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Mithqal - Ismail I Kashan
| Issuer | Safavid Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1523 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | The field is densely filled with thuluth-script legends arranged within a rectangular cartouche at centre, containing the mint name (Kashan) and AH date 929. Surrounding the cartouche, the extensive royal titulature of Shah Ismail I is inscribed in multiple lines reading 'al-Sultan al-Adil al-Kamil al-Wali al-Hadi Abu al-Muzaffar Shah Ismail Bahadur Khan al-Safawi, may God perpetuate his reign.' The inscription fills virtually the entire flan in a characteristically Safavid epigraphic style, with no figural motifs. The hammered flan is irregular in outline, typical of early Safavid gold coinage. |
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| Mintage | 929 (1523) |
| Additional information |
Ismail I founded the Safavid state in 1501 and immediately imposed Twelver Shia Islam as the official faith — a political act with enormous consequences for the entire region. The Mithqal denomination was tied to the traditional Islamic weight standard and saw use in high-value transactions and treasury contexts. Kashan, the mint city here, was among the more productive Safavid minting centers and had long-standing craft and commercial importance predating the dynasty.
Ismail died in 1524, the year after this piece was struck, following the catastrophic defeat at Chaldiran a decade earlier that had permanently curbed Safavid westward ambitions.