After the start in 399H of the fitna, or civil war, the mint of Fas continues to strike coins in the name of the various rulers attempting to rule what was left of the caliphate of Cordoba. The recognition of the ruler of turn is obviously nominal as the caliphate as an institution was never to be re-established in al-Andalus, let alone in North Africa. The easy benefit of historical hindsight we now have was not available to those in al-Andalus contemporary to these dramatic events. Many in al-Andalus, at least in the first decades, thought quite possible the reestablishment of the caliphate and hedged their political bets accordingly. Some of the rulers of the Maghrib must have thought the same and in particular the ruler of in Fas al-Mu’izz ibn Ziri (396- 417 H.). Just about all the early rulers of Cordoba were at one point nominally recognized by him, as can be seen in Prieto (n 128-133) and in the Taifa Supplement ( n 72-76). So close was the watch over the events in Cordoba that even the very brief rebellion in 399H of Hisham ibn Sulayman, al-Rashid bi-Allah, has a singular coin struck in Fas (Taifa Supplement n72). This particular Hisham would be rapidly assassinated by Muhammad al- Mahdi and just never got the chance or time to strike his own coins.
This perception of a possible restoration of the Cordoba Caliphate must have drastically changed by the time of the accession in 417H to the rule of Fas of Mu’izz’s cousin Hamama ibn al- Mu’izz ibn ‘Atiya (417-424 & 429- 431 H.) Hamama’s few known coins make no mention of any nominal overlord, Umayyad or otherwise.
In the name of Muhammad al-Mahdi, 399-400 H.
Dirham
Madinat Fas
400H
2.84gr 23mm
Prieto 129
In the name of Hisham II 2nd rein , 400- 402 H.
Dirham
Madinat Fas
400H
2.88gr 21mm
In the name of Sulaiman al- Musta’in , 400-407 H.
Dirham
Andalus for Fas
date not readable
3.24gr 23mm
Prieto supplement 73, this coin.
Dirham
mint/ date not readable
4.30gr 21mm
Dirham
Madinat Fas
403?H
3.52gr 22mm
Dirham
(Madinat Fas)
406?H
3.32gr 24mm
Dirham
Madinat Fas
407H
3.52gr 22mm
Prieto supplement 74, this coin
In the name of al Qasim al Ma`mun 408- 414 H
Dirham
mint/ date not readable
3.38gr 22mm
Prieto 132
Dirham
mint/ date not readable
3.04gr 22mm
Prieto supplement 75, this coin
Dirham
mint/date not readable
4.26gr 21mm
Prieto supplement 75
Dirham
mint/ date not readable
3.88gr 22mm
Prieto supplement 75
Dirham fragment
mint/date not readable
3.04gr 22mm
Prieto supplement 75bis, this coin
Dirham
(Madina) Fas
410H?
4.78gr 23mm
no reference
With name Mansur (?)
Dirham
Madinat Fas (?)
410H
4.96gr 25mm
Prieto supplement 76, this coin
If the mint is really Fas, the Mansur could be an assumed title of al-Mu’izz.
Of special note on this coin is the early use of the generic ‘Abd Allah as Imam, a probable symbolic reference to the Abbasid caliphate.
Nominally the name of Hammudid Yahya ibn ‘Ali.
Dirham
M(adina Fas)
Mint/date not readable
4.50gr 22mm
No reference
Very early use of the generic- “Al-Imam ‘Abd Allah”
Dirham
Madi(na Fas)
Mint/date not readable
3.36gr 22mm
No reference
Possible coins.
Within the chronologies known this coin may be of Dunas ibn Hamama. The name Dunas does not come at all clear on the second line of either reverse, but until we get a better coin this attribution seems to be a good probability.
Dirhams
Madinat Fas
41(?) or 42(?)H
2.18gr 2.06gr 25mm
No reference
Frozen type nominally in name of long defunct Hammudid Yahya ibn ‘Ali. 412-427/1021-1025
Segment of dirham
(Madina Fas)
(45)7H
1.26gr 22mm
No reference
Dirham
(Madina F)as
(45)7H
3.00gr 23mm
No reference
Dirham
(Madina Fas)
(45)7H
3.26gr 22mm
No reference
Dirham
(Madina) Fas
date not readable
4.02gr 22mm
No reference
Dirham
(Madina Fas)
(45)7H
4.01gr 22mm
No reference
First line of reverse perhaps: bi-Allah Yathiq?
Second line: Al-Mu’izz??
Third line: ?????.
Dirham
No mint/ date readable
2.76gr 21mm
No reference