Billon Jital of Jalaluddin Khilji

 

Obverse

Inscription	Al Sultan Al Azam Jalal Al Duniya wa Al Din	अल सुल्तान अल आज़म जलाल अल दुनिया व अल दीन	السلطان الاعظم جلال الدنیا والدین
Translation	The Sultan, the Magnificent Glory of the World and of Faith	महान सुल्तान दुनिया और धर्म की शान	عظیم سلطان دنیا اور دین کا جلال

Reverse

Inscription	Firoz Shah (centre)     Shri Sultan Jalaluldin (in margins in Nagari)	फ़ीरोज़ शाह (बीच में)   श्री॰ सुलततां जलालूदीन (चारों ओर, नागरी में)	فروزشاہ (بیچ میں)       شری سلطاں جلاالدین (چاروں اور، ناگری میں)
Translation	Firoz Shah (centre)     Shri Sultan Jalaluldin (in margins in Nagari)	फ़ीरोज़ शाह (बीच में)   श्री॰ सुलतान जलालूदीन (चारों ओर, नागरी में)	فروزشاہ (بیچ میں)       شری سلطان جلاالدین (چاروں اور، ناگری میں)

 

About

Jalaluddin Khilji, also known as Firoz Shah (reigned: 1290-1296) was a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate and the founder of the Khilji Dynasty. The Khaljis, sometimes known as Khiljis, were Turks who had resided in the Afghan province of Khalj. They had gone to Hindustan after acquiring Afghan manners.[i]

Jalaluddin had been the Mamluk Dynasty's army's supreme commander under the rule of Sultan Kaiqabad. Afterwards, he used Sultan Kaiqabad to his advantage, had him slain, and then assumed control of the Delhi Sultanate. When he assumed the Sultan, Firoz was an elderly man of seventy who was pious and kind.

Jalaluddin kept the old Turkish nobility in the positions they held under Balban's rule and refrained from making any significant changes to the administrative structure. He did not rule for very long however as he was ultimately murdered by his nephew Ali Gurshasp, more popularly known as Alauddin Khilji.

The coin

The Billon Jitals of the Khiljis are known for their bilingual inscriptions. The obverse displays the regular Sultan’s titles. The reverse contains his name in the centre in Arabic, along with his name in Nagari. [ii]

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[i] Goenka, S. G. (2022). The Coins of the Indian Sultanates: Covering the Areas of Present Day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. New Delhi: Manoharlal Publishers & Distributors

[ii] Brown, C. J. (1980). The Heritage of India Series: The Coins of India. University of Toronto Library.