Leu Numismatik AG
Web Auction 24 3-6 Dec 2022
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ISLAMIC, Seljuks. Rum. Ghiyath al-Din Kay Khusraw II, first reign, AH 634-644 / AD 1237-1246. Dirham (Silver, 22 mm, 2.91 g, 6 h), Siwas (Sivas), AH 648 = AD 1240/1. Lion advancing right; personification of sun above; in field, three stars; around, legend bearing the name of the Abbasid caliph Al-Mustansir bi' Allah. Rev. Legend bearing the name and title of Kay Khusraw II; in outer margin, mint and AH date. Broome 270 Dv(iv)a. Minor areas of weakness and with cleaning marks, otherwise, good very fine.
From a European collection, acquired before 2021.
The sun face and lion, 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.
From a European collection, acquired before 2021.
The sun face and lion, 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.