Illegible.
I Xa~
X^-? jfyxll
No. 100.
Silver. 46 gr. (4)4? a.ii. Broad Margins.

Weight,
Onv.
?Miyi ?_Jl y
?i ?v_j._? y XiS2*3
?Ml
foL-j fc\JU\
??s:
Marg. Illegible. Ma'B- l*X-jt> ?Ml ,(uu

,_%rJo
4 I
(?jwj
KINGS OF 01IAZNI. 355
No. 101.
Silver. Weight, 42 gr. 450 A.n. Broad Margins.
Rkv. Obv.
aU
-31**
?Ml
~-5y?*r
*X*SV? ?mi yi ?_il y
A?a?X_?. ?Ml a1 y x?xs*j

Jaao ?X?j/_?
?MI^L, ^?UUI
Marg. J?U Marg.

-k l_
?JJXj f$ ^JJI
*&*it*3 CLT^#
No. CIL
Rbv. Obv.
?Ml *X#.^S^ô yi ji y
?^y"f
0 x?X -a.. ?Ml ?
xJULl *_1 y
-Jl_*?% ?1_j,_?
aMI^L; {<:U?1
No Margins.
Others have monograms JAc and ?JJ. Weights, up to 47 gr.

35? ON THE COINS OF THE
No. CIII.
Silver. Weight, 6'6 gr.
Rrv. Ouv.
All
Js ?_S^-* yi jl ji y
?Ml_5%-wr ?\__K_Jl ?Ml
?Ml^cL
of four other specimens, 5*25 gr

Average weight
No. CIV.
Mixed Silver and Copper. Weight, 50 gr.
Rev. Obv.
_J*Xc
X-J^XJI
* y Figure of Nandi.
?-
?S/tf
No. 105.
Mixed Silver and Copper. Weight, 44 gr. Unique.
Rev. Ouv.
Figure of Nandi.
KINOS OF OIIAZNI. 357
No. IOC.
Rev. Onv.
?Ml
_)y^
Os*?* ?mi yi ?_jj y
?_A_x_x ?mi ?j ?v_J--?C y k?x??*
y.*?
XJ^cKJI _j\_;*.
?Sstf e_r?
Margins. Illegible.
No. 107.
Same as No. CIL, Silver Coin.

$58 ON THE COINS OF THE
IBRAHIM.
No. CVIII.
Silver. Weight, 42 gr. Rare.
Rkv. Obv.
yi *_11 s
*M1_3, K.\_ ?Ml

A_l ?L
?M1/_<L ^LJUl
XJ,.xJl
Broad Margins. Bosses and All alternating.
No. CIX.
Silver. Weight, 44 gr. Unique.
ItKV. Obv.
?)l *_ Jl S
>, M
*
ir*
Margins. Illegible.
No. 110.
Rev. Obv.
A? ?1U
?Ml
?Ay*?r
<X#sSX*J ?Miyi* Jiy
??A?X? ?Ml?Le ?j ?X?j.?? y 8*xs?^
x
X-JîX-Jl j q V> ?mi7_^ ûui
.^yi
Margins. Illegible.
Judging from the outline of what still remains of the nearly obliterated Reverse
marginal legend, the iuscription seems to have been composed of a mere repetition
of thewords ?M ?ft\\
_
No. 111.
Rev. Ouv.
o -J^ o
?Ml ?XfrjSX? ?Ml SI *_1? S
_)Â?r
?_*_L_r ?Ml
^ba
,- A. KJU ,?.1 aNI_?l., ?rlJLJI

f?L
J?Xr
f*V
Marg. Illegible. Marg.
fa?>?\ \^y?
A similar Coin has the monogram _J^Xc in the place of

JLtaJll)
the former being replaced by the word ?M
Obverse Margin. ?Ml

&AfLjA3 |<^
VOL. IX. aF
Ho. ?12.
Rbv. Obv.
M _J,_ yi *_il y
, ? ?n *> O x*X ?Ml

?_J,.X_11 j*3
2LJlJ.I 4 *. QJ?.
"3 ?-J ? y
?i_jj
?Ml^b
Marg. Illegible. Marg. ?M?U?Ll.
No. 113.
A Coin similar to No. 112, having the Khalifa name in the third line of the
Obverse, the two first lines being lengthened accordingly to contain the
usual legend. Monograms

