ÿþ<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=unicode"> <meta name="Author" content="Vassil Karloukovski"> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0"> <meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document"> <title>Hudud al-'Alam - 42</title> </head> <body> <font face="Palatino Linotype"> <b><font size=+1>Hudud al-'Alam, The Regions of the World</font></b> <br><b>V. Minorsky</b> <br>&nbsp; </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><img SRC="line_down.gif" height=18 width=596> <br>156&nbsp;&nbsp; <i>Hudud al-Alam</i>&nbsp;&nbsp; §§ 41-2 <br>&nbsp; </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><b>§ 42. Discourse on the Country of Rkm, its Provinces and Towns</b> </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">East of this country lie Armenia, the Sar+r, and the Aln (<i>al-Ln</i>); south of it, some parts of Syria, of the Rkm Sea, and of Spain; west of it, the Western Ocean; north of it, some Uninhabited Lands (<i>v+rn+</i>) of the North, some parts <br>37 a <br>| of the countries of the S</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">aqlb and Burj(n) (</font><i><font face="Palatino Linotype">ba'd</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">i&nbsp;h</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">udkd-i&nbsp;S</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">aqlb va ba'd</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">i nh</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">iyat-i Barj-st </i>[sic]), and some parts of the Khazar Sea (<i>dary-yi Khazarn</i>). This country is extremely vast; it abounds in amenities beyond description (<i>b+ andza</i>), and is extremely prosperous. It has many towns, villages, and great provinces, all with extensive fields, running waters, wealth, and troops. In it small lakes (<i>daryyak-h</i>), mountains, and very numerous fortresses (h</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype"><i>is</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">r</i>) and castles (qal'a) are found. It produces in great quantities brocades (<i>jma-yi d+b</i>), <i>sundus</i>-textiles (of silk), <i>maysn+</i>-(textiles?), carpets (t</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype"><i>anfasa</i>), stockings, and valuable trouser-cords. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">The provinces of Rkm are fourteen; three lie behind (<i>az pas</i>) the straits of Constantinople on their western side; and eleven provinces lie east of the straits. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">Those that lie westwards are as follows: </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">1. The first is&nbsp;T</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">BLN in which Constantinople is situated. The latter is the seat of the kings of Rkm and a place of great wealth. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">2. The other is MACEDONIA (<i>Maqadkniya</i>). Alexander of Rkm was a native of it. It lies by the Rkm Sea. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">3. The third is THRACE (<i>Thrqiya</i>, spelt: <i>Brqiya</i>) which lies by the Georgian Sea (<i>dary-yi Gurz</i>). </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">As regards the other eleven provinces which lie eastwards of the straits of Constantinople, they bear the following names: 4. THRACESION (spelt: <i>Brqs+s</i>); 5. OPSIKION (spelt:<i> Absyq</i>); 6. OPTIMATON (spelt: <i>Aft</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">mt</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype"></i>); 7. SELEUCIA (<i>Salkqiya</i>); 8. ANATOLICON (<i>Nt</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">l+q</i>); 9. BUCCELLARION (spelt: <i>Bqlr</i>); 10. PAPHLAGONIA (<i>Aflakhkniya</i>); 11. CAPPADOCIA (<i>Qabdhaq</i>, spelt: <i>Fydq</i>); 12. CHARSIANON (<i>Kharshana</i>?); 13. ARMENIACON (<i>Arminyq</i>); 14. CHALDIA (<i>Khldiya</i>). </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">Each of these provinces (themes) is vast and has numerous towns, </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><img SRC="line_down.gif" height=18 width=596> <br>§ 42&nbsp;&nbsp; <i>"The Regions of the World"</i>&nbsp;&nbsp; 157 </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">villages, castles, fortresses, mountains, running waters, and amenities. In each of these provinces lives a commander-in-chief (<i>siphsallr</i>) on behalf of the king of Rkm (<i>az&nbsp;n-i malik al-Rkm</i>), with numerous troops numbering from 3,000 men to 6,000 horse [sic] and (destined) to guard the province (<i>mar nigh dshtan-i nh</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">iyat r</i>). </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">In the days of old cities were numerous in Rkm (<i>andar Rkm skahr-i qad+m andar bisyr bkdh</i>, read: <i>andar qad+m</i> ?), but now they have become few. Most of the districts (<i>rust-h</i>) are prosperous and pleasant, and have (each) an extremely strong fortress (<i>bh</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">+s</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">r+ sakht bisyr ustuvr</i>), on account of the frequency of the raids (<i>tkhtan</i>) which the fighters for the faith (<i>ghziyn</i>) direct upon them. To each village appertains a castle (<i>qal'a</i>) where in time of flight [they may take shelter]. <a href="#157 