Obverse. Photo © Heritage Auctions
  • 1 Medin 1595, KM# 4, Egypt, Eyalet / Khedivate, Mehmed III
  • 1 Medin 1595, KM# 4, Egypt, Eyalet / Khedivate, Mehmed III
Description

Mehmed III (1566–1603) was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1595 until his death in 1603. Mehmed was known for ordering the execution of his brothers and leading the army in the Long Turkish war, during which the Ottoman army was victorious at the decisive Battle of Keresztes. This victory was however undermined by some military losses such as in Gyor and Nikopol. He also ordered the successful quelling of the Jeleli rebellions. The Sultan also communicated with the court of Elizabeth I on the grounds of stronger commercial relations and in the hopes of England to ally with the Ottomans against the Spanish.

The Eyalet of Egypt operated as an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire from 1517 to 1867. It originated as a result of the conquest of Mamluk Egypt by the Ottomans in 1517, following the Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–17) and the absorption of Syria into the Empire in 1516. Egypt always proved a difficult province for the Ottoman Sultans to control, due in part to the continuing power and influence of the Mamluks, the Egyptian military caste who had ruled the country for centuries.

Obverse

Tughra in Mehmed III name, "Sultan Mehmed III ibn Murad Khan".

A tughra (Ottoman Turkish: طغرا‎ tuğrâ) is a calligraphic monogram, seal or signature of a sultan that was affixed to all official documents and correspondence. It was also carved on his seal and stamped on the coins minted during his reign. Tughras served a purpose similar to the cartouche in ancient Egypt or the Royal Cypher of British monarchs, every Ottoman sultan had his own individual tughra.

السلطان محمد بن مراد خان

Reverse

Arabic legend and Ottoman Turkish legend "Struck in Egypt" and the accession year in Hejira (AH1031) below, with "az nassroh" (May he be victorious) above.

The date of the accession is accepted as the first year and is called "cülüs". The issuing date is a sum of the accession and regnal years minus 1.

عزنصره ضرب في
مصر

Edge

1 Medin

Eyalet
KM# 4 Album# 1343
Characteristics
Material Silver
Weight 0.98 g
Diameter 15 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Misr Mint

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