| The Sultanate of Rum | ||||
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A culturally Turco-Persian Sunni Muslim state, established over conquered Byzantine territories and peoples of Anatolia by the Seljuk Turks following their entry into Anatolia after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. The name Rum was a synonym for the medieval Eastern Roman Empire and its peoples, as it remains in modern Turkish. The Sultanate of Rum seceded from the Seljuk Empire under Suleiman ibn Qutalmish in 1077. It had its capital first at Nicaea and then at Iconium. It reached the height of its power during the late 12th and early 13th century, when it succeeded in taking key Byzantine ports on the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts. In the east, the sultanate reached Lake Van. Trade through Anatolia from Iran and Central Asia was developed by a system of caravanserai. Especially strong trade ties with the Genoese formed during this period. The increased wealth allowed the sultanate to absorb other Turkish states that had been established following the conquest of Byzantine Anatolia: Danishmendids, House of Mengüjek, Saltukids, Artuqids. The Seljuk sultans bore the brunt of the Crusades and eventually succumbed to the Mongol invasion at the 1243 Battle of Köse Dağ. For the remainder of the 13th century, the Seljuks acted as vassals of the Ilkhanate. Their power disintegrated during the second half of the 13th century. The last of the Seljuk vassal sultans of the Ilkhanate, Mesud II, was murdered in 1308. The dissolution of the Seljuk state left behind many small Anatolian beyliks (Turkish principalities), among them that of the Ottoman dynasty, which eventually conquered the rest and reunited Anatolia to become the Ottoman Empire. (Wikipedia). Coins illustrated on this website are all from my own collection. Coins from before the 1243 AD Battle of Köse Dağ. - Coins from after the Battle of Köse Dağ.
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Useful references for the coins of Rum...
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| Symbols The coins of the Seljuqs of Rûm stand out among the Islamic currencies of the seventh century by virtue of the range of decorative symbols added to the legends. In spite of their wide variety they can be seen to stem from a few simple devices which became extended and elaborated as the power of the dynasty grew. It is clear that these additions were not merely space fillers, as in many cases one forms the central feature on a die. Often it seems that the legend was arranged to fit around the symbol rather than the opposite. It is therefore apparent that the choice of symbol was a matter of some importance to the designers of the dies; a change of symbol often coincided with a rearrangement of the legend. (Broome) | ||||
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Miscellaneous Notes on the Arabic Coin Legends The term "lâm alif" (لام ألف) refers to a combination of two Arabic letters: "ل" (lâm) and "أ" (alif). When written together as "لا," it forms a ligature, which is a single symbol created by joining these two letters. This specific combination is often used to represent the Arabic word for "no" (لا), a negation particle in the language. It is a common feature of Arabic script and calligraphy, where such ligatures are designed for both aesthetic and practical purposes, making text flow more seamlessly. For example, coins might feature phrases like "لا إله إلا الله" ("There is no god but Allah"). دُرِبَ (duriba) is a verb in the passive voice, meaning "was struck" or "was beaten" depending on the context. |
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