Ayyubid Bronze (AE) Coin Beautiful Dirham Without Mint Name Known to be Mayyafariqin Mint Al-Ashraf Musa 612 AH / 1215 AD F+
Description: Nice and heavy Bronze AE dirham from Al-Ashraf Musa, Ayyubid ruler from the Mayyafariqin & Sinjar branch. Al-Ashraf Musa ruled in the period 607-617 AH (1210 - 1220 AD). His full name being, Al-Ashraf Muzaffar al-Din Abu al-Fath Musa ibn Al-Adil I. The coin shows a turbaned prince seated with the right leg drawn up and holding an orb in right hand with his left hand on his hip on the obverse. The obverse shows the words al Malik al-Ashraf and the rest is not legible and shows the date as 621 AH. The reverse shows a triangular shield with convex side and what looks like ears composed of a plain line in a dotted line with writing around it and within it. The legend around the shield should read "Al malik al-Adil Saiff al-Din Abu Bakr ibn Ayyub" I can see "Saiff al-Din " and the rest is worn out. The coin has extensive wear but the date is still discernible. The coin does not show the mint but is known to have been minted in Mayyafaiqin in modern day Turkey. Both the design and the date are indication of al-Ashraf's era. Please carefully review the scan presented as it is part and parcel of our description.
Date: The coin was minted in 612 AH or 1215 AD. Mint: Mayyafariqin in current day Turkey. Size and weight: This is a dirham, weighs ~11.0 grams and is ~29.5 mm in diameter.
References: It is Album #859.1 and is listed in Balog as 849.
Condition: I would grade this coin as a good fine or better. It has a very well defined figure on the obverse and the date is readable. Most of the legend on the obverse is worn out but the name al-Ashraf can be discerned. The legends on the reverse are worn out but can be deduced. The coin has pitting, losses, and staining, which can be seen in the scan. Please note the coin itself is better than the scan shows with very well defined figure and partially legible calligraphy. A definite quality coin. Please see scan for additional condition information.
Historic Prespective: The Ayyubids were one of the great Islamic dynasties. The dynasty was founded by al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf I (Saladin) in AH 564/1169 AD and ruled in Egypt and Syria until falling to the Mamluks in the mid 7th century AH. The Ayyubids are of Kurdish origins. Saladin and his brother Shirquah were recruited among others by the Zangid Nur Al-Din. Shirquah gained control over Egypt from the fatimids, and died almost immediately, leaving his nephew Salah El-Din Ibn Ayyub as his successor and soon was recognized by his troops. Saladin (probably the most respected figure of the middle ages by both friends and foes) was the real founder of the Dynasty. With his victory at Hittin in 583 AH/ 1187 AD, the holy city of Jerusalem was liberated from the crusaders and great event in Muslim history. He extinguished the last Fatimids of Egypt and replaced the Isma’ili Shiism by a strongly Orthodox Sunni religious and educational policy.
Al-Adil Abu Bakr I was the younger brother of Salah al-Din (Saladin). He ruled after the direct descendants of Saladin completed their rule and died. He was succeeded by his son al-Kamil Mohammad. He was governor of parts of Syria and Turkey for a period of 6 years then became the Sultan of Egypt and Syria and ruled for 19 years.
