AR tanka of Shah Rukh (1404-46), 2nd coinage, 818 AH, Astarabad, Timurid Empire

Shahada in a large square, additional inscriptions in the margins // Square in the middle: Zarb Astarabad within a larger square with a date in each segment: Saneh 8(1)8, additional legends al-sultan al-a/'zam Shahrukh / Bahadur khallada / Allahu mulkahu in outer segments. 25mm, 4.95 grams. Astarabad mint, one year issue from 818 AH (1415). Cf. Zeno 34940.

Shah Rukh was the son of the Central Asian conqueror Timur (Tamerlane), who founded the Timurid dynasty in 1370. However, Shah Rukh ruled only over the eastern portion of the empire established by his father, the western territories having been lost to invaders in the aftermath of Timur's death. In spite of this, Shah Rukh's empire remained a cohesive dominion of considerable extent throughout his reign, as well as a dominant power in Asia.