Persian Treasury
Ruler

Coinage of 'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II

1 catalogued issue of 'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II — metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions with references.

In short

Ala al-Din Muhammad II (1200–1220), the last effective Khwarazmshah, ruled an empire from the Caucasus to India and lost it in under two years to the Mongol invasion he provoked. 'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 1200 CE – 1220 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Gold.

Catalogued
1
Eras
1
Metals
1
Denominations
1

Key facts

Key facts about 'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II in the Persian Treasury catalogue
Catalogued pieces1
Date range1200 CE – 1220 CE
Eras representedArab-Sasanian & Early Islamic
MetalsGold
DenominationsDinar
Reign1200–1220
DynastyKhwarazmshah
TriggerOtrar incident, 1218
OutcomeMongol destruction of Khorasan and Transoxiana

The invasion he triggered

The governor of Otrar seized a Mongol trade caravan and executed its merchants in 1218; the shah then killed Genghis Khan's envoys. The Mongol response destroyed Bukhara, Samarqand, Merv and Nishapur within two years.

Muhammad II died a fugitive on an island in the Caspian in 1220. His son Jalal al-Din fought on for another decade without recovering the state.

Khwarazmian coinage

Coins of the reign come from a wide mint network across Transoxiana, Khorasan and Iran, mostly silver and billon dirhams of variable quality reflecting a period of monetary strain.

As the last coinage before the Mongol catastrophe, they mark a decisive break: mint sequences at several major cities simply stop.

Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic · 651 – 1258 CE

Era overview →

Khwarazmshah Gold Dinar of Muhammad II

'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II

1200–1220 CE

Muhammad II ruled one of the largest empires of the Islamic Middle Ages — from the Caspian to the Indus — but his execution of Mongol envoys provoked Genghis Khan's catastrophic invasion of 1219–1221, ending the Khwarazmian state and beginning the Mongol era in Iran.

Frequently asked about 'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II

What caused the Mongol invasion of Iran?
The killing of a Mongol trade caravan at Otrar and then of Genghis Khan's envoys by Ala al-Din Muhammad II, which prompted a punitive campaign that destroyed the Khwarazmian empire.
How is the invasion visible in coinage?
Mint sequences at Bukhara, Samarqand, Merv and Nishapur break off abruptly around 1220, a direct material record of the cities' destruction.
What coins did 'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II issue?
'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 1200 CE – 1220 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Gold.
How many 'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
1 item, dated 1200 CE – 1220 CE, spread across 1 era: Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic.
Which metals were used for 'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II coinage?
Gold. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
Which denominations are associated with 'Ala' al-Din Muhammad II?
Dinar. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.

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Denominations here

Metals here