?&z
Reverse as in No. 112. , m
legend Monogram %IJ>.
No. 114.
Rbv. Obv.
?Ml 4X*2SA.<a
_Jj^*r
Similar to No. 113.
JjiK
rtV
KINOS OF OllAZNI. 361
No. 115.
Silver. 31 gr.
Weight,
Rbv. {Circular Area.)
Al! u A1?
?Ml ?X*2?l?
^y*r
??J^tX-Jl |???aGJ
?_LJLl .?* ft \bj
f<?V
Maig. I Ilegible. ?MAI
Tho title ?MJÎ at the foot of the Obverse surface is occasionally replaced
by the word ?iXc
No. 110.
Rev. Onv.
,?1*11
?Ml_J?_ ?1 ?_11 y
?_JîX?11 ._A?4-1?
Kjs ?Ml
JU? r 1 J ?L
?Ml^b
>V -At)
No. CXVII.
Rbv. Ubv.
All a\1 aU
?Ml
~-?yA?r
?X*:2CV-o ?mi yi ?_ ji y
*1 ?3L-J--J; y 8^
jjicyi îkJuii
?l^-J_11 ,-alj *M1,_L ,<:LJLJ1
?yi ?LJLw.
Margins. Illegible.
3l>2 ON THE COINS OF THE
No. 11 a.
Other Coins of this type bear the name of the Khalif Al Moktadi
be amerillah. on Obverse , #A 5 ,
Monogram
No. CXIX.
Rev. Onv.
o *
?mi yi ?_ ji y
jj?syiîL-JUi
?3_ULI ?Ml J3~S
?X+jsX?
^L-3
?Ml ,_?lj tf*x?3?LI
r??-ta-Il *_jI
?
*V
Margins. Illegible.
A second specimen has xjIxjaI* iJka b ?Ml ,*w->

-V"
legible on the Obverse Margin.
No. 120.
Rev. Obv.
LL>
1, U L ?dit si a_ Jiy
._*M_5 *?la?c yi A) ?_>,_? S <4X=?.
?>, JLI ?HI _?L <f<\?'.. S,?JLI
. iXx-A?
L yAJj^LuJI
?) ?1
Margins composed of minute triangular points.

KINGS OF OHAZNI. 363
No. 121.
Silver. 40 gr.
Weight,
Obverse. As No. 120; but the Khalif's name is at the top and bottom of
tfiX??ll
--.
Obverse, thus
?Ml^b
Reverse. , mA and a similar to No. 120; but the
Monogram J, legend
whole is comprised in four lines, instead of five.
No. 122.
Rrv. Ouv.
aU * aU ? tf^Xi?Ll ?
(JaryiÎLJUl
?y-X_Il j-AL-S ?)^-J_il J-*l->
(Jj* :^yuii
?HlôL
No. 123.
Rev. Obv.
aU aU aU
?Ml tX+JSX? *miyi Jiy

_)y*?r
*1 .?V. i ? y s^~?,
rfaryi ÛaJUJl
?1^-J_LI ri?,_M.yi?i_L_?
/_*>U>
?Ml
Another of this class of Coin has the monogram aIj

specimen
at the top of the Obverse.
No. 124.
Silv.r. Weight, 47 gr.
Uev. Obv.
ifiX?J?Ll
yi ?_il y
l_L._l.w_M
<J_V
*x_*_=s\_? ?Ml
Ja_c5M
?Ml _J*_?,
*V ?Ml^L
Another Coin of this type has on the Reverse
Margin
*u ?mi ?u ?mi *? ?v
No. CXXV.
Rkv. Ouv.
,Qfor ?JLI
yi ?_Ji y
(?yl_k._I,,?.,,. H
iX ?_acu__* ?Ml
J?_c^l
?Ml _J?-M,r
?ML
Marg. Illegible. Marg.
*u ?wi am?mi ?a ?iu_
No. CXXVI.
Silver. Weight, 5*5 gr.
Rev. Obv.
Centre.
i<rV
KINOS OF OHAZN?.
No. CXXVII.
Silver. Weight, 4'.r? gr.
Rev. Obv.
yi *_il y
*ui_J. :L Jl ?Ml
I?
rt
m
No. 120.
Silver and Copper, mixed. Weight, 27 gr.
Rev. Obv.
?Ml _JVw/> ?X*-^-? ?mi yi *_il y
J??JLI ?j ??L-j-Ji y Ktx^
?Ml^^L^ f*LJLJl
No. CXXIX.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 46 gr. Labor.
Rev. Odv.
?JiXc
Ûb_L-**Jl
JSl
Figure of Nand?.
ft u
f*V
Mar?- '?^
f?/?>Jl ?-r-y**
f3*3^
A second similar has also the words
specimen _3^3^ f?f ^1 l*Nfr?/*
clearly on its Margin.
legible
No. 130.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 47 gr.
Rev. Obv.
Legend commences with
As in No. CXXIX.
instead of
Some Coins have the monogram U1 l'eu m^ niany have

â** ?f_J*\c?
the Margins filled with dots in the placo of legends.
No. 131.
Areas as in No. 112, Silver Coin.
No. 132.
Rev. Obv.
As in No. 121. I As in No. CXIX.
KINOS OF QIIAZNI. 367
MASA?D III
No. CXXXIII.
Silver. Weight, SO gr. Unique.
Rev. Onv.
aU * a?
?mi yi ?_il y
r?*yi (Îk-JUJI
?x#?v-*
?Ml^?ob fJ?=Jl ?Ml_5ûy
?Ml ?Mb , fl f? VmAI

L-r?>? ,?1*1?
?yX*u~*
Marg. Marg.
3 Xl^xll tt* Oo^l ?MJll 3 U~^

2LKa? AK.
No. CXXXIV.
Silver. Weight, 47 gr. 404 A.n.
Rkv. Obv.
/ .y ri \ m? 11
?i ?_il y
J?. yi ?x???=s_? ?Ml
?y.. i,?av> i?<

?Ml _3._?,,
?ML
Marg. ?_J^\_11 &c ?Mil Marg.

