2018-03-23 Fri

This is an extremely rare Billon Jital of Nasir Al Daula Ibrahim. It depicts a couchant bull with a trident on the rump on its obverse while the reverse has a Persian legend in Kufic style "adil/as-sultan/al-mu'azzam/abu'l-muzaffar/Ibrahim”.

Ibrahim of Ghazna was Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire from 1059 to 1099 AD. Ibrahim re-established a truncated empire on a firmer basis by arriving at a peace agreement with the Seljuks and a restoration of cultural and political linkages. Having been imprisoned at the fortress of Barghund, he was one of the Ghaznavid princes that escaped the usurper Toghrul's massacre in 1052. Following the death of his brother Farrukhzad, Ibrahim was recognized as the last surviving male Ghaznavid. A military escort was sent to fetch him from fortress Nay and he entered Ghazna on 06 April 1059.

Ibrahim's reign was considered a golden age for the Ghaznavid Empire, due to the treaties and cultural exchanges with the Great Seljuq Empire. He raided across Northern India, where he faced stiff resistance from Indian rulers such as the Paramara of Malwa and the Gahadvala of Kannauj. Ibrahim died on 25th of August 1099 ending a reign of 41 years. His tomb lies in the northeastern part of medieval Ghazna near Shaikh Radi d-Din 'Ali Lala's tomb.

Image Courtesy: Classical Numismatic Gallery