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Auction: 13019 - North East Indian Coins from the Nicholas Rhodes Collection
Lot: 137

Tripura, Krishna Manikya (1760-61 & 1767-83), Tanka, 10.63g, Sk 1682, lion facing left, standard above, date below and to the right, within circle and border of circles each with a bead, rev. in four lines: Śiva Durga/ Pade Śri Śri/ Yuta Krishna/ Manikya Devah in square with ornaments outside, lingam at top (RB. 252; KM. 227), possible trace of mount on edge, very fine, very rare


After ruling for a couple of years, Indra Manikya was overthrown and replaced, in around 1746, by Vijaya Manikya II, of whom no coins are known. Tripura, however, soon came under the domination of a Muslim rebel, Shamsher Ghazi, who, having made himself ruler of the plains area of Tripura, proceeded to plunder Udaipur, the capital, and then declare himself ruler of the whole state. As the people refused to acknowledge him as king, he installed Lakshmana Manikya as a puppet ruler, but afterwards apparently ruled in his own name until captured by the Nawab of Murshidabad and executed. This allowed the return of the Tripura royal family in the form of Krishna Manikya who had take refuge in Kachar. Soon after, however, in around 1761, as a result of a revenue collection dispute, which was referred to the Nawab, by now under the control of the British, the latter decided to annex Tripura. This they did, although control remained nominally in the hands of the Nawab for the time being. The Nawab placed Balaram Manikya on the throne. He must have been ineffectual as the situation in the hills, where the capital was, remained confused, until Krisha managed to regain the throne in 1767, with the help of the British Governor of Bengal.

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Sold for
£480