Ju^ll ^?^ ^
/L>Le xj?t
1This
marginal legend has been restored from the collation of different
specimens.
[lm Light.
VOL. IX. 2G
No. CXXXV.
Silver. Weight, 55 gr. Very scarce.
Rev. Ouv.
(Six**
m yi a. Jiy
?_\3??_11 &?E ?Ml >*.**#> ?X+jsv??
J_11 ?ML d la-JUJU

Ji
fi??ytj-fc-4.
No Margins.
A second Coin has the monogram ^ csUa* *. ?t the top of Reverse.
No. 130.
Silver. Weight, 30 gr. Common.
Rev. Ouv.
?\Xa?
yil
_U*1I ÎkJUl ?mi yi ?_? y

/ ?Ml ?X*h??\??
.j^?jbÂ*ji yy* ÂyX*4J
?ML a f? y.,.u
Marg. Marg. Illegible.
-;> U*^ X>u? ?J Jb
No. CXXXVII.
Silver nnd Copper. Weight, 51 gr. Major Simpson.

Rev. Onv.
Jl
e>
jX_*
X_\3?>_il of Nandi.
Figure
KINGS OF OHAZNI. 369
No. 130.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 51 gr. Major Simpson.
? Rev. Onv.
Jl
iljU*_L
_3u>L Jl
Figure of Nandi.
No. 130.
Similar legends, &c, to Silver Coin, No. 136.
ARSLAN.
No. 140.
Silver. 40 gr. Very scarce.

Weight,
Rkv. Obv.
o ? o
?Ml 4\*?sx* ?Ml5)1?_11 3
?)y?f
?3 y x<Ss-,
A_jj_?
l. yJ ?XK* ?Mb V ... VI

?MJ^rl jqf?
M?rg. ?a A\W ?MAU.\ ?M ??M Marg. Illegible
No. CXLI.
Weight, 42 gr. Common.

Copper.
Rev. Obv.
BAHR?M SH?H.
No. CXLII.
Silver. 56 gr. Very common.

Weight,
Rev.
?Ml iS+>^\s9
^Jy*if
r?*NI ÛaJuJI
kL?wcI
V*
Margins. Illegible.
A second Coin has on its Obverse, and
JL? ^r^Jl J^^ on its Reverse

'_?r*^ Margin.
No. 143.
Silver. Weight, 30 gr. Small Coin.
Areas ns in No. CXLII. No Margins.
No. CXLIV.
Silver. Weight, 66 gr. Very scarce.
Rbv. Obv.
aU
?Ml
?J^wf
?x*?*o ?miyi ?_il y
?Mi^y jjulx\
X-J^xJl X-JjiX-JI i\. x? C
kU**I
V?
Margins. Illegible.
1 in orig.
Sic
No. CXLV.
Rev. Obv.
Margin. Margin.
XljjJl ^^ ?mi j^sx^ ?miyi ?Jl y

fJoxUÎkJUl .j^
Centre. Centre.
No. 140.
Rev. Obv.
iJLji o
,t[i ?M,..<** _?I
W^
This typo of Coin has no written Margins, the space being filled in with
simple dots.
No. CXLVII.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 40 gr. My Cabinet.
Rev. Obv.
(,y k \_***_It
,_b_cyi Figure of Nandi.
*\_Z I. -$
KHUSR? SHAH.
No. CXLVIII.
Gold. Weight, 60 gr. Unique.
Rbv. Onv.
*>*?v~?
?mi yi ?_il y
?Ml
?Jy*/
?i y
?l-j^.-? ??X?>^
J?z*$\
Ûa_LJt
Jw-?-jUli
?Mi^y
?_lyUl
3r^
Marg. Illegible. Marg. J 4f *X^11j '

aL*^
^jjJ! Û
No. 140.
Rev. Obv.
\j AU
?Ml t\+?s\~? ?mi yi ?_ Ji y
jj^yi îkjui ?Mi^y^

i?x_*
^?X-Jl
Marg. Composed of dots. Marg._l l?X?> V_V?
No. CL.
Silver. Weight, 63 gr. Scarce.
Tl?s type varies from No. 140, in the rejection of the name of Sanjar, the
two last lines of the Obverse Area being superseded by the words
C^tWU ^1
Both Margins are composed of dots.
KINOS OF QllAZNI. 373
KHUSR? MALIK.
No. CLI.
Silver. 50 gr. Unique.

