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Auction: 13019 - North East Indian Coins from the Nicholas Rhodes Collection
Lot: 373

Assam, Lakshmi Simha, octagonal Rupee, 11.27g, Ahom script, dated the first year (of the 60 year cycle), khut/ si Leng-do/n heu chiu, rev. siu-/nyeo-pha/ Nyam-mong lak-/ni Kap-cheu, winged lion below, running left (RB. Q2.1; KM. 182B), good very fine, very rare

The death of RajeŚvara Simha in 1769 led to a succession dispute between those supporting Rudra Simha's youngest son, Lakshmi Simha and those supporting RajeŚvara's son. In the meantime, power was in the hand of the Borbarua, one of the five councillors of state, who, on one occasion, seriously offended the Moamaria Gosain, a caste of Assamese Brahmins who were devotees of Vishnu and bore a grudge against the Ahom rulers. The Moamarias rebelled, captured the Ahom capital, and placed their own king on the throne in the form of Ramakanta Simha. A few coins of this king are known and one will feature in the second of the Rhodes north-east India auctions. The Moamaria rebellion was soon quelled and, in 1770, Lakshmi Simha retook possession of the throne and issued some Ahom-legend coins, with their invocation toPha Lengdon.

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Sold for
£950