Shah Alam Bahadur, Kanbayat/Khanbayat Mint, Gold Mohur, 2 RY, Obv: Persian legend “Sikka Mubarak Shah Alam Bahadur Badshah Ghazi”, Rev: Persian legend “sana 2 julus, zarb Kanbayat" at the bottom, 10.8g, 21.00mm, (Unlisted in gold), sharp strikes, minor scratches, otherwise, almost uncirculated, Extremely Rare.

Note: Well regarded as a haven for trade, Khambat was Gujarat’s most important port since the 14^th century and has found mentioned favorably in the accounts of famous travelers such as Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta. According to Polo, the gulf of Khambat was safe for merchants even as the rest of the Indian Ocean was infested by pirates and the port’s reputation would appear to owe much to this characteristic.

Khambat was an outlet for trade for the city of Patan and as the Falaudis who ruled this region came into conflict with the conquering Mughals, Akbar sent his general Itimad Khan to siege the town. The emperor would secure this position and on leaving the town to face other threats would leave Mirza Aziz Kolkatash behind as the first Mughal viceroy of Gujarat. The princely state was founded by one of his successors, Mirza Jafar Mumin Khan, who would assume the title of Nawab in 1730.

Shah Alam Bahadur was the third son of Aurangzeb Alamgir. He took over the throne from his brother Azam Khan, who had crowned himself Emperor from Ahmednagar, after defeating him and his sons at the battle of Jajau on 8^th June 1707, while they were marching to Agra to secure his title.