Weight,
Rev. Onv.
?Ml *X**sxo ?mi yi ? ji y

-Jy*/
?i A?j,_? y 8?\s?2
I g I?j ?Ml-?y ?^X-JLJll

X_\3<s?!
if"^ /^j.A>^Xl j-*?-A
Margins filled up with dots.
No. CLII.
Silver. Weight, CG gr. Common.
Rev. Onv.
?Ml -W tX*.2?V?? ?Ml ?fl #_ Jl i)

X.-? \?$ ?Xs^?aJLI
*_\.s_Jl -J_?
^?*?<yA
?Uu
*i*
Dotted Margins.
Some have marginal inscriptions; but the purport is unintelligible. Occa
sionally are to be seen the Obverse monogram, infra, o ? o> and Reverse,
supra, %y
Sic i i orig.
No. CLIll.
Rev. Obv.
^. y. \n-I?am?11
The Bull Nandi in Toghr?,
f_la_c^l and traces of
? . , i l?v\ i, ,?)i rL-J
No. 154.
40 gr. Cabinet. also Plate

Copper. Weight, My (See XX., fig. 16, Ariana
Antiqua. )
Rev. Obv.
. y_m?i
ClV\?u
In a circle
Ja_cyi
cV
j^_ii
No. 15ft.
Copper. Weight, 50 gr,
Rev. Onv.
?_
J^Js_?
J5_s SI
r
v
TABLE II.?Abstract of Dates Icffible on (lie Coin*.
A.II. Mint City. King's Name. Reference to Coins. Remark h .

|
347 (Ander?beh) Alpteg?n Fraehn.

380 Fer w?n Sahak tagin 2 specimens.
?
382 idem
383 Ferw?n idem
? idem
(3)84
385 N?shap?r Mahmud 8
390 idem idem 9 and 10
?See also No. 25
395 Herat idem
l (Ghazn?).
399 (N?shap?r) idem 26
399 (Ghazn?) idem 27
400 N?shap?r idem 11 Fraehn.
401 idem idem 12 and 13
401 Herat idem 15 2 specimens.
401 Ghazn? idem 3G
405 idem idem 54
407 idem 19
N?shap?r
409 idem idem 20
411 II cr?t idem 16
411 Balkh idem 40
411 Ghazn? idem 43 and 44
412 Balkh idem 45 See also No. 42.
413 Herat idem 17
414 idem 41
N?shap?r
414 Herat idem 18
414 idem 40
419 idem 47
421 idem 50 and 52
421 Balkh idem 51 4 specimens.
422 Mosa?d 58
N?shap?r
422 idem 60
425 idem 62
idem 62a
(4)27 63
Balkh idem
(42)8 59
431 N?shap?r idem
433 Ghazn? M?d?d 77
433 > idem 81
434 Ghazn? idem 82
435 idem idem 78
440 idem Abdal Rashid 93
See also No. 96
94 and Note to
441 idem idem
No. 95.
idem idem 95 2 specimens.
(4)42 5 100
Ferokhz?d
(4)4? 101
450 Ghazn? idem
494 Masa?d III. 134
" sur quelques Monnaies in?dites trouv?es h

Mons. F. Soret, in his Lettre
a copper Coin similar in historic charac
Bokhara'* (Gen?ve, 1043), describes
teristics to No. 0, bearing the conjoint names of Al T??'h lillah, Null bin Mansur,
and Seif al Daulah (Mahm?d), struck at N?sh??p?r in 300 A.n. M. Soret also ciU s
of Mahm?d, 413, and Ghazn?, 400.
from Fnehn's works, gold Coins N?shap?r,
The means of verification of these last quotations are not immediately available.
VOL. IX. 2 H
376 ON THE COINS OF THE KINOS OF OIIAZNI.
TABLE III.? Mint Cities.
Balkh Nos. 40, 45, 51, Scc.
Ferw?n / . ? 2, 4. See also Coins B and

^\3f.
C, pp. 35, 36.
Ghaznf ?_Ju ? 36, 43, 49, 53, &c, ike.
liet ?t ?\._ ? 14, 15, 10, 17, 18, ike.
Lahor ? 92, 129.

S3-^J
8, 9, 10, U, 12, tkc
Sejist?n , . \l?AA?j??r ? 48.
W?l?n / .%?a_J
\3
? 29, 64.
Andcr?beh ? Fradut, Novai Symbolic, p. 15.
10 Bokhara, 412 A.n. r

Are quoted by M llcr (De Numis.
Orientalibus, p. 134), as given
I
11 Ivcrnt?nta, 389 A.n. by Ftichn (2ter Ber., p. 36).
Since (he major portion of the preceding pnges have passed Mi rough the press,
an opportunity has occurred of inspecting a second copy of the rare work of Al
Bibekt, containing the life ami history of Mnsnud of CJlinzni, in the possession of
W. II. Morley, Esq. Any lengthened notice of this MS. might be deemed out
of place at the present montent, but it is necessary to state that a more
extended,
though still imperfect, examination of this IMS. in no way shakes the
authenticity
of any previous quotation; and, though much might have been added, there is
nothing to alter in any of the deductions heretofore drawn from its pages, with the
single exception of a remark which suggests itself from a discovery that Masatid
bore among bis other titles that of ?Ml Jlxxl and that possibly this may
lail^.,
be the designation intended in the inscription
to be recorded which the
occupies
last line of the Reverse Areas of Coins Nos. 59, 00. This was in truth, the most
obvious and satisfactory reading, and that which presented itself at the first sight
of the Coins; but it was rejected, and is still questioned, on account of the shapo
of the final letter of the second word differing so materially from the other dais ?3
to be found on other parts of the self-same Coins.
SUPPLEMENT.
In bringing to a conclusion the foregoing description of the Coins

of the Gliazuavi Kings of the race of Sabaktagin, it may be appro
priate to take this opportunity of referring cursorily to any of the more
rare or remarkable medals connected with the whence thin
locality,
dynasty derived its name, which have found a place in the collection
of Mr. Massen.
With this single object in view, and avoiding any effort at serial
the detached notices of a few of the numis
classification, following
matic records of some of the successors of the more
early strictly
so-called Gliazuavi Monarchs are here In the
subjoined. express
desire also of the present observations, the of
limiting reproduction
any previously fully-deciphered Coin has been avoided, and
carefully
the remark? have been confined to little more
necessary introductory
than mere references to accessible historical authorities.
readily
GII??TH AL DIN MOHAMMED BIN SAM.

