★ The usurper Nasir al-Din Khusrau, lover of the Sultan Mubarak Khalji ★

INDIA, Islamic Sultanates. Delhi. Khusrau Khan, AH 720 / AD 1320. Jital (Billon, 15 mm, 3.68 g, 6 h), AH 720 = AD 1320. 'Shah Khosrau' in Arabic within circle; around, 'al-Sultan wali Amir al-Mu'minin' ('Sultan, the friend of the Commander of the Faithful' in Arabic). Rev. 'al-Sultan al-Azam Nasir al-Dunya wa'l Din ('The great Sultan, Glory of the World and Religion' in Kufic). Stan Goron & J.P. Goenka, The Coins of the Indian Sultanates, D296. Rare. Very fine.

From a collection of coins from Central Asia.

Nasir al-Din Khusrau was a Hindu convert from Gujarat, who became a court official and lover of the Sultan Mubarak Khalji. In 1320, Khusrau murdered his master and usurped the throne, but lacking the support of the Muslim aristocracy, his reign would only last two months.