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Research Coins: Electronic Auction

 

Founder of the Ummayad Caliphate

409, Lot: 776. Estimate $300.
Sold for $525. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ISLAMIC, Umayyad Caliphate. Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan. AH 41-60 / AD 661-680. AR Drachm (30mm, 4.12 g, 3h). Arab-Sasanian type. Fasa mint in Darabjird (Fars). Struck AH 54-55 / AD 674-675. Crowned bust right imitating Sasanian king Khosrau II; Pahlavi GDH 'pzwt (may his splendor increase) to left, Pahlavi MYYAWYA AMYR/WYRWYShNYKAN (Mu'awiya, commander of the faithful) to right; all within double ring; pellet-above-star-in-crescents flanking and below (the latter flanked by two groups of three pellets); Pahlavi bism Allah (in the name of God) to lower right / Fire altar with attendants; crescent and star flanking flames, Pahlavi sychl (43 [date]) to left, Pahlavi DAP (mint abbreviation) to right; all within triple ring; star-in-crescents flanking, above, and below; Pahlavi MY monogram to upper left. SICA 1, 269 var. (position of monogram on reverse); Walker, Arab-Sasanian 35 var. (same); Album 14; ICV 4. EF. Rare.


From the BRN Collection.

Mu'awiya was the fifth Islamic caliph, and the founder (and first caliph) of the Umayyad dynasty. He was born circa AD 600 into the powerful Banu Abd-Shams clan of the Quraysh tribe, which controlled Mecca and opposed Muhammad until the latter captured the city in AD 630. It is debated today whether Mu'awiya converted to Islam before or after this event. Nevertheless, Mu'awiya joined Muhammad thereafter, and served as one of Muhammad's scribes. In AD 640, he was made the governor of Syria by the second caliph, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, and built a considerable base of support throughout the region. This base of support was both political and military, the latter being of such strength that his forces repulsed a major Byzantine campaign in AD 647. Bolstered by this success, Mu'awiya went on the offensive, capturing Cyprus in AD 649 and Rhodes in AD 654. He also defeated the Byzantine navy off Lycia in AD 655. This warfare ceased upon the assassination of the third caliph, 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, who was Mu'awiya's uncle. 'Uthman had appointed many of his kin as governors and to other official posts, angering a number of other groups, mostly the followers of Ali ibn Abu Talib, the Shi'ites, who viewed his actions as nepotism. Eventually a group of soldiers from Egypt attempted to force 'Uthman to replace his governor there, but killed him when he refused. The Muslims who were disaffected by 'Uthman promoted Ali as the next caliph, but Mu'awiya refused to acknowledge Ali, whom he viewed as an accomplice to his uncle's murder. These events led to a civil war within the caliphate, primarily between Ali (and his followers, the Shi'ites) and Mu'awiya (and his followers, the Sunnis), but also involving several small groups who had differing views on the succession and other legal issues. One of these, the Kharijites, initially supported Ali, but turned against him when he agreed to settle the succession question by an arbitration of scholars rather than the traditional force-of-arms. The Kharijites plotted to assassinate both leaders, but only succeeded in killing Ali. Ali's son, Hasan, initially continued to oppose Mu'awiya, but the latter's forces grew stronger while Hasan's weakened. Hasan soon came to terms with Mu'awiya, who assumed the caliphate with little opposition in AD 666. Mu'awiya quickly consolidated his power, moving the capital of the caliphate from Medina to his captial in Damascus, and establishing a centralized bureaucracy. His government and military eventually rivaled that of the Byzantines, and his territory stretched from Egypt to Iran. Mu'awiya died on 6 May AD 680, and was succeeded by his son, Yazid. While his immediate legacy was the establishment of a strong dynastic caliphate, this is overshadowed by his opposition to the caliphate of Ali, an action that was the precipitating event of the Sunni-Shi'ite split that remains to the present day.