Ghiath al din Mohammed bin S?m was the Suzerain of, and even
tually the associate Sovereign with, his brother, Muaz al din (other
wise Shahab al din) Mohammed bin S?m, better known as Mohammed
Gh?r?, the conqueror of Hindustan, and founder of the powerful
dynasty of the Pat'?n Monarchs of Delhi1.
The Coins of these brother Kings are not uncommon, and may be referred to
in the Journ. As. Soc, Bengal, May, 1030 ; Ariaua Antiqua, pp. 435, 437, and
430, Nos. 29, 35, PI. XX., and Nos. 24, 25, 20, 35, 30, PI. XIX.; and also
Numismatic Chronicle, October, 1040.
No. /.
Onv. Rude figure of a Cavalier, facing to the left, with his lance at the charge.
The above Coiu is remarkable as illustrating the authenticity of an assertion in
1
Ferishtah (Oow), i., 127; Briggs, i., ICO; Price, ii., 313; Price, qu< -ig
the Khal?sat al Akhb?r, ii., 455. Dorn's Hist. Afghans, Annotations. El
phinstonCj i., 003.

Abttl Fcd?, to the effect that, after Al? al din Huss?n Jeh?ns?x* death, Gh??th
al din Mohammed bin Sam reigned over Glior and Ghazu? as Malik, that is to
say, without at first adopting the higher stylo of Sult?n.
?^ ^
15* L~r^3
*V*J? />*"
A bul Fed?, Ami. Mosl.
BAH? AL DIN SAM BIN MOHAMMED.

The Dynasty of the Gh?r?ans of B?in??n.
Balkh, Bokl?n, and Badakhshan, &c.

Dominions.?Tokk?rist?n,
1. Fakhr al din Masaiid, son of Eiz al din Huss?n, A mir Il?jib of

Sult?n Ibrahim.
2. Shems al din Mohammed bin Masaiid.
3. Bah? al din S?m bin Mohammed. Fourteen years' reign. Died
ia 602 A.n.
4. Jell?l al din Ali. to

Seven years' reign. Conquered and put
death by the Khw?rizin?s1.
No. 2.
Rbv. Oiiv.
si u i m\\ 31?_Jl S
^y
.a-? ?Ml
^. j?JiX-Jlj 1_a?? ?Ml

_Jj-*y
( . ^J>XJ jxA X..H
?Ml
Margins. Illegible.
No. 3.
Obv. The usual symbol in three lines, as in No. 2, but without the addition
of the Khalif "aname.
1 Rauzat al Safa, quoted by Dorn, ii., 01 ; see also original MS., No. 43,
As. Soc. ; and MS. Khal?sat al Akhb?r, Idem.
Roy.
KINGS OF GHAZN?. 37?)
No. /,.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 52 gr. ? ,
Ouv. Rude figure of a Horseman, facing to the right, a lance at the

holding
charge.
Rev. As No. 2.
TAJ AL D?N ?LDUZ.
T?j al din Ilduz, ono of the slaves of Mohammed Ghori, is first

noticed in history on the occasion of his appointment to the govern
ment of Kirm?n. Ho was subsequently elevated to the charge of
Ghazn? itsolf, in which position he revolted on Mohammed Gh?r?'s
defeat by the Allies of the King of Khwarizm; but finding his
master at the gates of the with euflicient force to insure
capital,
success, he submitted, and was pardoned, being allowed to retain his
former charge. On Muaz al din's death, Ilduz becamo independent
Monarch of Ghazn?, and held possession until its capture Moham
by
med Khwiirizmi, after which he returned to Kirman, and eventually
in conquer to Hindustan, ho was taken
endeavouring prisoner by
Shcins al din Altemsh1.
No. 5.
Gold. Weight, 40 gr. Unique.
Onv. Area. ?031 ?Ml ?X^?o M SJl Alt V

^.?Xl ^Lil _V^wy
{?J#"3^ /***
Marg. * * ^ -?j ??a? * * *
^j[? jyQ?
Rev. Area. [aj??\ ix*>

^\ (j^<Xl^ +Skc.y(\) ÛJUJI
Marg. ^ ?f. 3f. UJiXll

^jj?J\j glj ^Ja
*
Ferishtah i., 13?; Briggs, i., 200]; D'Hcrbelot, Article "lldiz;**
[Dow,
ElphiiiHtouc, i., G1G.
No. 6.
Gold. Weight, Gl gr. Unique.
Obv. Area. J^s^

fU ^ ^-?--??Jt ÎkJUll
Marg. x * XJu*# * * l?Xd> * *
f3$"* f* **>J^J
No. 7.
Obv. Soimr* Area. ?$\ _J^ & ?^, M $\ ?_\\ y

