2018-05-24 Thu

The Princely State of Bhopal was founded by Dost Mohammad Khan in the year 1707 AD. He was a Pashtun soldier in the Mughal army under the service of Emperor Aurangzeb. After the death of Emperor Aurangzeb, he annexed several territories to his fiefdom. The state was ruled by the Muslim rulers until the last Nawab Hamidullah Khan acceded the State to India in the year 1949 AD.

Shah Jahan Begum was recognized as Nawab of Bhopal at the age of six. She succeeded her mother after her death in 1868. She improved the revenue system, increased state intake, increased salaries of soldiers, increased number of officers and improved police force.

Shah Jahan Begum issued only silver and copper coins in her own name. The obverse bears portions of the usual inscriptions ‘Nawab Shah Jahan Begum’. Anno Hijri calendar was followed to inscribe dates. Designs engraved included scimitar, wreath, trident, Persian legends, etc.

Depicted here is a silver Nazarana 1 ½ Rupee of Shah Jahan Begum. Both sides of the coin bear the Kalima ‘La Ilaha Illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah’. It was sold for INR 1,21,000 by the Classical Numismatic Gallery.

Image Source: Classical Numismatic Gallery