98 0. .T. Rodgers— The Square Silver Cows of . [No. 2, 
can understand their being so much worn. But we cannot understand 
why his immediate successors’ coins have not been found yet. 
The five silver coins of the Maharajah’s which I have vary from 82 
to 87'9 grains. This weight is about 10 grains less than the average 
weight of the Muhammadan coins. Hence we cannot say that these 
square coins are the successor of the Hindu coins which were called 
jpadakas. The difference between the copper coins of the Maharajahs 
and their silver coins is this ; on the reverse instead of the word deva, 
the name of the coin is given. The word used in Farishta when 
speaking of these coins is Sikka 
Perhaps it will make matters easier if now without further pream¬ 
ble we give a slight sketch of the History of Kashmir under its own 
Sultans, and thus show who the people were whose coins we have here 
drawn. Throughout I shall be guided by Farishta whose authority seems 
trustworthy and who seems to have consulted trustworthy authorities. 
Shdh Mir. —In the reign of Sinha Deva in the year 715 A. H. = 
1315 A. D., one year after the battle of Bannockburn, a faqir by name 
Shah Mirza or Shah Mir appeared in Kashmir. He gave himself out 
to be a descendant of Arjun one of the Pandiis. ' So he was of Hindu 
descent though of the Muhammadan religion. He became a servant of 
Sinha Deva who, however, died shortly afterwards. Sinha Deva was 
succeeded by Rinchina Deva who made Shah Mirza his wazir and the 
tutor of his son Chandar. Rinchina Deva died in 1318 A. D. and he 
was succeeded by a relative of his named Udyana Deva who came from 
Kandahar. This Maharajah made Shah Mirza his wakil and his two 
sons Jamshed and All Sher received appointments. Shah Mirza had 
two other sons Sarashanak and Hindal. These also obtained power and 
office. Too late Udyana Deva found out his mistake. The father and 
four sons grew daily in wealth and power. The Maharajah was a mere 
cypher in the land. At last in 747 A. D. he died. His widow Kotah 
Rani desired Shah Mirza to put Chandar his pupil and the son of 
Rinchina Deva on the throne, and himself to hold the reins of govern¬ 
ment as before. He did not obey. She raised an army and went 
anainst him and w T as defeated and taken prisoner. She at length con- 
sented to marry Shah Mirza and to become a Muhammadan. One day 
and one night she spent as his wife. The next day she was seized and 
sent to prison. And then Shah Mirza, causing coins to he struck , and 
the khutba to be read, in his own name ascended the throne with the 
* General Cunningham says in a letter received from him, 11th May 1884, 
“ I have ascertained by actual assay that the so-called silver Hindu coins of Kash¬ 
mir do not contain even the faintest trace of silver. They are simple white brass, 
made of zinc and copper.” 
