Silver Half Tanka of Ghiyas Shah– Malwa Sultanate
Obverse
|
Inscription |
al wathiq bilmulk al multaji abul fath ghiyath shah |
अल-वसिक़ बिलमुल्क अल
मूलतजी आबु’ल फ़तह ग़यास शाह |
الواثق بالملک الملتجی ابوالفتح غیاث شاہ |
|
Translation |
The truster in the kingdom, and seeking
refuge in the Father of victory,
Ghiyas Shah |
राज्य में भरोसा रखने वाला, विजय के पिता में शरण मांगने वाला, ग़यास
शाह |
ملک میں اعتماد رکھنے والا ابوالفتح غیاث شاہ |
Reverse
|
Inscription |
bin mahmud shah al sultan al khilji 878 khuld mulkahu |
बिन महमूद शाह अल
सुल्तान अल ख़िलजी 878 ख़ुलद मूलकहु |
بن محمود شاہ السلطان الخلجی خلد ملکہ 878 |
|
Translation |
Son of Mahmud Shah Khilji
the Sultan, May [God] preserve the country 878 |
महमूद शाह ख़िलजी के पुत्र, सुल्तान, [भगवान] इस राज्य को कायम रखे 878
|
بن محمود شاہ الخلجی سلطان اس سلطنت کو قائم [خدا]
878 رکھے |
Malwa
The region of Malwa, which Alauddin Khilji annexed to the
Delhi Sultanate in 1305, became an independent state in 1401, governed by
Dilawar Khan Ghori. The coinage was started by Hoshang Shah (1405–132), his
son. The province reached its broadest borders under the usurping minister
Mahmud I, Khilji, following endless battles with Gujarat (1436-68). However,
following a civil war in 1510, a gradual fall began. In 1530, Gujarat's Bahadur
Shah took control of Mandu, the capital, and the nation became a province of
his realm for four years. Humayun then succeeded in capturing it.
Then, Qadir Shah, a governor from Gujarat, controlled it
from 1536 to 1542. From 1554 until 1560, it was finally ruled by Baz Bahadur, a
son of Sher Shah's nominee, Shuja’at Khan, when Akbar captured it and turned it
into a Mughal province.[i]
A number of embellishments start to emerge on the coinage
with Ghiyas Shah's reign; their function is unknown, but they appear to be
linked to the dates of issue. The Malwa sovereigns inscribe their names with
ornate honorific titles, just like the Bahmanis do.
The one of Mahmud I, who refers to himself as "The
powerful sovereign, the victorious, the exalted in the Faith and in the world,
the second Alexander, the right hand of the Khalifate, the defender of the
leader of the faithful," is arguably the most stunning.
Ghiyas Shah
Ghiyas-ud-Din Shah or Ghiyasuddin or Ghiyas Shah (reigned:
1469-1500) was a Sultan of the Malwa Sultanate. He was the eldest son of Mahmud
Shah Khilji I, who started the Khilji dynasty’s rule over Malwa. Ghiyas Shah
had served his father as a military leader. He established his policies to
safeguard the enormous lands that he inherited from his father. He aided Rana
Udai Singh to secure his boundary on the Mewar side. He made an attempt to
bring Malwa prosperity and harmony.[ii]
The coin
His coins were first made in a circular flan at the start of
his reign, but later coins were struck in square flans such as the example
featured here. On each side, the legend is divided into two parts by the extension of the Arabic letter ‘ye’.
This style is also seen on other coins of the Malwa Sultanate. The coin
features Ghiyas Shah’s lofty title on one side alongside a peculiar “star-like”
symbol.
The reverse presents the name of his father, Mahmud Shah I,
alongside the prayer “Khuld [Allah] Mulkahu which is quite common on Islamic
coins. The date is off to the bottom-left side.
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