Bagdad

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Bagder, or Bagdad, a Town of Asia upon the River Tygris, and in the Province of Hurac or Yerac, where the ancient Seleucci was. Bagdet joyns a Suburb by a Bridge of Boats, where, according to the Tradition of the Country. the Town was formerly built, which Situation destroys the Opinion of those that call it Babylon; for the ancient Babylon was on the Euphrates, whereas this is upon the Tigris, where Seleucia stood. The Arabians call it Dar-al-Sani, that is, the Place of Peace. It's three Miles in Circuit; its Walls are all Brick, Tarrassed in several Places, and defended with Towers, in Form of great Bastions, on which are Sixty Pieces of Canon. The Grand Signior keeps a Garison of Five thousand Men in a Castle which stands in a Corner of the Town on the Water-side. The Basha is generally chosen among the Viziers: The Cadi or Judge does the Functions of a Mufti. There are Five Mosques in the Town, whereof Two are very sumptuous and remarkable for their Domes, covered with Tiles varnished with different Colours. There are Ten Carvanseras, and several Bazars or Market-Places, all vaulted and covered over head to keep off the scorching Heat. Bagdet is much resorted to from all Sides, both for Commerce and Devotion, for all the Persians hold, that their Prophet Ali lived there; and here dwell two sorts of Mahometans, whereof some observe Mahomet's Law, according to the Alcoran; the rest are a particular Sect, called Rafedis. The Christian Inhabitants are most Nestorians and Jacobites. There are also Jews and a great many more come thither every year to visit the Tomb of the Prophet Ezekiel, which is a Day and a halfs Journey hence. The Turks made themselves Masters of this Town in 1638, when the King of Persia was taken up in his War against the Mogul. Three Leagues off Bagdat, at an equal distance between the Euphrates and Tigris, are to be seen the Ruines of a Tower, called by the Country People, that of Nimrod or Babel. But what the Arabians say, seems more probable, viz. that it was Built by an Arabian Prince as a Beacon or Light-Tower, to assemble his Subjects upon any pressing Occasion. Its Basis is Three hundred Paces round, and is but Twenty Braces high, built of Bricks baked in the Sun, whereof each is Ten Inches square, and three thick. It's hard to determine what Form it had, because the Ruines lay so confused, yet there is more reason to think that it was square than round Taverniers Voyage.