2019-05-30 Thu

Ghiyath Al-Din Azam Shah was one of the prominent rulers of Bengal Sultanate. He was the third ruler of Bengal Sultanate from Ilyas Shahi Dynasty. Ghiyath Al-Din Azam Shah sat on the throne of Bengal after killing his father Sikandar Shah at Battle of Goalpara in the year 1390 CE. After sitting on the throne of Bengal Sultanate he tried to maintain diplomatic relation with the Ming Empire of China. He also tried to maintain good relation with the sultan of Jaunpur in North India.

Ghiyath Al-Din Azam Shah, after sitting on the throne of Bengal Sultanate issued coins in gold and silver. In gold, he issued denominations like Tanka and One-Sixth Tanka and in silver, he issued denominations like Three Tankas, Tanka, Half-Tanka, Quarter-Tanka, One-Eighth Tanka, One-Sixteen Tanka.

This Silver Tanka which weighs around 10.5g was issued by Ghiyath Al-Din Azam from the mint Hadrat Firuzabad. The obverse of this coin is inscribed as ‘Al-Sultan Al-Azam Al-Muayyad Bi-Tayid Al-Mulk Al-Rahman’. The reverse of this coin in inscribed as ‘Nasir Amir Al-Mu Minin Ghawth Al-Islam Wa 'L Muslimin Khallada Allah Mulkahu’.

Image Courtesy: Todywalla Auction