ISLAMIC, Seljuks. Great Seljuk. Jalal al-Dawlah Malikshah I, AH 465-485 / AD 1072-1092. Fals (Bronze, 19 mm, 1.15 g), an imitation based on Byzantine folles, struck under Yagisiyan, the Seljuk governor of Antiochia from 1086-1098, Antiochia, circa 1086-1098. Θ [...] Nimbate and draped half-lenght bust of St. George (?) facing slightly to left, holding sword in his right hand. Rev. Cross pommée within rosette with floriate symbols in angles; around dotted border. Extremely rare. Some deposits, otherwise, very fine.
One compelling theory suggests that this coinage was issued by Yagisiyan, the Seljuk governor of Antiochia in 1086-1098, who may have used Christian iconography on his local bronze coins to make them more acceptable to the predominantly Christian population of the city, which had been captured by the Seljuks from the Byzantines in 1085. Having defended Antiochia for eight months against the invasion of the First Crusade in 1097-1098, Yagisiyan fled the city right before the its fall on 3 June 1098. We kindly thank R. Leonard for his valuable contributions to the discussion of this issue