Dirham - al-Ashraf Mûsá I Mayafariqin

Al-Ashraf Mûsá ruled the Ayyubid branch controlling Mayafariqin — modern Silvan in southeastern Turkey — as a subordinate prince within a family confederation that spent much of its energy negotiating, and occasionally fighting, over the disposition of territories following Saladin's death in 1193. These copper dirhams belong to a period when Ayyubid princes in the Jazira were minting heavily in base metal to meet local demand, with silver largely absorbed by dynastic tribute obligations and military expenditure. The five catalogue references under Balog suggest meaningful die variation across this short four-year emission.