Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Islamic Auction 1 25 May 2022
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'Abbasid Caliphate. temp. Al-Saffah. AH 132-136 / AD 749-754. AR Dirham (26.6mm, 2.81g, 2h). Ifriqiya mint. Dated AH 134. Of Umayyad type, with surat al-Ikhlas on reverse. Klat -; Lowick -; cf Morton & Eden auction 89, 25 October 2017, lot 15. Cleaned. Good VF. Extremely rare.
Ex Morton & Eden (London) Auction 103 (24 October 2019), lot 21.
After the death of the Umayyad caliph Hisham in AH 126, 'Abd al-Rahman b. Habib al-Fihri took advantage of the ensuing chaos to seize power in North Africa. The new caliph, Marwan II, had little choice but to confirm 'Abd al-Rahman as governor there. He survived the fall of the Umayyads, and the new Abbasid caliph, al-Saffah, initially allowed him to remain in post. Over time, however, 'Abd al-Rahman became increasingly concerned by repeated Abbasid demands for him to submit to them, and he switched his allegiance to the Umayyad cause. He invited the surviving Umayyads to take refuge with him in North Africa, but soon became concerned that having members of the former ruling dynasty in the province he had usurped might threaten his own power there. The caliph Hisham's grandson, 'Abd al-Rahman b. Mu'awiya b. Hisham, accordingly went into hiding among the Berbers for a time, before crossing the Straits of Gibraltar and establishing the Spanish Umayyad dynasty Spain in AH 138.
Ex Morton & Eden (London) Auction 103 (24 October 2019), lot 21.
After the death of the Umayyad caliph Hisham in AH 126, 'Abd al-Rahman b. Habib al-Fihri took advantage of the ensuing chaos to seize power in North Africa. The new caliph, Marwan II, had little choice but to confirm 'Abd al-Rahman as governor there. He survived the fall of the Umayyads, and the new Abbasid caliph, al-Saffah, initially allowed him to remain in post. Over time, however, 'Abd al-Rahman became increasingly concerned by repeated Abbasid demands for him to submit to them, and he switched his allegiance to the Umayyad cause. He invited the surviving Umayyads to take refuge with him in North Africa, but soon became concerned that having members of the former ruling dynasty in the province he had usurped might threaten his own power there. The caliph Hisham's grandson, 'Abd al-Rahman b. Mu'awiya b. Hisham, accordingly went into hiding among the Berbers for a time, before crossing the Straits of Gibraltar and establishing the Spanish Umayyad dynasty Spain in AH 138.