^
?Ml --j^LJLJI
^jxj^yJA Â ^^-JiXJ
Marg.- || 'iXxM
jyq- II -I) J^JIi,-&
^?x
Small / . J_U V *? H
Rev. square Area._*_?H
7 v---'
Marg. LSiXll *Xac

y:jJL> /^jJvll^ gD 5^.^ ÛaLJI
No. tf.
Obv. Rude of a Cavalier, to the left, with his spear at the

figure facing
charge.
Rbv. Area. L-A-J4X-JI *.f?...n, U ?1U.I

yjcJb ^^jiX-JI^ gL-J?
Marg. Filled in with dots.
No. Q.
Silver and Copper.
Obv. The Kirm?n style of the figure of the Bull (Naudi?)
A Coin of T?j al din Ilduz is depicted in fig. 10, PI. XX., Ariaua Antiqua.
KINGS OF GIIAZNI. 381
AL? AL DIN MOHAMMED KHWARIZM?.

{Sehander al Th?ni.)
Al? al din Mohammed, son of Tukush, the sixth of the Khw?rizm

Sh?h?s, ascended the throne of his father in 596 A.n. After the
defeat of the Kara Kb itans, in 605', ho was entitled Sckandcr al
Th?n?9. Subsequently ho subdued B?m??n; and in 6123 he reduced
Ghazn?. He died in 617.
The gold coins of this Prince have been sufficiently noticed by Professor
Wilson, in his Ariana Antiqua, p. 437 (see also Fnehn's Rccensio, pp. 140 and
505). One clnsa of Aid nl din's broad silver coins partakes of the general charac
teristics of his gold coinage: the two specimens of this description in Mr. Masson's
collection weigh severally 07 and 102 grains. In addition also to the common
narrow silver coins, in make and similar to those of his son (No. 17), there
weight
are of thin broad silver likewise about 47 grains, which
examples pieces, weighing
arc ornamented with a scolloped in the interstices of which are
curiously Margin,
inscribed the usual marginal These coins have the monogram , ,
legends. \\+r*
at the top of each Area; the place of mintage is not legible.
No. 10.
Oiiv. Horseman in outline face to the left

(Toghr?)*
This Coin 15 arc noticeable

and No. as how it was the
evincing completely
custom with Eastern in Central Asia at least, to
conquerors, adopt the types of (he
of the countries subdued. It has been shown
money (Journ. Roy. As. Soo
xvii., 100) that the Khw?rizm?s, in imitation of their immediate
predecessors, the
Gho*rfa, made use of the device of the Horseman, first introduced by the Brahman
Kings of Kabul ; but the present examples prove that they also appropriated, sub
ject to but slight modification, the Reverse die?the Bull of the Hind? prototype.
1
De see also D'Hcrbelot, Article uMohammed Koth beddin."
Guignes:
2 Or to the Khnlasat al Akhb?r, in G07 A.n.; Price,
3
according ii., 309.
Anno duodecimo, mouse Sima ba?o, potitus est Soltan Mohammed urbe
cum nntca ntaximam
Ghazna; Chorasani partem et regnum Bamianie possedisset.
Ab?l Faraj [Pocock], p. 2157
4 See a
somewhat similar figure on a coin of this Monarch, Plate, p. 177, fi^.
23, Jnurii. Roy. As. Soc, No. XVII.; and Journ. As. Soc,
Bengal, fig. 2,
PI. XIV., Vol. VI.
No. 11.
Obv. Square Area. LS*Xll &? *. W c$V LJl

^?jJlj ^jltr
"
Rbv. face to the left *?* / \UaLwJl ?X+j^Vô
Horseman, y~ || f?y?
No. 12.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 53 gr. B?m??n.
Oiiv. As No. //.
Rbv. Horseman, face to the right.
< V??a-*?**?Jl / .*.?j ?X?4?SX?<
and in a line with the spear, below tho horse,
. . \Ia^?Li
v._.'
No. 13.
Obv. ?Ml _J_ ^ *mi yi A Jl ^
Rbv. Marg. 4X^5^ ?ft *l?si)|

{^?xJl J l*^l ÎLJUJI
Centre.
^lUL* (^
No. 14.
Onv. As No. 13.
lUv. Marg. ?_x H c5H

^jJl 3 LSjcJl f ÎkJuJl
Centre.
No. 15.
Obv. <=^ ?? U 1 ?.. II

g-JLJLJI /?\-J? f_k_c^l ^
Rev. Bull Nandi, and the imperfectly formed letters if^r.
For an of thiH Coin sec Ariana Antirma, Plate XX., fig. 4; figs.
engraving
8 atid 15, of the samo Plate, also represent Coins of Al? al din bin Mohammed.
No. 16.
Obv. \??tt 5U
^LJLJI j?slîA? (jjJ>.^ 3 ^jlk-UI
Rbv. Horseman in Toghr?, face to the right, and t?(\ C?ftrj
JELL?L AL DlN MANKBUR?N.

