CRUSADERS OF THE LEVANT
The first of these coins is a replica of the Aleppo issue of
al-Zahir Ghazi with suzerain al-'Adil and caliph al-Nasir.
Its date, 62x AH, marks it as a crusader copy, since the two
Ayyubids mentioned on it had died in 613 and 615. It was probably
struck in Acre. It contains the standard kalima: "There is no
god but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah" and it has
an Islamic date (perhaps a fake one). In 1250, Bishop Eudes de
Chateauroux found that the Crusaders were using these inscriptions
on their money and ordered this practice to stop.
The second coin was struck immediately after this prohibition
and is inscribed: "The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
One God" and "One single God, one single Faith, one single Baptism".
It has an AD date (but written in Arabic), 1251, and it displays
a cross in the center of one side and two tiny crosses on the
other. This type was struck only briefly. In 1253 a "compromise"
inscription was created, and is shown on the third coin. It reads
"In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful". The Christians
were not the only ones willing to ignore dogma in the interest of
commerce. One Zangid coin bears a haloed portrait of
Christ.
Imitation of Ayyubid coin
of Al-Zahir Ghazi, "Aleppo"
Struck in Acre, dated 62x AH
Dirham, silver, 20 mm.
> > > >
Acre mint, dated 1251 AD
Dirham, silver, 20 mm.
With Christian inscriptions
and a cross in the center
> > > >
Imitation of Ayyubid coin
of al-Salih Isma'il
Dated 641 AH, struck in 1253 AD
Dirham, silver, 16 mm.
> > > >
|
BACK to the Period summary |
|
HOME to the Entry page |
|
MAIL to the Author |