ISLAMIC, Ayyubids. Yemen. al-Nasir I Salah al-Din Yusuf (Saladin), AH 575-589 / AD 1180-1193. Dinar (Gold, 25 mm, 2.28 g, 2 h), struck under al-'Aziz Tughtigin (AH 577-593 / AD 1181-1197). 'Adan, date illegible. Album G1088. Cf. Balog, Mamluk, 928 (for type). SICA X, -. Very rare. A sharply struck and very attractive example. Light marks, otherwise, good extremely fine.


Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty and scourge of the Crusaders, sent his older brother al-Mu'azzam Turan Shah on a campaign to Yemen in AH 569 (AD 1174) to bring down a heretical leader, in the course of which the latter conquered Zabid, 'Adan and San'a. Turan Shah left Yemen in AH 571 (AD 1176) to become his brother's governor of Syria and was replaced as Emir of Yemen, albeit only a few years later, by al-'Aziz Tughtigin, under whose rule this dinar was issued.