On the death of Al? al din, his eon, Jcll?l al din Mankbur?n,
retired to Ghazn?, and not long afterwards (b'18) retreated before
Khan towards Hindustan, whom he was overtaken and
Chengiz by
of the Indus. After this, he held tem
totally defeated on the banks
dominion in India for two years, and in G20? proceeded to
porary
and various remarkable turns of fortune, he
Irak, having experienced
was finally routed by tho Tatars in G28 A.n., from which timo he is
entirely lost sight of8.

No. 17.
Stiver. 47 gr. Unique. {Small Coin, with dotted Margins.)

Weight,
Obv. U ?Ml
i^r_x?.x--A3 j-*-^^ ^-J?*_5 /_asLJ;_JI
Rbv. x?=ixsq UjOJI ?J^>

^jUiX*JI ,mjj ^jj (jjJ?>JI ^
? Fcrishtah iv, 415.

fBriggs],
8 from Khal?satal Akhb?r, H. 410; D'Herbelot, Article "Gellaleddin."
Price,
VOL. IX. 21
No. 18.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 44 gr. Rare. (Persian letters.)
Rbv. Horseman in Toghr?.
No. 19.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 45 gr. Rare.
Similar to No. 1$; but with square Kufic letters.
CHENGIZ KH?N.
Declared of the Moghuls 602 a.ii. = 1206l.

Emperor
Died, Ramzuu, 624 a.ii.
The extensivo conquests achieved by the Moghuls under Chcngiz Khan, and
the sanguinary character of their inroads into the countries of the dilfcrent nations
of Asia, are too prominent in the general history of the world to require any
extended recapitulation in this place; it may, however, be necessary to mark the
various points of this MonarclTs connexion with the laud to which it is probable
the Coins below quoted more immediately refer. The detail of this portion of
career is almost wholly confined to his contests with Jcll?l al din,
Chcngiz Khan's
the last of the Khw?rizm?s. The progressive advance of tho conqueror may bo
traced in the sieges of Balkh, T?lik?n, and B?m??n, each rendered memorable in
the record of the atrocities which were enacted on their capture. While engaged
in reducing the last named city, the forces of the Moghuls received a check in the
defeat of two several detachments by their intrepid opponent, who at this timo
held his Court at Ghazn?. Dissensions, however, arising in tho camp of Jcll?l al
din, followed by the defection of one of his most powerful supporters, induced
Khan to take advantage of the opportunity, and ad vaneo in person upon
Chcngiz
Ghazui, whence, as has already been stated, Jell?l al din retreated, and was
brought to action on the Indus, where he nobly defended himself to the last ex
tremity ; and, in his equally bold passage of the river itself, when all was lost, ho
elicited the involuntary admiration of his barbarian adversary.
1 Price al Sair), ii. 48G, 510, Article

(Habib 520, &c; D'IIorbelot, "Genghiz
Khan."
KINGS OP QHAZNI. 385
Beyond this spot Chcngiz Khan's Indian conquests can scarcely be said to
have extended, as he seems to have satisfied himself with the dispatch of one of
his Generals to ravage the country, which was effected in the full measure of
ferocity as far as Multan and Lahor1.

Moghul
No. 20.
Silver. Weight, 47 gr. Very scarce. {Small thick Coin, with dotted Margins. )
Obv. ^
ejr_x_JL^>_U j-*.^ (jj_?*_> /-*>'_*_?
K*v. ^ f? c^l _bl_x_ll

^Li j l^ r
No. 21.
A Coin similar to the above, but having the name and title written
in the more modern form of Kufic characters as two distinct words
No. 22.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 63 gr. (Coin of a similar character and form of
letters to No. 20.)
Oov. As above, No. 20.
? * _Jjs_e
^_Is_eSl ^_5l_?
A Coin of Chcngiz Khan (Bokhara) is described by Frsehn. Die M?nzen, p. 57.
1
Price, ii. 520 ; De Guignes, ii. 270, et seq. ; Ab?l Faraj, p. 293, &c.
2 I2
3SG ON TUE COINS OF THE KINOS OF OIIAZNI.
INCERTI.
No. 23.
Silver and Copper. Weight, 44 gr. (Three specimens in the Masson collection.)
Ou v. of a Bull, in a
A rudely-formed figuro facing to the left, apparently
posture, with the tail erect: above tho back of tho animal,
rising
expressed in Persian letters, is the word Ferw?u.

J^J
Rrv. Area (in ill-formed Kufic characters).
?yxô JS?j?^V _3?Xc

ÎkLJl
Marg. Illegible.
No. 24.
On v. Horseman in Toghrd, facing to tho left, and igf\ imperfectly

^jflTt
formed, the 1\ being completely reversed.
Rkv. Persian characters.
*Xâô ^j _=Ll J&U y->\ &?^ 3 W/*4^ *~*J
'
o
",7 . '- z ~
' ~', ~,'2i '-1~ ('
.7_ 7)
21,
212
o~~~
-'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~an ~
I,:, .':h~~ I:)?
42 > ' 43r
-;c- t..oil
Ir~ir~ s C
.;3
So~~3u
L~~~~~~
0)
Irv,
4t; d5
57
?,Aj;"(>,;k 58 -- ?,r, -^
x'? Ty
/i';/?S:,/,//W/J?' /'/. Ill
?.'.t,
'?.H;?7\ 110 ,?**?f??*T
//'OteJB \\
l< ?atr?oo
IJ

