Shahada, haqan ("truly") below // Yamin al-(Dawla) wa amin al-milla Mahmud bin Nasir al D(in?) ("Right Hand of the State and Keeper of the Faith, Mahmud bin Nasir al-Din"). 10mm, 0.43 grams. Unnamed (Multan) mint. Struck circa AD 1005/6-1010. F&T FG4.
In the name of the Ghaznavid sultan Mahmud bin al-Nasir al-Din (AH 388-421 / AD 998-1030). These tiny coins are historically interesting, as they bear witness to the bloody conquest of Multan by Sultan Mahmud, his massacre of Shias in that city, over which he presided personally and the end of Qarmatian-Ismaili rule in Punjab. These coins presumably date to the period between Mahmud's arrival in 1005 and his second campaign in 1010 CE. These small dammas were first identified only in 2018 in Fishman/Todd's "The Silver Damma" book - a few groups of these came up since then and the coins are not quite as rare as they were in 2018.
Historical note:
In 1005 CE, Mahmud decided to invade Multan on the pretext that the Multanis were heretics following Ismaili Islam. As Mahmud marched toward Multan, the Samid ruler Da’ud bin Nasr escaped the city along with his treasury. His force left behind defended Multan for only a week, but then, seeing the hopelessness of their position, surrendered. They agreed to pay the Sultan a huge annual tribute of 20 million silver (or billon) dirhams. This bought Multan some time – Da’ud came back as a vassal of the Ghaznavids, subject to Ghaznavid Governor Niwasa Khan left behind by Mahmud. However, the existence of a semi-independent Multan was a thorn in the side of the devout Sunni Mahmud who invaded the place again in 1010 CE – presumably because the Multanis did not fullfil some of their obligations, revolted or displeased Mahmud in some other way. Mahmud quickly took the city by force and brought the odd Qarmatian-Ismaili state in Multan to a complete end, personally presiding over a frightful mutilation and slaughter of the locals. Da’ud was captured and imprisoned for life in Ghazni, dying soon after. The Sun-temple was destroyed and the local mosques were abandoned as Multan was annexed to the growing Ghaznavid realm.
