Mughal Emperor Jahandar Shah Khujista Bunyad Mint – Mughal Empire Silver One Rupee Rare Coin

Obverse: Persian inscription reads “Sikka ba zad bar meh chu Saheb-e-Qiran, Jahandar Shah, Badshah-e-Jahan,” proclaiming Jahandar Shah as the world-emperor and Saheb-e-Qiran.

Reverse: Persian legend features “Sana Ahad Julus” and “Zarb Khujista Bunyad,” indicating the first regnal year and the mint of Khujista Bunyad, with the Hijri date AH 1124.

Jahandar Shah ruled the Mughal Empire from 1712 to 1713 CE after the death of his father, Emperor Bahadur Shah I. His accession followed a succession struggle among the sons of Bahadur Shah, during which Jahandar Shah defeated his rival brothers with the support of Zulfiqar Khan, a powerful Mughal noble and military commander. His short reign was marked by court rivalries, political instability, and the growing influence of powerful nobles. In 1713, Farrukhsiyar, another Mughal prince, challenged his authority and defeated his forces. Jahandar Shah was captured and later executed, bringing his brief reign to an end during a period of declining central Mughal power.

Coinage Note: This silver Rupee was struck at the Khujista Bunyad Mint in AH 1124 (1712 CE), during Jahandar Shah’s first regnal year, recorded as Ahad. Issued in the Abu Al-Fateh Ghazi type, its Persian couplet proclaims the emperor’s sovereignty, while the reverse identifies the mint and regnal year. The coin reflects the Mughal tradition of finely inscribed silver Rupees, which remained essential for taxation, trade, and large commercial transactions during the early eighteenth century.