On The Coins of The Kings of Ghazní / by Edward Thomas

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267

Aut. IX.?On the Coins of the Kings of Ghazni. By Edward

[Read Mh March, 1847.]

stituted tho bulk of this attention was attracted

fessorWilson, in his description of the antiquities of Ariana, which the

antiquities might not be altogether devoid of interest.

means; and in the instance room is left for

tions, mark most distinctly the progressive epochs of his eventful

Hence, viewing it on the ono hand as a coin minted in reference to

exhibit the local modifications incident to the dialect of the country

superiority of tho execution of tho Kufic sido of tho coin, is

diate successors, as such, would have on their

KhorYtsan, until about eight year? to his virtual accession.

1 Extract T?r?kh East India Company's

%J? tj iX-u? iJL?

A sonfewhat similar passage is to be found in tbo ltuuzat al Safa.

puissance, et pour l'obtenir il luy envoya un Ambassade extraordinaire. L'Imam

metano, le changement de leurs temples en mosqu?es, et qu'enfin il ?toit tout ?

(Bib. Orient., D'IIcrbelot, p. 53??.)

L?~~L?j fli ?JuX?> *Aj^ ?J^tXll

j^mJ y j ?yj aML ?duL? $}+*? *X#? cHa^oUj^)^ ^

ijJli ?to uSi ?ML^JUJt \jy j ?jf ?) ?^ y6y?j j? [>?y?

The distinct information afforded by the money of Mahm?d on

*_J Aj-^^ JtiVs..

respective provincial peculiarities. The same remarks also apply

from a radical change of the entire coiuago.

i If it were to cite foreign and earlier of an [analogous

interesting paper on this subject may be referred to in letter No. 5 of M. de

1 To obviato tho confusion incident to detached and to present at one

reign of Masa?d, interspersed with occasional digressions upon the occurrences of

Subcktcgin, Historia magna Ghaznavidarum pluribus voluminibus comprehensa,

otherwise have been somewhat dillicult to rectify. Minh?j al Sur?j

accurately informed Minh?j al Sur?j allows an interval of two months

of accurate by the author of the T?r?kh Masa?d?,

T?r?kh Masa?d?, Bibl. du Roi, Paris.

?fi\* +*?. v3^it> \\ tSxj I v*2**"

Mir?t al A'lem, No. 7G57, Rich Collection, British Museum.

a period still earlier, as Ferishtah asserts that M?d?d

XfJic 2)l^o1 l^JU??vs?.l?^r?^ is*3^3 *Jy* y^+* S^-^3

altogether support, in respect to the mention of the recital in the Khut

?XaX^ ? v^^ $}X"~o (?yl ?UlaLwdt yy*3

Masson's collection were on the locale of their issue

In the detailed enumeration of these cities, tho abseuco of tho name

of Kabul, looking to its magnitude and local importance, might be

tho Moslem power in an integral portion of the Ghaznav? dominions,

sistent, and even conflicting.

or J?llrl Gildemeister has, however,

(inc. 29 Aug., 976) opus suum gcographicum J?lcL J?LgJLi i_t\Xf

Chr.) iugressus erat

as the more to its

Balad?u) iu 721 A.n. = 1321 a.d.

1^x3^ 4Xs?l?uXi^k ?bi\j /^*a:?UL ?^KOy* J<X?4* 1^1 \$3

(Liber Cliraatum Auctore El Issthachri, J. II. Mouller, Gothic, p. 110.)

occupancy of the town and castle; but he seems, intentionally or otherwise, to

have made the into

l^.xi^ 4*?^ ?J?jk *x\\j i^jXX&xllj ?yoy* jiX?$3 1^1 J^lT $

Ibn Haukal. Bodleiau Library, No. 530, Hunt.

entirely lost sight of.

Judging from tho French translation

J^3 u>*u*?ji i^-ij vjUoU y** ?* jo^j y?y> y A ?b

^? ?aM?ji ?jb?wt^ ?i?n y&2 l?+\\ ^s ?y$\ p^j-? ^>*4"

?JVJC ?AJtX* ?jj ?Agit *^>} ? ^ Xaw^H jyXJ ?y

Before of the geographical

j^mJ y j ?yj aML ?duL? $}+? X#? cHa^oUj^)^ ^

?fi\* +?. v3^it> \\ tSxj I v2**"

XfJic 2)l^o1 l^JU??vs?.l?^r?^ is3^3 Jy* y^+* S^-^3

1^x3^ 4Xs?l?uXi^k ?bi\j /^a:?UL ?^KOy J<X?4* 1^1 \$3

l^.xi^ 4?^ ?J?jk x\\j i^jXX&xllj ?yoy* jiX?$3 1^1 J^lT $

J^3 u>u?ji i^-ij vjUoU y** ?* jo^j y?y> y A ?b

the work is entitled ?iu?? ^i J?LJII tylxT |>v^.j ?Ml tX.x

tion of <_KjtJs ?HI , . -? r3?> ?l8 a reference to