Turk-Shahi (565 - 850 AD) and Hindu-Shahi dynasties (850- 1026 AD) and Coins

 

The Shahi dynasty ruled the Middle kingdom of India which included portions of  Kabulistan and the old province of Gandhara (now in northern Pakistan). Their rule began with the decline of the Kushan Empire in the 3rd century and continued till the early 9th century. 

The Shahis of Kabul / Gandhara are divided according to two eras into two former non-muslim dynasties in Kabul, the Buddhist-Shahis or Turk- Shahis  and the Hindu Shahis. The Buddhist kingdom was known as ''Turk Shahi'' and reigned between 565 and 850 AD and had Kapisa and Kabul as their capitals. Around 850 AD, the kingdom adopted Hinduism and began to be known as ''Hindu- Shahi''. In 870 AD, they moved their capital to Udbhandapur. The Hindu-Shahi ruled from around 850 to 1026 AD.                                         

Coin of Spalapati Deva, Hindu-Shahi, 500-900 AD

 

The term ''Shahi'' was the royal title of this dynasty and not its clan or ethnological name. 

Between both the Turk-Shahi and the Hindu- Shahi, they effectively blocked the eastward expansion of Islamic invasions for more than 400 years and contributed to the history of India.

The Turk-Shahis / Buddhist- Shahis resisted the eastward expansion of the Caliphate for more than 240 years. 

                                           

                The Turk Shahi Tamgha
           

                                             

 Map showing the Turk-Shahis in Kabulistan            
 

                                            

Seated Maitreya, 7th-8th century AD, near Kabul, Afghanistan, Shahi sculpture

The Hindu-Shahi (850 -1026 AD) held sway over the Kabul valley, Gandhara and western Punjab. Details have been assembled from chronicles, coins, stone inscriptions and temple ruins by researchers as their accounts have been destroyed systematically and are not available today. 

                                           

    Map of Hindu-Shahi kingdom, 900 AD

 In 870 AD they lost Kabul to the Saffarid dynasty, but by 879 AD, the Hindu-Shahi recaptured it. According to ''The Mazare Sharif Inscription of the Time of the Shahi Ruler Veka'', recently discovered from northern Afghanistan and reported by the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations, Islamabad, Veka conquered northern regions of Afghanistan and established a Shiva temple there. He also issued coins.

                                         

The Amb Hindu temple complex, built by the Hindu-Shahi Empire

  

During the Turk Shahi period, the Islamic invasions started in 643 AD and lasted for over 240 years till 879 AD . The notable defeats suffered by aggressor were recorded in 643 AD, 653 AD , 683 AD, 692 AD, 697 AD and 717 AD which resulted in annihilation of the invaders every time they attacked. The capital was shifted from Kapisa to Kabul in 794 AD. Kabul suffered a temporary eclipse in 870 AD when the king of Kabul was treacherously killed, however Kabul still could not be captured.

Around this time, the courts of Shahis denounced Buddhism and became an adherent of Hindu faith. Thus, the Hindu Shah dynasty was founded in 850 AD. In 879 AD, the king of Kabul was killed in battle and in 890 AD, the capital was shifted to Udbhandpur on the River Indus. 

                                          

Ruins at Sindhu Temple, Kafir Kot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan 

The ruins of Temple complexes are still existing in what is called Kafir Kot in today's Pakistan. These two locations known as Bilot Kafir Kot and Tilot Kafir Kot are at a distance of about 50 km apart in the Dera Ismail Khan district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, overlooking River Indus

                                           

Ruins of Hindu temple at Bilot, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan   

                                                    

Sculpture from Kafir Kot at the British Museum

Maharaja Jayapala (946 to 1001 AD). He was one of the greatest rulers and is known for his struggles in defending his kingdom from the Turkic rulers of Gazni.

                                          

Ruins of the majestic temple that still stands today. 

                                                     

Sculpture from Kafir Kot at the British Museum

                                         

Sculpture from Kafir Kot at the British Museum
  

                                               

Temple ruins at the Kafir Kot temple complex
   

 In 994 AD, the Ghazanavid Empire fell into the hands of Mahmud of Ghazni. Mahmud led his first invasion against Udbhandapur in 1001 AD. Jayapala was captured. However, the territory was not annexed as great damage was inflicted on Mahmud's army, which made him incapable of ruling the vast land. For several years this battle between Mahmud and the Shahi dynasty continued. Battles of 1005 AD, 1008 AD,1013 AD, 1015 AD, 1021 AD and 1026 AD are significant and the valour of subsequent Hindu Shahi kings have been described by many historians. For more than 150 years, stiff resistance was given by the Hindu Shahi rulers.

