GHAZNAVID Mahmud dirham 386 AH (996 AD) Nishapur mint

Description

Under Mahmud the Ghaznavids raided in India for decades, bringing back booty to build the treasury. The state he built lasted for more than 150 years.

The Ghaznavid dynasty started out with a Turkish slave soldier of the Samanids, who was made governor of southeast Afghanistan. He broke away from his master and extended his territory into Pakistan. Ghaznavid governing methods were predatory and crude, and when they were defeated at the end the people were happy.

The term “Islamic coins” refers to coins made by Muslim governments from the time of the first caliphs to an end point in time that varies with the particular country being considered, but is generally some time from the 17th to 19th century. There is a geographic exclusion: India and points east are generally considered separately. The main reference used here is “Checklist of Islamic Coins,” by Stephen Album.