Watch List notes:

ABBASID, AL-MUNTASIR (248h) Dinar, Madinat al-Salam 247h Reverse field: Muhammad | rasul | Allah | al-Muntasir billah Weight: 4.27g Reference: Bernardi type 159 [unrecorded for this mint]. Minor staining on obverse and light scratches in field, otherwise good very fine and of the highest rarity. The eldest of three sons of the caliph Mutawakkil (232-247h), al-Muntasir was named as an heir to the caliphate along with two of his brothers, al-Mu'tazz and al-Mu'ayyad. As the eldest of the three he was initially designated heir apparent, but al-Mutawakkil's favour soon shifted towards al-Mu'tazz instead. During the latter years of al-Mutawakkil's reign the rivalry between al-Muntasir and al-Mu'tazz became a proxy for the struggle between two competing court factions. Al-Mu'tazz was supported by the traditional Abbasid aristocracy, including the Tahirids, while al-Muntasir was backed by the Turkish troops and commanders of the Palace guard. Matters came to a head in 247h when al-Mutawakkil's treatment of al-Mustansir became increasingly disrespectful and threatening, until the latter decided to strike first. A band of Turkish guards murdered al-Mutawakkil in the audience hall of the palace, and al-Muntasir was named caliph, backed by Turkish swords. This event marks the beginning of the nine-year period known as the 'Anarchy at Samarra,' which nearly brought about the collapse of the Abbasid caliphate. Once established as caliph, al-Mustansir had his brothers al-Mu'tazz and al-Mu'ayyad swear oaths of loyalty to him. His Turkish commanders, fearing for their own position should al-Mu'tazz ever become caliph in future, repeatedly urged al-Muntasir to go beyond this step and compel both to write formal letters of abdication. Eventually, al-Muntasir acquiesced, although al-Tabari reports that he feared his brothers might be killed by the Turks were he to refuse, and al-Mu'tazz and al-Mu'ayyad publicly renounced their claims to the caliphate in 248h. Al-Muntasir's reign was brief. Shortly before arranging for the abdication of his younger brothers, he arranged for an expedition to be mounted against the Byzantines, and a force of some 10,000 men headed by Wasif al-Turki spent four years campaigning on the frontiers. Early in 248h, however, he became ill and died after a reign of less than six months, aged twenty-five. While his death may have been the result of natural causes, some accounts inevitably suspected foul play and one story relates that a physician murdered him with a poisoned lancet. Because of the brevity of his reign al-Muntasir's gold coinage is the rarest of any Abbasid caliph. This is highlighted by their absence from the Kazan collection of Islamic gold coins, where the cataloguer noted, 'The dinars of al-Mustansir are extraordinarily rare, therefore a silver dirham has been included to represent this caliph.' Of the few dinars bearing his name to survive today, virtually all were struck at Samarra. The example offered here from Baghdad is of the highest rarity, and appears to be unpublished.

(20000-30000 GBP)