Very Rare Tanka of Islamic Sultanates

CNG 105, Lot: 1117. Estimate $10000. Sold for $11000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

INDIA, Islamic Sultanates. Bengal. Ghiyath al-Din 'Iwad. Governor, AH 614-616 / AD 1217-1220. AV Tanka (21mm, 4.55 g, 12h). Struck in the name of Shams al-Din Iltutmish, Sultan of Dehli. Dated AH 614 or 616 (AD 1217/8 or 1219/20). Man left on horseback, holding mace; Shahada and [AH date] in outer margin / al-sultan al-mu’azzamshams al-dunya wa’l dinabu’l muzaffar iltutmish al-qutbi nasir amir al-mu’minin in five lines across field. Cf. CIS B11 and B22 (for type); cf. Rajgor Type 846 and 849. Good VF, some weakness. Very rare.

A member of the Mamluk, or Ghulam, Dynasty of Delhi, Shams-ud-din Iltutmish is considered to be the founder of the Delhi Sultanate in 1211, because he consolidated that state's position in India. Receiving the Caliph's investiture in his position, Iltimush expanded his power by bringing several neighboring territories, among them Bengal, under the authority of Delhi. Following the murder of the ever-mad ‘Ali-yi Mardan in AH 609 (AD 1212/13), he was succeeded by Husam al-Din 'Iwad. Styling himself as Sultan Ghiyath al-Din 'Iwad, he soon lost the important territory of Bihar to Iltutmish, but prevented further invasion by offering tribute and recognition of Delhi overlordship. Soon, afterward, however, 'Iwad reneged on his agreement with Iltutmish, who sent his son, Nasir al-Din Mahmud, to invade Bengal. Following 'Iwad's defeat and execution in 1227, Nasir al-Din Mahmud was appointed as his father’s viceroy in Bengal.