| Cairo |
| Diam. 22 mm |
Al-Zahir, 1032 A D |
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The Fatimids were Isma'ili Shiites who claimed descent from Fatima, the Prophet Mohammed's daughter and the wife of the fourth caliph 'Ali. From a territorial base in North Africa where they first rose to power in the early tenth century, they had by (969 AD) expanded eastward to take Egypt, and by the end of the reign of al-Zahir (1021-1036 AD) they controlled the holy cities of Mekka and Medina as well as much of Palestine and Syria. Assuming the title of caliph, they posed a direct political and religious threat to the Sunni 'Abbasid' caliphs in Baghdad and from their capital of Cairo sent missionaries throughout the world to convince Muslims of the rectitude of Isma'ili Islam.
Fatimid coins bear inscriptions proclaiming their special convictions. Arranged in three concentric circles-a distinctly Fatimid pattern-crisp Kufic contains the words:
"Ali is the Friend of Allah,"
a phrase indicating the special reverence that Shiites accorded to the Prophet's son-in-law. The caliph al-Zahir also refers to himself here as "Allah's slave and His Friend," words which imply that he has succeeded to Ali's particular position. |
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| Alexandria |
| Diam. 24 mm. |
Baybars, 1262-1263 AD |
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Supplanting the Ayyubids in (1250 AD) and destined to dominate Egypt until the Ottoman Conquest of 1517, the Mamluk sultans rose from the ranks of Turkish mercenaries imported as slaves to support the state. In a history of generally short-lived monarchs Sultan Baybars (reign, 1260-1277) enjoyed one of the longer reigns. He reorganized the state's administration, strengthened defenses against the threatening Mongols, and took the offensive against the Christian Crusaders. In virtually all his endeavors he was successful. The Mongol capture and destruction of Baghdad in (1258) had meant the effective end of the (Abbasid caliph), but in (1261) Baybars installed one of the few surviving 'Abbasids as caliph in Cairo. The move symbolically established the Mamluks as the leaders of Sunni Islam, though the caliph exercised no real power. Thus on the obverse of this coin is written the full name and titles of Baybars over an image of a lion: not only is a figural image included on the coin, but the name of the caliph is not even mentioned. Both obverse and reverse (which presents the profession of faith} are written in a cursive script, tall and stately, approximating the Thuluth of which the Mamluks were to make such impressive use. |
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