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Dirham - Nasir al-Din Artuq Arslan
| Issuer | Artuqids of Mardin |
|---|---|
| Year | 1200-1239 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic |
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| Reverse description | The reverse field is entirely occupied by a multi-line Arabic inscription arranged in four horizontal registers across the coin's surface, without any pictorial motif. The text records the names and titles of the Ayyubid suzerain al-Malik al-Adil Abu Bakr ibn Ayyub and the Abbasid caliph al-Nasir li-Din Allah, Commander of the Faithful, affirming the political and religious hierarchy of the era. A finely beaded or rope border encircles the legend. The script is executed in a bold, clear Naskhi style, though partially weakened by the irregular strike. This reverse format is typical of Artuqid dirhams struck in acknowledgment of Ayyubid overlordship. |
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| Additional information |
Artuq Arslan ruled Mardin for nearly five decades — an unusually long reign for a dynasty that spent much of its existence maneuvering between Ayyubid and Seljuq pressure. His copper dirhams were struck in substantial volume across that span, which is why so many survive, yet die-matching them to specific decades within his reign remains genuinely difficult without accompanying hoard documentation.
The Artuqids were among the last Anatolian dynasties to sustain a serious figural coinage tradition in copper, a practice the surrounding Islamic powers had largely abandoned.