SELJUQ of RUM.Tughrul Shah.(1180-1221).Erzurum 613 AH.Dirham.

Obv : محمد رسول الله / مغيث الدنيا و الدين / ابو الفتح طغرل / بن قلج ارسلان.
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah / Helper of the world and religion / Father of victory, Tughril / Son of Qilij Arslan.

Rev : الامام / لا اله الا الله / وحده لا شريك له / الناصر لدين الله / امير مؤمنين.
The Imam / There is no god but Allah / He alone, with no partner / The one who gives victory to the religion of Allah / Commander of the Faithful.
Izmirlier 66.

Condition : The coin appears to be in a worn condition, with most of the details still legible. The patina has developed a dark gray tone, which contrasts with the lighter silver exposed in areas of higher relief, giving the inscriptions and designs more prominence. The surface shows some patches of tarnish, adding to its aged and historical appearance.Good very fine.

Material : Silver.
Axis : 5h

Weight : 2.67 gr
Diameter : 24 mm

Sultan Qilicarslan II, one of the most prominent rulers of the Seljuq Sultanate of Rum, reigned from 1156 to 1192. His reign was significant not only for the territorial expansion and consolidation of the Sultanate but also for his strategy of delegating power to his sons by appointing them as governors, or *meliks*, of various provinces. Kilicarslan II had 11 sons, and in a practice common among Seljuq rulers, he distributed control of different regions to his sons, thereby decentralizing the governance of the Sultanate and allowing his sons to gain experience and power while still under his overall authority.

Each son was given the title of *melik*, meaning “prince” or “king,” and was entrusted with the administration of a specific region. They were granted considerable autonomy in governing their respective territories and even had the right to mint coins in their own names. This tradition of allowing local rulers to strike coins with their own inscriptions not only symbolized their power but also reflected the feudal nature of the Seljuq Sultanate of Rum, where different parts of the empire were ruled semi-independently under the broader suzerainty of the central sultan.

One of Kilicarslan II’s sons, Mugiseddin Tugrul Shah, was appointed the *melik* of Erzurum, a key city in northeastern Anatolia. Erzurum was strategically important due to its location on the frontier of the Seljuq Sultanate and its proximity to both the Byzantine Empire and other Turkic states. Tugrul Shah’s position as the governor of Erzurum reflected the importance of this region in the defense of the Seljuq territories and in managing relations with neighboring powers.

As the *melik* of Erzurum, Mugiseddin Tugrul Shah exercised significant authority over the region. He was responsible for the military defense of the province, overseeing the local administration, and managing the economic affairs of Erzurum and its surroundings. Like his brothers in other regions, Tugrul Shah also had the privilege of minting coins in his own name. These coins not only signified his local authority but also demonstrated his recognition as a ruler within the Seljuq dynasty, albeit under the overarching sovereignty of his father, Sultan Kilicarslan II.

The practice of allowing *meliks* to mint their own coins was symbolic of their semi-independent rule over their territories. The coins often featured the names of both the *melik* and the reigning sultan, illustrating the dual authority structure in which the *melik* governed the province but still acknowledged the ultimate authority of the sultan. Tugrul Shah’s coins from Erzurum would have carried his name and titles, along with inscriptions that emphasized his allegiance to his father and the Seljuq dynasty.

However, Kilicarslan II’s policy of dividing power among his sons eventually led to internal conflicts within the Seljuq Sultanate of Rum. After Kilicarslan’s death in 1192, a power struggle erupted between his sons, as each sought to expand their own territories and claim the sultanate for themselves. This fraternal rivalry weakened the central authority of the Seljuq state and led to a period of instability and civil war. Tugrul Shah, along with his brothers, was involved in these internal conflicts, as each prince tried to assert dominance over the others and secure control of the entire Sultanate.

Despite the internal conflicts that arose after Kilicarslan II’s death, the decentralization policy and the granting of semi-autonomous power to his sons allowed the Seljuq Sultanate of Rum to manage its vast territories more effectively during his reign. Each *melik* governed their province as a local ruler, maintaining stability in their regions while contributing to the overall strength of the Sultanate. In the case of Erzurum, Mugiseddin Tugrul Shah’s leadership helped secure this important frontier city and allowed it to remain an integral part of the Seljuq realm.

Mugiseddin Tugrul Shah’s governance of Erzurum was part of a larger trend in medieval Islamic empires, where territorial fragmentation often occurred within dynasties as rulers sought to delegate power to family members while maintaining a central authority. This practice was intended to ensure loyalty and stability across vast and diverse territories but often led to internal divisions and rivalries. Tugrul Shah’s legacy as the *melik* of Erzurum highlights both the strengths and weaknesses of this system: while it allowed the Seljuq Sultanate of Rum to maintain control over distant regions, it also sowed the seeds for future conflicts among Kilicarslan’s heirs.

In summary, Mugiseddin Tugrul Shah, as the *melik* of Erzurum, played a significant role in the governance of the northeastern frontier of the Seljuq Sultanate of Rum. His rule over the city, coupled with his ability to mint coins in his own name, reflected the semi-independent power held by Kilicarslan II’s sons over their respective provinces. However, the decentralization of power also contributed to the eventual fragmentation of the Sultanate, as internal rivalries between the *meliks* escalated into civil war following Kilicarslan II’s death. Tugrul Shah’s role as the governor of Erzurum exemplifies the complex balance of local autonomy and central authority that characterized the Seljuq Sultanate during this period.