Saffarids. Subkari. Rebel, AH 296-298 / AD 908-910. AR Dirham (26.8mm, 2.44 g, 4h). ‘Uman mint. Dated AH 298 (AD 910/11). Good Fine, dark surfaces and small flan split.

Islamic Auction 7 - Session One
Lot: 181. Estimated: $ 15 000

Arabia and Oman, Silver

Sold For $ 15 500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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Saffarids. Subkari. Rebel, AH 296-298 / AD 908-910. AR Dirham (26.8mm, 2.44 g, 4h). ‘Uman mint. Dated AH 298 (AD 910/11). Qatar 2167 . Good Fine, dark surfaces and small flan split. Excessively rare.

While the defeat and capture of ‘Amr b. al-Layth in AH 287 marked the beginning of the end of Saffarid power beyond their home province of Sistan, the dynasty did not collapse immediately. ‘Amr was succeeded by his grandson, Tahir b. Muhammad b. ‘Amr, who ruled for several years in tandem with his brother, Ya‘qub. But it seems that both Muhammad and Ya‘qub had far more enthusiasm for palace life and leisure than affairs of state, and it was the Turkish slave commander Subkari who now held real power in the Saffarid lands. In AH 288, Subkari led an expedition which reasserted Saffarid authority in Fars, which in turn led the local rulers in nearby Oman to acknowledge the Saffarids as overlords. Subkari remained in Fars as its governor, and while Saffarid coins from Fars and Oman continued to name Tahir b. Muhammad throughout his reign, Subkari ceased remitting any taxes from Fars to the Saffarid capital in Zaranj from AH 292 onwards.

In AH 296, Tahir and Ya‘qub were overthrown by a revolt led by another member of the Saffarid line, al-Layth b. ‘Ali. Fleeing to Subkari, they hoped for his support and protection, only to be seized and sent as captives to the caliph al-Muqtadir. Subkari now began to strike coins in his own name as he began his struggle with al-Layth b. ‘Ali, whom he defeated in AH 297. As this excessively rare coin confirms, Subkuri was now powerful enough to demand recognition in Oman as well as Fars for the years AH 297 and 298. But this was the last year in which he was to enjoy this honour. The Samanid Ahmad b. Isma‘il overthrew the Saffarids, capturing Zaranj in AH 299, and coins from Oman struck in this year name only a local ruler, Ahmad b. Halil.

Closing Date and Time: at 15:00:00 ET.