2019-04-20 Sat

The Ilyas Shahi dynasty was the first independent Turkic Muslim ruling dynasty in late medieval Bengal. It was founded in 1342 by Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah.

He waged military campaigns across the eastern Indian subcontinent and defeated the rulers of Delhi, Sonargaon, Satgaon, Nepal, Orissa, and Assam. His campaigns were considered "world-conquering" in the context of medieval India.

During the reign, he issued gold and silver coins in the denomination of Tanka. These coins were struck at mints such as Al Balad Firuzabad, Hadrat Jalal Sunargaon, Satgaon, and Shahr-i-Nau.

Depicted here is a gold Dinar issued during his reign. The obverse of a coin depicted the Arabic legend ‘al-Sultan al-'Adil Shams al-Dunya wa al-Din Abu al-Muzaffar Ilyas Shah al –Sultan’. The reverse of a coin also bore the Arabic legend in a circle ‘Sikandar al-Thani Yameen al-Khilafah Amir al-Mumineen’ mint and date in margin.

Image Source: Classical Numismatic Gallery