2019-02-11 Mon

Today, on this day in 1358 Ala-al Din Bahman Shah, founder of Bahamani Sultanate died. By the time his death the kingdom stretched from north to south from Wainganga River to Krishna and east to west from Bhongir to Daulatabad.

In 1347 he revolted against Mohammed bin Tughlaq of the Delhi Sultanate and established Bahamani Sultanate. It was one of the great medieval kingdoms which were formed on the Deccan region of South India.

Bahman Shah led his first campaign against Warangal in 1350. His kingdom was divided into four provinces and he appointed a governor for each province.

During the region, he issued gold, silver, and copper coins from Hazrat Ahsanabad mint and Hazrat Fathabad mints. These coins were issued in various denominations such as Tanka and Falus.

Depicted here is an extremely rare gold Tanka issued during his reign from Hadrat Fathabad mint. The obverse a coin showed the Arabic legend ‘al-Sultan al-'Azam 'Ala al-Dunyawa al-Din Abu al-Muzaffar Bahman Shah al-Sultan’. The reverse of a coin also inscribed with Arabic inscription ‘Sikandar al-Thani Yameen al-Khilafat Nasir Amir al-Mumineen’; date and mint details around.

Image Source: Classical Numismatic Gallery