Aurangzeb  (AH 1068-1118 / 1658-1707 AD), Silver Rupee, Qila Adoni Mint, 1098AH/30, Very Fine+, Exceedingly rare coin, Only three specimens known till date with one in Nagpur Museum and two in private collections. We are offering one of those two coins in our upcoming auction.

Aurangzeb was the first Mughal ruler to extend the Mughal territory into southern India. He spent the entire second half of his reign planning  and plotting against the Deccan rulers. He personally led the attack on Bijapur sultanate with an army of over one lakh. Mughals finally managed to capture Bijapur in 1686 AD. When Aurangzeb captured Bijapur capital in 12th September 1686, the fort of Adoni was controlled by Siddi Mausd  a powerful  governor of the Adil Shahi Sultanate and once a regent of Sultan Sikandar Adil Shah. After stepping down as regent of Bijapur in 1683 due to internal  political instability, he retired to Adoni and ruled it with a high degree of autonomy. 
Aurangzeb's primary objective was the complete annexation of the Bijapur Sultanate to the Mughal Empire and after capturing the Bijapur capital Aurangzeb set sight on various forts and territories under Bijapur rule, including Adoni. Aurangzeb despatched a powerful army to attack the fort of Adoni. An army led by Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner and Firoz Jung after a year long battle were finally able to subdue Siddi Masud who surrendered and later joined the Mughal forces. After the capture of the fort of Adoni coins were struck to commemorate the event and the fort and the surrounding area was renamed Imtiazgadh. Coins with this mint name were issued only for a year with all subsequent coins being struck with the mint name as Imtiazgadh making these coins very rare. The coins with the epithet Dar Ul Zafar – Advani are even more rare.