1.">[1]</a> </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">And these provinces, with large villages, and whatever there is (in them) of towns, <a href="#157 2.">[2]</a> are such as we have represented them and shown on the Map (s</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">k<i>rat</i>). </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">15. GURZ (Georgia?) is also a province of Rum; most of its (population) live on small islands. By (?) the sea of Gurz they have a land (<i>shahr</i>) called Gurz which lies in Rkm on the coast of the said sea. <a href="#157 3.">[3]</a> All the customs (<i>akhlq</i>) of these people resemble exactly and in every respect (<i>rst ba-hama rky</i>) those of the people of Rkm (Rkmiyn). </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">16. BURJN, a province with a district (<i>shahr</i>) called Thrace (spelt: <i>B.rqiya</i>); it is a nourishing place, much favoured by nature but having little wealth (<i>khurram va bisyr-ni'mat va kam-khwsta</i>). Taking it altogether it is steppe and cultivated lands (<i>va d+gar hama&nbsp;s</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">ah</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">r-st va kisht-u-barz</i>). It is a prosperous place and has running waters. It is a part of Rkm and (its people) pay land-taxes (<i>kharj</i>) to the king of Rum. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">17. CHRISTIANIZED SLAVS (<i>al-S</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">aqliba al-mutanas</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">s</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">ira</i>), a province of Rkm, in which live the Slavs who have become Christians (S</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype"><i>aqlb+-yi tars gashta</i>). They pay land-taxes (<i>kharj</i>) to the king of Rkm. They are wealthy (<i>tuvangar</i>) people and their country is pleasant and safe. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">18. BULGHAR*, is the name of a people living on the mountain Bulghr+ (<i>qaum+-st bar kkh-i Bulghar+ nishinand</i>) to the north-west of Rkm. They are infidels (<i>kfir</i>). They too are Rkm+, but are <br>&nbsp; </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><a NAME="157 1."></a><font size=-1><b>1.</b> <i>K+ andar gur+khtan</i>. . . . Something omitted by the scribe: *<i>ba-nj pan-hand</i>.</font> </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><a NAME="157 2."></a><font size=-1><b>2.</b> The text is awkward: the words "villages" and "towns" ought to come in inverted order.</font> </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><a NAME="157 3."></a><font size=-1><b>3.</b> <i>Va b+shtar az vay andar jaz+ra-h-and khurd. Va andar</i> [sic] <i>dary-yi *Gurz&nbsp;+shn-ra shahr+-st k+ *Gurz khwnand va andar Rkm-ast bar karn-i&nbsp;+n dary</i>.</font> </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><img SRC="line_down.gif" height=18 width=596> <br>158&nbsp;&nbsp; <i>Hudud al-Alam</i>&nbsp;&nbsp; §§ 42-3 </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">perpetually at war with the other Rkm+s. These Bulghr+ are mountaineers, possessing fields and great numbers of cattle. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">This country of Rkm stretches westwards (<i>ba maghrib bikashad</i>) down to the Western Ocean, and its southern side (<i>sky</i>) marches with Spain. Towards <br>37 b <br>| the north it marches with the Uninhabited Lands of the North, and includes some (<i>pra-+</i>) deserts. In all the other places of Rkm there are no deserts; on the contrary (<i>ill</i>) cultivated lands (<i>bdhn+</i>) are everywhere. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">19. IFRANJA, a province of Rkm adjoining the Rkm Sea. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">20. RjMIYA (Rome), a town on the coast of this sea, belonging to Ifranja. In the days of old the seat of the kings of Rkm was in this Rkm+ya. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">21. *B.SKjN.S (Vascones, Basques), *GH.LJ.SK.S (the people of Jacá?), are two provinces between Ifranja and Spain. The (people) are Christians. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">22. BRITANNIA (Barit</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">+niya), the last land (<i>shahr</i>) of Rkm on the coast of the Ocean. It is an emporium (<i>brgh</i>) of Rkm and Spain. </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">From the limit of the straits (of Constantinople) down to Spain whatever is on the shore of the Sea of Rkm is called "the coast of Athens" (<i>sh</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">il-i Ath+ns</i>). </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">23. YjNN (Greece) was in the days of old a town of this Athens <a href="#158 1.">[1]</a> and all the sages and philosophers arose (<i>khsta</i>) from this region of Athens (<i>nh</font><font face="Arial Unicode MS">#</font><font face="Palatino Linotype">iyat-i A.</i>). <br>&nbsp; </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><a NAME="158 1."></a><font size=-1><b>1.</b> Shahr+ bkd az in Ath+ns. Perhaps: *Shahr bkd "was the country (belonging) to this (town) of Athens."</font> <br>&nbsp; </font> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">[<a href="hud_22_c.html">Previous</a>] [<a href="hud_42_c.html">Next</a>] <br>[<a href="index.html">Back to Index</a>] </font> </body> </html>