One of the most important Turkmen principalities founded in Anatolia right after the Manzikert (Malazgirt) Victory (1071) is undoubtedly the Mengüjekids. Information from written sources about this principality, which played a very active role in the Turkization and Islamization of Anatolia, is not sufficient. It is known that this principality, which was founded in Erzincan, was divided into two branches in 536/1142, between two brothers after the death of Mengüjekid malik Ishaq. While the younger brother, Suleiman, took over the rule of Divriği, Davud ascended to the throne in Erzincan. Fakhr al-Dîn Bahrâmshâh, who came to the throne in Erzincan after the death of Davud, is one of the most famous and important figures of this principality. Although he succeeded in retaining his rule over Erzincan and its vicinity for more than sixty years and some primary sources pointed out his wealth, in general medieval historical sources were not very generous about his political life. In fact, they have particularly focused on his active roles in two political incidents. One of them is the tension and strife between the Seljuk sultan Kilidj Arslan II (550-588 / 1155- 1192) and his son, Kutb al-Dîn Melikshâh, who ruled in Sivas on behalf of his father; the other is the superior heroism of Bahrâmshâh in the military expedition of Georgia (599/1202-3), commanded by Rukn al-Dîn Suleimanshâh II. The attitude that he took in these cases gives us clues that Mengüjekid malik was not a passive character indeed in his time. In the first case, he undertook the role of mediator between the Seljuk sultan and his son. In this incident, the acceptance of his demand for the transfer of the famous Seljuk vizier Ikhtiyar al-Dîn Hasan to Erzincan for the purpose of arresting him, who Bahrâmshâh considered responsible for the tension between the sultan and the prince, shows that Mengüjekid malik had prestige in the Seljuk dynasty. Primary sources state that the Mengüjekid malik was the son-in-law of the Seljuk sultan Kilidj Arslan II, and also he had strengthened his political ties with the Seljuk court by marrying his daughters to members of the Seljuk dynasty. These marital ties and the moderate policy against the Seljuk dynasty must have allowed him to continue his rule for so long. In the second case, Behrâmşâh, who unconditionally joined the military expedition of Georgia, was captured by the Georgians. His heroism in this war and his devotion to the Seljuk dynasty took place in the sources.

Apart from these political events, in the al-Avamir al-’ala’iyya fi’l-umuri’l-’ala’iyya penned by the famous Rûm Seljuk historian Ibn Bîbî, and in the Mahzan al-asrâr, personally presented by the Azerbaijani poet Nizâmî Ganjavî to the Mengüjekid malik, there are very striking anecdotes about the richness and generosity of Fakhr al-Dîn Bahrâmshâh. Nizâmî praises him with pompous sentences and uses expressions about him such as the courageous, the hero, the mighty, the wise, the generous, the dignified, the victorious and the supreme. The records of Ibn Bîbî also confirm the words of the Iranian poet. He emphasizes his kindness, mercy, morality, justice, compassion and generosity, and shows that he was sensitive to participating in weddings and mournings in the capital city Erzincan. If he could not attend these occasions, he sent food from his court’s kitchen. Even a dress to the groom from camehâne-i saltana (the imperial dresshouse) and a wedding dress to the bride from the Harem, were presented as a gift during his rule.

Ibn Bîbî also mentions the jaiza (gift for a poem of praise) presented to Nizâmî by Mengüjekid malik for his book Mahzan al-asrâr. According to the author, when the book was presented, the poet was given five thousand gold dinars and five esters (rahvan mules), five horses with harnesses, a precious hilat, precious dresses, rare ornaments, engraved jewelery. This amount is, of course, very high for a person who is the ruler of a branch of a small principality.

Two different types of newly discovered gold coins struck by Bahrâmshâh add extra value to this study. In the light of available numismatic findings, these gold dinars show that the Mengüjekid malik Fakhr al-Dîn Bahrâmshâh was the earliest Turkish ruler who struck gold coins in Anatolia, apart from the Seljuk sultans. In other words, until recently, any gold coin minted by the Artuqid, Saltukid and Danishmendid Turkmen begs has not been found. These unique dinars, which were put up for sale in some auctions in the USA and Europe, have never been involved in any coin catalogues or academic studies. The first of these types of coins was imitated from the gold coins of Fatimid caliph al-Mustansir-Billâh (429-487 / 1038- 1094) which were minted in Misr, Sûr, Tripoli and Damascus in 439/1047-8. On the obverse, the name, title and generation (nasab) of Mengüjekid malik are clearly seen. As for the reverse, it is almost identical to its original one.

The second type of coin was produced from the gold dinars of Salâh al-Dîn Ayyûbî (567-589 / 1171-1193), which were minted in Cairo and Alexandria between the years of 576-579 / 1180-1183. The obverse is the same as the previous gold coin of the malik, and the inscription on the reverse is not touched. There is no date or mint name on both coins. However, considering that the originals of the second type of coins began to be minted by Salâh al-Dîn since 576/1180, it is clear that at least this type of Mengüjekid dinars were struck after this date. As for the mint place, it should be the capital of Erzincan. In fact, it is possible to find the mint names of ‘Erzincan’ and ‘madinat-i Erzincan’ on copper coins struck also by Bahrâmshâh.

It is unclear how the dinars, which were inspired by the Mengüjekid malik, passed into his hands. However, at least his contemporary Salâh al-Dîn’s dinars traveled far from their production site in the course of trade. It may also be thought that the coins of al-Mustansir-Billâh were still in circulation in the local markets, even though they were produced over a century ago. It is very difficult to make some inferences on the socio-economic structure of the principality, since we do not know where, how  and what amounts of these coins, which have reached Europe by smuggling, were found. But at least they are very useful to confirm the records that emphasize the richness, generosity and power of Fakhr al-Dîn Bahrâmshâh in the primary sources.