Safavid. Shah Sultan Husayn I, 1105-1135 AH. AR Abbasi Date: AH 1132 (AD 1719/1720) TABRIZ mint

Safavid Empire – Silver Abbasi (4-Shahi) of Shah Sultan Husayn
Date: AH 1132 (AD 1719/1720)
Mint: Tabriz (تبريز) – A strategic and commercial hub in northwestern Iran
Ruler: Shah Sultan Husayn (r. AH 1105–1135 / AD 1694–1722)
Denomination: Silver Abbasi
Weight: 5.45 grams  Diameter: 25 mm
References: Album 2683.1 (Type D); KM #282 (Type D)
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Obverse:
Elegantly engraved in Nasta‘liq script, the central inscription reads:
حسین بنده شاه ولایت
“Husayn, the servant of the King of Guardianship” — a devotional phrase affirming allegiance to Imam Ali and the Safavid state’s firm commitment to Twelver Shi‘ism.
The mint name تبريز (Tabriz) and the date AH 1132 are seamlessly incorporated into the calligraphic design, adding both aesthetic and chronological clarity.
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Reverse:
Displays the Shi‘a triple declaration of faith in concentric lines:
لا اله الا الله، محمد رسول الله، علي ولي الله
“There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Friend of Allah.”
The outer margin contains the names of the Twelve Imams, highlighting the dynasty’s religious legitimacy and doctrinal alignment with Shi'a Islam.
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Historical Context:
This coin was struck in AH 1132 (AD 1719/1720), during the final years of the Safavid Empire, under the reign of Shah Sultan Husayn. His rule, often described as weak and indecisive, saw the steady unraveling of Safavid authority due to internal mismanagement, religious intolerance, and military vulnerability.
By this point, the empire was increasingly fractured. Provincial autonomy had grown, and unrest was spreading — particularly in the east, where the Ghilzai Afghans were preparing for open rebellion. Just three years later, in AH 1135 (AD 1722), Isfahan would fall, bringing an end to over two centuries of Safavid rule.
Despite the mounting instability, coinage like this Abbasi from Tabriz remained ideologically consistent and symbolically potent. The emphasis on Imam Ali as "Wali Allah" was a direct assertion of Safavid Shi'a identity in contrast to their Sunni rivals, especially the Ottomans.
The Tabriz mint, positioned near the empire’s contested northwestern frontier, was a vital military and economic center. Coins minted here were not only used in commerce but also served as tools of political and religious propaganda, asserting Safavid claims to divine authority even as the dynasty neared its collapse.