Vol. VI, No. 11.] History dk Ethnology of N.-E. lndia~II. 637 



[N.8.] 



script, as is shown by the unique gold muhur reproduced in 

 Plate XXV. This was followed up in the next year by a square 

 rupee in Persian characters minted at Rangpur, in addition to 

 ordinary coins. 1 In 1675 came an octagonal rupee in NagrI 

 script with an invocation to MaheSvari (Durga) on the obverse. 51 

 From 1678 dates the square quarter-muhur in the Cabinet of 

 Mr. Botham, which marks a new departure in coins with 

 Assamese script, and, in the same collector's Cabinet is also found 

 an eighth-muhur which seems to be dated on the obverse either 

 R.Y. 4 or R.Y. 7. Rajesvara's zeal for new types of coinage 

 was not even yet satisfied, as in 1785 we find him issuing from 

 Rangpur an octagonal rupee in Persian script, the inscription 

 being identical, save as regards date, with the square rupee of 

 1674. Another peculiarity of the reign is the appearance of a 

 sixteenth of a muhur and a sixtieth of a runee. both undated. 



reverse. 3 The last known 



Nripasya 



Mr. Gait (History, p. 182) reports an expedition against the 

 Jaintias which seems to have happened in the following year 

 just before Raje6vara ? s death. 



[Rama Kanta — usurper.] 



■ 



LakshmI Simha. 



On the death of RajeSvara disputes arose as to the succes- 

 sion, one party being in favour of RajeSvara's eldest son, and 



sons of Rudra 



LakshmI 



cast 



assassma- 



the latter, and although he was selected, an insult offered by his 

 minister, the Bar Barua, to the Moamaria (Vaishnava) Gosain 

 caused an immediate insurrection. LakshmI was captured and 

 imprisoned, and, according to the Buranjis, a usurper called 

 Rama Kanta was placed on the throne. This man is said to have 

 minted coins for some months (&aka 9 l69l), but none of them have 

 yet been recorded. The royalists ultimately succeeded in eject- 

 ing the Vaishnavas, and rescuing LakshmI just as he was about 

 to be executed. Ragha, the Vaishnava general, was 

 ted in the beginning of 1692, and soon after Rama Kanta and the 

 Moamaria Gosain were captured and tortured to death. LakshmI 

 Simha was then installed as King. In corroboration of this 

 story, we find no coin of Lakshmi Simha of the year 1691, the 

 full coinage commencing in the following year, and it is curious 

 to note that in spite of the savage persecution of the Moamarias 



Ser. IV, Vol. IX; vide also this paper, Plate XXVI, Figs. 1 and 2 and 

 Plate XXVII, Figs 1 and 3. 



1 Allan, Plate XXIV, Fig. 11. 



* Videl.M.C, Plate XXIX, Fig. 6. 



3 Vide for the former, Allan, Plate XXIV, Fig. 13, 