Coins of Shahi dynasty

                                             

Samanta Deva, Hindu Shahi, 900-1000 AD, gold Dinar, weight 7.4 g

Obverse: King mounted right

Reverse: Recumbent bull left, Nagari legend above, translated to Sri Samanta Deva

                      

                                             

Half Jital, Samanta Deva, Kabul Shahi, 800-1000 AD, copper, weight 1 g

Obverse: Elephant and Nagari text above, translated to Sri Samanta Deva

Reverse: Lion to right

                   

                                                

Jital, Spalapati Deva, Shahi, 500-900 AD, silver, weight 3.3 g

Obverse: Bull sitting left, Nagari legend above, Bull and Horseman type, lettering Sri Spalapati Deva

Reverse: Horseman to right

                                                

Jital, Vakka Deva, 700-1000 AD, copper, weight 2.6 g

Obverse: Elephant to left, Nagari legend above, translated Sri Vakka Deva

Reverse: Lion to right, Nagari ''Ra'' below

                                                

Jital, Spalapati Deva, 700-900 AD, silver, weight 3.4 g

Obverse: Bull sitting left, Trident mint mark on Bull, Nagari legend above, translated to Sri Spalapati Deva

Reverse: Horseman to right

                                              

Jital, Samanta Deva, Bull and horseman, 850-1000 AD, silver, weight 3.1 g

Obverse: Recumbent bull facing left, Trishul on bull's rump, Devnagari legend above, translated to Sri Samanta Deva

Reverse: Rider bearing lance on caparisoned horse facing right, 

                                                 

Jital, Samata Deva, 850-1000 AD, silver, weight 2.8 g

Obverse: Bull sitting left, Nagari legend above, translated to Sri Samanta Deva

Reverse: Horseman to right holding lance with Nagari ''Di'' on top

                                                 

Jital, Samanta Deva, 800-1000 AD, copper, weight 2.6 g

Obverse: Devnagari legend on bull facing left, translated to Sri Samanta Deva

Reverse: Horse facing right

Shahi dynasty

Turk-Shahi

Hindu-Shahi

Coins of Hindu Shahi

Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty (730- 1036 AD) and Coins

 

The Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty was an imperial power during the Late Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, that ruled much of Northern India from the mid-8th to the 11th century. They ruled first at Ujjain and later at Kannauj. The Gurjara- Pratiharas were instrumental in containing Arab armies moving east of the Indus River. The power of their army effectively prevented the progress of the Arab Muslims invaders for nearly three hundred years, and this is regarded as their chief contribution to the history of India.

                                             

Gurjara- Pratihara Coin, showing image of God Vishnu in his Boar (Varaha) incarnation with a human body and a boar's head, rescuing the earth. Issued by King Mahendrapala I, (885-910 AD). In British Museum, London.

The origin of the Gurjars and particularly the Gurjara-Pratiharas are derived from the word ''pratihara'' which in Sanskrit means ''doorkeeper''. They are seen as a tribal clan of the Gurjars.

Nagabhata I (739-760 AD), the first ruler, was originally a feudatory of the Chavdas of Bhillamala. He gained prominence after the downfall of the Chavda kingdom, in the process of resisting the invading Arabs. Nagabhata I, extended his control east and south from Mandor to Malwa, to Gwalior and the port of Bharuch in Gujarat. He established his capital at Avanti in Malwa and checked the expansion of the Arabs, established in Sindh.                                               

                                  

               Gurjara-Pratihara Empire, 900 AD

In the battle in 738 AD, Nagabhata defeated the Arabs who had till then been pressing on victorious through west Asia and Iran. This is inscribed on the ''Gwalior inscription'' that the Arab invading army had anywhere between 10-15,000 cavalry, 5000 infantry and 2000 camels. The Arab chronicler Sulaiman describes the Army of Pratiharas as it stood in 851 AD, ''The ruler of Gurjars maintains numerous forces and no other Indian prince has so fine a cavalry''.   

                                            

Under Mihira Bhoja and his successor Mahendrapala I, the extent of its territories rivalled that of the Gupta Empire stretching from the border of Sindh in the west to Bengal in the east and from the Himalayas in the north to areas past the Narmada in the south.

 The expansion triggered a tripartite power struggle with the Rashtrakuta and Pala empires for control of the Indian subcontinent. During this period, Imperial Pratihara took the title of ''Maharajadhiraja of Aryavarta'' (Great King of Kings of India.

                                                

The Kannauj Tripartite, Gujara-Pratihara, Rashtrakutas and the Palas Empires

The power of the Pratiharas was weakened by dynastic strife. It was further diminished as a result of a great raid led by the Rashtrakuta ruler Indra III who, in about 916 AD, caused destruction to Kannauj. Their feudatories became more and more powerful, and resisted their allegiance until, by the end of the 10th century, they merely controlled the Gangetic Doab. Their last important king, Rajapala, was driven from Kannauj by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1018 AD. Jasapala, the last Gurjara-Pratihara ruler of Kannauj died in 1036 AD.

