Description

These coins (Donative Dirham) were struck for special purposes, usually for presentation by rulers to notables and visiting dignitaries. They are known as presentation coins, largess coins, or donatives, of which the last term is my choice in most cases. Many were of the large module with especially fine calligraphy, often with pictorial designs as well. Others were small fractions, finely engraved, intended for distribution to the general populace, somewhat like the Maundy coins of England.

The Abbasid Caliphate (Arabic: الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from the prophet's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes its name. They ruled as caliphs for most of the caliphate from their capital in Baghdad in modern-day Iraq, after having overthrown the Umayyad Caliphate in the Abbasid Revolution of 750 CE (132 AH). The Abbasid Caliphate first centered its government in Kufa, modern-day Iraq, but in 762 the caliph Al-Mansur founded the city of Baghdad, near the ancient Babylonian capital city of Babylon. Baghdad became the center of science, culture and invention in what became known as the Golden Age of Islam. This, in addition to housing several key academic institutions, including the House of Wisdom, as well as a multiethnic and multi-religious environment, garnered it a worldwide reputation as the "Center of Learning".

Abu'l-Abbas Ahmad (Muhammad) ibn Ja'far al-Muqtadir (909–940), usually simply known by his regnal name al-Radi bi'llah (lit. 'Content with God'), was the twentieth Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate, reigning from 934 to his death. He died on 23 December 940 at the age of 31. His reign marked the end of the caliph's political power and the rise of military strongmen, who competed for the title of amir al-umara.