2019-06-25 Tue

Orhan Gazi was the second Bey (ruler) to rule the Ottoman Empire from 1324 to 1360 AD. He was born in Sogut, as the son of Osman Gazi (Founder of Ottoman Dynasty) and Malhun Hatun. His reign marked the beginning of an Ottoman expansion into the Balkans.

In the early stages of his reign, Orhan focused his energies on conquering most of northwestern Anatolia. The majority of these areas were under Byzantine rule and he won his first battle at Pelekanon against the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos.

According to Numismatic evidence, the first silver ottoman coins were struck during the reign of Orhan Gazi. It was called aqche, which has the implied meaning of ‘white’ western source also refer to it as asper or aspre, from the Greek aspron. Aqcha remained the basic Ottoman unit and money of account up to it was replaced by the Ottoman qurush.

The above shown silver Akce also belonged to his reign. The obverse of a coin depicted the legend ‘Orkhan Khaldallah Mulkahu’ while, the reverse of a coin represents the Kalima and name of Khalifa-e-Rashidoon around.

Image Source: Stephen Album Rare Coins