                                               

Entrance of the Teli ka Mandir, built by Mihira Bhoja

Siddhachal Caves with Jainism cave monuments and statues, Gwalior Fort

                                                    

Sculptures near Teli ka Mandir, Gwalior Fort

                                                 

Gurjara-Pratihara are known for their sculptures, carved panels and open pavilion style temples. The oldest surviving Jain temple was built by King Vatsaraja in 738 AD at Osian in Jodhpur District of Rajasthan, as per the inscription found at Sachiya Mata Temple, at Osian, dating back to 956 AD.   

                                            

Mahavira Jain Temple, Osian, near Jodhpur, built by King Vatsaraja in 738 AD is the oldest surviving Jain Temple in western India.  

                                               

Sculpture of Gurjara-Pratihara period, showing God Vishnu in his dwarf incarnation

Coins of Gurjara-Pratihara

                                               

Gurjara-Pratihara, Bhoja I, 836-885 AD, billon, Dramma, weight 4.0 g

Obverse: Varaha (boar incarnation of God Vishnu) facing right

Reverse: Remnants of stylized fire altar below, Devanagari legend ''srimadadi / varaha above in two lines'', so-called ''adivaraha'' Dramma 

 

                                           

Gurjara- Pratihara, Mihara Bhoja I, 836-885 AD, Drachm, silver, weight 4 g

Obverse: Varaha (Boar incarnation of God Vishnu) to right, various Vaishnavite symbols including Trident to left and wheel under the foot

Reverse: Symbols and two lines legend, ''srimad adi / varaha

                                                

Gurjara-Pratihara, Vinayakapala, 912-944 AD, Drachm, silver, weight 3.5 g

Obverse: Varaha (Boar incarnation of God Vishnu), to right

Reverse: Legend in three lines ''srimad vinayaka deva''

                                                  

Gurjara Pratihara, Mihira Bhoja I, 850-912 AD, silver, Drachm, weight 4.1 g

Obverse: Varaha (Boar incarnation of God Vishnu) to right, vaishnavite symbols

Reverse: Two-line legend ''srimad adi / varaha

                                               

Gurjara- Pratihara, 943-1019 AD, Drachm, silver, weight 3.8 g

Obverse: The Varaha (incarnation of Vishnu) to right and a sun symbol behind a Trishul (trident)

Reverse: Legend in two lines,'' Shrimad Adivaraha''

                                                

Gyrjara-Pratihara, Bhoja I, 836-885 AD, Drachm, silver, weight 4.1 g

Obverse: Boar headed Varaha jumping right, with trident left

Reverse: Nagari legend in two lines, ''Shrimad Adi / Varaha, with stylized fire altars below

                                                

Gurjara-Pratihara, Vinayakapala, Drachm, 912-944 AD, silver, weight 3.8 g

Obverse: Stylized boar (Varaha) standing right

Reverse: Three-line Devanagari legend, ''Sri Vina / yakapa / la Deva''

Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty

Gurjara-Pratihara coins                                           

Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom or Indo-Sassanians (230 AD-651 AD) and Coins

 

Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom or Indo-Sasanians is a historiographic term used to refer to a branch of the Sasanian Persians who established their rule in Bactria and in northwest Indian subcontinent (present day Pakistan) during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD at the expense of the declining Kushans. 

                                           

Indo-Sasanian coin, Varhran I, 272-273 AD, Shiva standing before bull Nandi.

  

They captured the provinces of Sogdiana, Bactria and Gandhara from the Kushan's in 225 AD. The Sasanians established governors for the Sasanian Empire, who minted their own coinage and took the title of ''Kushanshas''. They are sometimes considered as forming a ''sub-kingdom'' inside the Sasanian Empire. This administration continued until 360-370 AD, when the Kushano-Sasanians lost much of its domain to the invading Kidarite Huns. Later, the Kidarites were in turn displaced by the Hephthalites.

                                               

Map of the domains governed by the Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom, 230-365 AD

 

The Sasanians were able to re-establish authority after they destroyed the Hephthalites with the help of the Turks in 565 AD and ruled till the mid 7th century AD

                                               

Portrait of Kushano-Sasanian ruler, Hormizd I Kushanshah ( 277-286 AD) in Kushan style

The Kushanshas are mainly known through their coins minted at Kabul, Balkh, Herat and Merv. The coins have Shiva with bull Nandi, and few have Buddha on the reverse too.                                    

