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Electronic Auction 409 8 Nov 2017
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ISLAMIC, Mongols. Jujids (Golden Horde). Toqtamish. AH 778-797 / AD 1377-1395. AR Dirham (15mm, 1.13 g, 12h). Qrim mint. Dated AH 796 (AD 1394/5). Within polylobe, Naskh legend: [al-sultan al-'adil] | Toqta khan | khallada mulkahu ([The Just Sultan] | Toqta Khan | May his kingdom flourish) / Within polylobe, Naskh legend: dariba | sanat Qrim | 796 (Struck at | Qrim \ year | 796). Cf. Fedorov-Davydov 257; Jena 932 var. (date); Album 2048A; ICV 2048. VF, toned, usual crude strike. Clear mint and date.
From the BRN Collection. Ex Album FPL 234 (May 2008), no. 35504.
Toqtamish was a direct descenant of Chingiz Khan, and one of the greatest khans of the Golden Horde. At the time of his rise to power, the Horde had been split into two separate khanates, the Blue Horde and the White Horde, of which he was a member. In 1376, he attempted to overthrow the ruler of the White Horde, his uncle Urus Khan, but failed, and was fored to flee to Timur (Tamerlane), who offered him protection. In response, Urus attacked Timur, but was defeated, and died shortly thereafter. Timur granted some of the White Horde lands to Toqtamish, who then struggled against both of Urus Khan's sons, finally defeating them in 1378. Having finally secured his rule over the White Horde, Toqtamish turned his attention to the Blue Horde. Over the next two years, Toqtamish struggled against Mamai, the military commander of the Blue Horde, whose support was critical for whoever was the nominal khan at the time. Toqtamish decisively defeated Mamai in 1380, and finally reunited the Golden Horde. He thereafter turned his attention to the Muscovite lands to the west, bringing them back under Mongol rule after campaigning in 1382. Toqtamish consolidated his power over the following years, but in 1385, he began campaings of expansion, which brought him into direct contention with is former ally, Timur. The two descendants of Chingiz fought continuously over the following ten years, until Timur defeated Toqtamish at the Battloe of the Terek River in 1395. In the aftermath, Timur set up his own puppet khan in Russia, while Toqtamish attempted to reconstitute an army in the West. Eventually, he received support from Grand Duke Vytatas of Lithuania, but their combined forces were defeated by Timur's generals at the Battle of the Vorskla River in 1399. Toqtamish's final years were spent trying to rebuild his forces, but he was killed by partisans of Timur in 1406.
From the BRN Collection. Ex Album FPL 234 (May 2008), no. 35504.
Toqtamish was a direct descenant of Chingiz Khan, and one of the greatest khans of the Golden Horde. At the time of his rise to power, the Horde had been split into two separate khanates, the Blue Horde and the White Horde, of which he was a member. In 1376, he attempted to overthrow the ruler of the White Horde, his uncle Urus Khan, but failed, and was fored to flee to Timur (Tamerlane), who offered him protection. In response, Urus attacked Timur, but was defeated, and died shortly thereafter. Timur granted some of the White Horde lands to Toqtamish, who then struggled against both of Urus Khan's sons, finally defeating them in 1378. Having finally secured his rule over the White Horde, Toqtamish turned his attention to the Blue Horde. Over the next two years, Toqtamish struggled against Mamai, the military commander of the Blue Horde, whose support was critical for whoever was the nominal khan at the time. Toqtamish decisively defeated Mamai in 1380, and finally reunited the Golden Horde. He thereafter turned his attention to the Muscovite lands to the west, bringing them back under Mongol rule after campaigning in 1382. Toqtamish consolidated his power over the following years, but in 1385, he began campaings of expansion, which brought him into direct contention with is former ally, Timur. The two descendants of Chingiz fought continuously over the following ten years, until Timur defeated Toqtamish at the Battloe of the Terek River in 1395. In the aftermath, Timur set up his own puppet khan in Russia, while Toqtamish attempted to reconstitute an army in the West. Eventually, he received support from Grand Duke Vytatas of Lithuania, but their combined forces were defeated by Timur's generals at the Battle of the Vorskla River in 1399. Toqtamish's final years were spent trying to rebuild his forces, but he was killed by partisans of Timur in 1406.