Abstract

This paper analyzes the presence of the Fatimid gold coins in al-Andalus and its link with the coinage of the taifa states, through a review of the hoards, from treasures to isolated pieces. This analysis allows to get a full view of the Fatimid gold coinage found in al-Andalus. Also allows to quantify and to establish the extent of the presence of this coinage. The Fatimid gold coinage is frequently treasured next to some taifa issues such as Valencia, Toledo or Zaragoza taifas. This study makes possible to point the historical moment when these coins were hoard. Most of them are from Sicily where they were minted in a moment when the Fatimids had no longer direct control of the island, and where the rubāʽas or quarter dinar predominated. In the Andalusian hoards, most of these coins were fractions of quarter dinar, in spite of the unit dinar that was the gold currency most used in Fatimid Empire. These fractional dinars should have been very valued during the 11th century in al-Andalus because of the quality of his alloy. The rubā‘as coexisted with the fractions of dinar strucked by the taifa kings and were treasured next to them.