Farrukhsiyar, Rupee. Mint: Sikakul AH (11)30 RY 7

[asm]

I recently picked up this coin. I believe it is Farrukhsiyar, Sikakul Mint. I still have not had the time to find where this mint was located? However, I understand that it is a very un common coin. Am I correct?

Amit

[Overlord]

Hi asm

Yes, part of the mint name "Sikakul" can be seen clearly on your coin, which has the Bahr-O-Bar couplet of Farrukh Siyar (Happy Natured) on the Obverse:

Sikka Zad Az Fazl-E-Haq Bar Sim-O-Zar
Badshahe Bhre-O-Bar Farrukh Siyar

Stuck coin on silver and gold by the grace of truth,
Monarch of Sea and Land, Farrukh Siyar

My catalogue reports the Sikkakul mint Rupee of Farrukhsiyar as rare.

[Overlord]

Here is what The Catalogue of Coins in the Panjab Museum, Lahore says regarding this mint:

"Sikakul has been identified with Chicacole, a town in the Ganjam District, Madras Presidency. It was the capital of the Mughal sarkar of Srikakulam.

[asm]

Overlord,

Thanks for the details. Ganjam, I believe, is a town in current day Andhra Pradesh?

Amit

[Overlord]

Found an interesting note on this in the Amreli Museum catalogue:

Farrukh Siyar had not even seen the sea he claimed to rule and was even unable to defend himself against various onslaughts. A poet named Jafar Zutli parodied the above-mentioned couplet and produced one that meant

"The insect-killer king minted coins from cereals like moth and matar" 
(Anyone knows the actual couplet he wrote?)

Needless to say, he was executed.

[asm]

Overlord,
I have seen the couplet somewhere. If I remember correctly,it was the twisted version of the standard couplet where he had substituded the words moth and mutter for gold and silver and insect killer for the words 'monarch of the sea and land'. I believe it was in the book 'Mughal Coins'. Let me see if I can trace it and revert.
Amit

[asm]

Overlord,
Here is the couplet.
Amit

[asm]

Here is another one, this time for Aurengzeb Alamgir. (I know that this is moving away from the topic, but I would like to share this information and hence I have added the message)
Amit

[Overlord]

Thanks a ton, asm 

[Rangnath]

Wow,
I didn't realize that Aurengzeb was so deaply admired in Persia. 
richie

[asm]

People had the same fondness  and admiration  for him everywhere.

[Figleaf]

I keep discovering interesting stuff here. Here is more information on Mir Muhammad Ja'far Zatalli. I think this fascinating personality deserves his own Wikipedia lemma, but I don't feel qualified to make it ...

His European counterpart would be François Villon, who constantly lived with fear of possible execution (one day my head shall find out how heavy my ass is) for his poetry and his thieving ways. He does have a large Wikipedia lemma.

Peter

[Rangnath]

Thanks for bringing attention to Mir Muhammad Ja'far Zatalli! What a great essay.
richie

[Overlord]

Great link, Peter. Thanks.

[asm]

As per Frank Timmerman (on  ZENO), this type has the AH date on both faces of the coin. So the date is AH (11)30 / AH (11)30 / RY 7.