The first Kushano-Sassanid period (230-365 AD). The Sassanids, after victory over Parthians, extended into Bactria during the reign of Ardashir I around 230 AD, then further to the eastern parts of their empire in present day Pakistan during the reign of his son Shapur I (240-270 AD). The farthest extent of the Kushano-Sasanians to the east was Gandhara, and they probably did not cross the river Indus.

                                           

Kushano-Sasanian cup with medallion, 3rd-4th century AD, Bactria, Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Kushano-Sasanians under Hormizd I Kushanshah probably led a rebellion against contemporary emperor Bahram II (276-293 AD) but failed. They ruled till around 370 AD, until the defeat to the Kidarites and in turn by the Hephthalites.

                             

Hormizd I Kushanshah on the Naqsh-e-Rustam Bahram II panel

The Sassanid art was influential on Kushan art, and this influence remained for several centuries in the northwest South Asia                                            

Seal with two facing busts and Sogdian inscription, Kushano-Sasanian period, 300-350 AD, British Museum

The second Sassanid period (565-651 AD). The Hephthalites dominated the areas till they were defeated in 565 AD, by the alliance between the Turks and the Sasanian Empire. This period ended in the mid 7th century to the Rashidun Caliphate.

                                         

Vishnu Nicolo Seal or Prince worshipping Vishnu or Vasudeva, with Bactrian inscription found in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, 4th century AD, British Museum

                                                  

Sasanian dignitary drinking wine, on ceiling of Cave I, at Ajanta Caves, India, end of 5th century.

 

Kushano-Sasanian Coinage  

                                          

Indo-Sasanian Kingdom, Ardashir, 230-240 AD, Drachm, billon, weight 2.6 g

Obverse: Full length figure of king standing left, right hand pointing down towards small fire altar, from which flames like scrolls are protruding, left holds trident, full armour, loose trousers

Reverse: God seated on throne, head in profile, left arm across, holding corona with broad fillets, right below seems to touch hilt of sword, loose trouser, fillets at ankles

                                           

Indo Sasanian, Peroz I, son of Ardashir, 242-252 AD, Drachm, billon, weight 4.4 g

Obverse: Bust of king to right, crown in shape of fluted cornice, with row of large pearls above, diadem with floating ends, earring, necklace

Reverse: Fire altar of Ardashir type, with traces of bust in flames

 

                                                 

Indo-Sasanian, Hormizd I, 256-264 AD, Drachm, billon, weight 2,2 g

Obverse: Bust of king to right with helmet, lions head, Parsik legend around

Reverse: King standing in adoration before Buddha on throne, king with sword at left and dagger at right, hand pointing towards altar in shape of hourglass, left hand raised, God on throne

                                              

Indo-Sasanian, Peroz II, 302-309 AD, Drachm, weight 2.04 g

Obverse: Bust of king to right, crown of fluted cap surmounted by large crescent and stripped globe diadem below, Parsik legend

Reverse; Fire altar, adorned with ribbons, bust of Hormizd, holding in left long sceptre, in right corona with fillet, Parsik legend.

                                               

Indo-Sasanian, Varhran I, 272-273 AD, gold dinar, weight 8.2 g

Obverse: King standing left, trident in left field, crown with pair of ram's horns over a string of pearls surmounted by flower like globe, diadem below, monogram to right, swastika above, Kushana legend

Reverse: Shiva standing before bull Nandi, God in Sasanian garment, with diadem, trident in left, noose in right hand

                                                 

Indo-Sasanian, Hormizd I, 256-264 AD, Drachm, billon, weight 1.9 g

Obverse: Bust of king right with helmet bending forward and ending in lion's head, Parsik legend

Reverse: Shiva standing before bull Nandi, God in Sasanian garment, Parsik legend, trident in left hand and noose in right hand

                                                

Sassanian Kingdom, Hormazd IV, 579-590 AD, Drachm, silver, weight 4 g

Obverse: Crowned head of Hormazd IV right

Reverse: fire altar with two attendants, curved flan

                                           

Sassanian Kingdom, Yazdgard III, 632-651 AD, Drachm, silver, weight 4.06 g

Obverse: Crowned head of Yazdgard III right

Reverse: Fire altar with two attendants 

                                           

Sassanian Kingdom, Khusrau II, 590-628 AD, Drachm, year 33, weight 3.5 g

Obverse: Crowned head of Khusrau II right

Reverse: Fire altar with two attendants

                                             

Sassanian Kingdom, Khusrau II, 590-628 AD, Drachm, weight 4.12 g

Obverse: Crowned bust of Khusrau II, right

Reverse: Fire altar, two attendants 

Kushano-Sasanian

Kushano-Sasanian Coins