Arpa Ga’un, Mongol Ilkhan of Persia AH 736/AD 1335-1336

A M2221, Choice Very Fine

Bazar mint (6.08gm), citing Arpa as al-sultan al-a’zam / Arpa khan khallad Allah / mulkahu wa dawlata, date and mint around; Reverse, Kalima in spiral Kufic, the Rashidun around, each name highlighted with stars. Extremely rare.

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When Abu-Sa’id died in 1335 without leaving a male heir, Arpa Ga’un, a descendant of Hulagu’s brother Ariq Bugha, was nominated as Ilkhan. Almost immediately, he faced an invasion by Uzbek Khan of the Golden Horde. Arpa defeated Uzbek Khan and used the invasion as a pretext to execute the widow of Abu Sa’id, Bagdad Khatun, in order to cement his position. He quickly made enemies, treating the amirs with contempt. Arpa’s rivals nominated a puppet ruler, Musa Khan, to replace him. Conflict among the amirs led to a civil war which Arpa Khan looked likely to win, but, after a reign of no more than six months, he was defeated and executed.