2018-09-06 Thu

The Mughal Empire ruled the Indian Subcontinent during the medieval period. The golden period of Mughal Empire begins with the victory of Babar over Ibrahim Lodi in First Battle of Panipat in the year 1526 and it started declining with the death of Aurangzeb in the year 1707.

Shihabuddin Muhammad Shah Jahan Badshah Gazi was the fifth Mughal Emperor who ruled the dynasty from 1628 to 1658 AD. The reign of Shah Jahan is considered by the historian as the most glorious period of the Mughal rule in India.

Today on 6th September 1657, Shah Jahan suddenly fell ill which set off a war of succession among his four sons- Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb and Murad Baksh. In which his third son Aurangazeb, emerged victorious.

The coin which is depicted here is attributed to the Shah Shuja, who was the first to claim the throne and marched at the head of army toward Delhi when Shah Jahan fell ill. Shuja crowned himself emperor and took imperial titles, the Khutba was read and coins were struck at Patna and Akbarnagar. The obverse of the coin bears the Kalima within a square border- ‘La Ilaha Illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah’ and names of khalifa-e-Rashidoon in margin. The reverse of the coin carries the name and title of the ruler ‘Shah Shuja'a Muhammadi Badshah Ghazi; other titles in top margin (Nasir al-Din Muhammad), margin (Sahib Qiran Thani) and left margin (Abu al-Muzaffar, partially visible just after mint-name).’

Image Source: Classical Numismatic Gallery