Watch List notes:

ABBASID, TEMP. AL-MUQTADIR (295-320h), A polished and finely-engraved oval brass or bronze seal bezel, probably from a signet ring. LEGENDS: the two line-inscription reading Mu'nis Wali | Amir al-mu'minin. DIMENSIONS: 18.6 x 14.6mm. WEIGHT: 2.35g. CONDITION: Extremely fine and extremely rare, of considerable historical interest and importance. The title of wali amir al-mu'minin allows the identification of the person named as Abu'l-Hasan Mu'nis al-Khadim, commander-in-chief of the Army under al-Muqtadir, who later defeated the caliph in battle in 320h only to be killed the following year by his successor, al-Qahir. Born circa 230h, Mu'nis was a eunuch who served under the future caliph al-Mu'tadid during his wars with the Zanj. By the late 280s he had risen to become al-Mu'tad'id's chief of police, but fell out of favour under his successor, al-Muktafi (289-295h), when he may have been banished to Makka. He swiftly returned under his successor, al-Muqtadir (295-320h), and Mu'nis's role in quashing an attempted coup against the new caliph gave him considerable prestige at court. Thereafter his career blossomed, and he was soon appointed commander of the regular Abbasid army. In 297-8h Mu'nis recaptured the province of Fars from the Saffarids, leading to the fall of the First Saffarid Dynasty in 298h. Campaigns in Egypt against the Fatimids followed in 301-302h, and Mu'nis received the honorary title of al-Muzaffar ('the victorious') for expelling them. During the remainder of al-Muqtadir's rule, Mu'nis regularly led the army against the Byzantines, as well as fighting the Sajids in Adharbayjan, returning to Egypt to defeat the Fatimids once more, and attempting to counter the threat posed by the Qarmatids to the south. Towards the end of al-Muqtadir's caliphate, the relationship between the two had deteriorated to the extent that the latter launched a coup, becoming the de facto ruler of the Abbasid state for the last three or four years of al-Muqtadir's reign. In 319h the caliph managed to rally enough supporters to force Mu'nis to leaveBaghdad, but the old general mustered his troops, marched on Baghdad and defeated al-Muqtadir who fell before the city walls. Mu'nis swiftly installed al-Qahir, al-Muqtadir's half-brother, as caliph in his stead, but relations between these two also swiftly broke down and in 321h al-Qahir had Mu'nis and his chief adherents executed in the palace. (6000 - 8000 GBP)