Leu Numismatik AG
Web Auction 17 14-16 Aug 2021
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ISLAMIC, Seljuks. Rum. Ghiyath al-Din Kay Khusraw II, first reign, AH 634-644 / AD 1237-1246. Dirham (Silver, 20 mm, 2.71 g, 3 h), Qunya, AH 641 = AD 1243/4. Lion advancing right; personification of sun above; below lion, two stars. Rev. Legend bearing the name and title of Kay Khusraw II; in outer margin, mint and AH date. Broome 246. Izmirlier 412 var. (without legend to left and right of sunface). Retoned. About extremely fine.
The sun face and lion on this coin type, which are sometimes shown together with other celestial bodies, probably represent the constellation of Leo. A different - but not necessarily contradicting - theory interprets the sun face as standing for the famous Georgian princess Tamar, the beloved wife of Kay Khusraw II, while the lion symbolizes the Sultan. This interpretation is based on Bar Hebraeus (1226-1286), a bishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church, who noted that Kay Khusraw was so much in love with Tamar that he expressed the wish to place an image of her on his dirhams.
The sun face and lion on this coin type, which are sometimes shown together with other celestial bodies, probably represent the constellation of Leo. A different - but not necessarily contradicting - theory interprets the sun face as standing for the famous Georgian princess Tamar, the beloved wife of Kay Khusraw II, while the lion symbolizes the Sultan. This interpretation is based on Bar Hebraeus (1226-1286), a bishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church, who noted that Kay Khusraw was so much in love with Tamar that he expressed the wish to place an image of her on his dirhams.