Malwa Sultanate, Ghiyath Shah (AH 873-906 /1469-1500 AD), Hadrat Shadiabad Mint (Mandu), Gold ½ Tanka, AH 879 (Retrograde), Struck on a broader flan, Obv: Arabic legend "abul fath Ghiyath Shah al sultan al khilji ba hadrat Shadiabad" 879 Hijri year retrograde, Rev: Arabic legend "al-sultan bin al sultan wali khalifat ahd waz zaman (fi al alamin)". (Wt: 5.54 gms, Dia: 19.85 mm), (Variant of GG # M63).

Ghiyath Shah and Shadiabad

High above the plains of central India, Mandu served as the capital of the Malwa Sultanate. Known also as Shadiabad, meaning “City of Joy,” it was a city of palaces, reservoirs and imposing gateways, protected by the steep slopes of its plateau. Its setting combined the security of a fortified capital with the beauty of a royal retreat a character particularly associated with the reign of Ghiyath Shah.

Ghiyath Shah succeeded his father, Mahmud Shah I, in 1469 AD. Having served as a military commander during his father’s reign, he was familiar with the demands of warfare. As Sultan, however, he followed a comparatively peaceful course. His long reign, conventionally dated 1469–1500 AD, became known for courtly life and cultural pursuits rather than continual territorial expansion. This relative stability provided the setting for the refined court culture remembered in Mandu’s architecture and illustrated manuscripts.

Among the monuments associated with Ghiyath Shah is the Jahaz Mahal, or “Ship Palace.” Standing between two reservoirs, its long, narrow structure creates the impression of a vessel resting upon the water. Its terraces, pavilions and waterside setting reflect the importance of leisure and carefully planned surroundings in the royal life of Mandu. The palace remains one of the most recognisable architectural expressions of the city’s reputation as Shadiabad.

An especially vivid glimpse into this world survives in the Ni‘matnama, commonly known as the “Book of Delights.” Begun for Ghiyath Shah and continued under his son and successor, Nasir Shah, this illustrated manuscript records recipes and preparations associated with the royal household. Its subjects include food, perfumes and other pleasures of courtly life. The paintings show the Sultan surrounded by attendants as dishes and preparations are presented, offering an unusually intimate view of a late medieval Indian court.

The manuscript is also significant for its artistic character. Persian influences appear alongside Indian features, reflecting the meeting of traditions at the Malwa court. Through its text and illustrations, the Ni‘matnama preserves details of taste, dress and royal ceremony that accounts of battles and successions rarely capture. It allows Ghiyath Shah’s Mandu to be understood as a place of artistic exchange and cultivated enjoyment, as well as a centre of political authority.

Viewed alongside Mandu’s surviving monuments and manuscripts, they provide another tangible connection to his reign. For the collector, their appeal extends beyond the royal inscriptions, they recall the court of Shadiabad, where the authority of a Sultan and the pleasures of the “City of Joy” formed part of the same historical world.

This half tanka is struck on an unusually broad flan and represents an entirely new type. It features a retrograde date, a characteristic previously unlisted in the Goron and Goenka catalogue. Struck in impressive high relief, this alluring gold tanka displays finely defined details, delicate underlying mint lustre and a rich, frosted appearance, lending it exceptional visual appeal graded NGC MS 62, Top Pop, Extremely Rare.