Book of Travels by Nasir-i Khusrau

Background and Biography

Background and Biography

Excerpts

English from Le Strange (1890)

• from Le Strange (1890:306-307)

The next account of Ramlah is from the Diary of Nasir-i- Khusrau, who visited the city in 1047. He writes :

Sunday, the day of the new moon of the month of Ramadan (March i), we came to Ramlah. From Cassarea to Ramlah is 8 leagues. Ramlah is a great city, with strong walls built of stone, mortared, of great height and thickness, with iron gates opening therein. From the town to the sea-coast is a distance of 3 leagues. The inhabitants get their water from the rainfall, and in each house is a tank for storing the same, in order that there may always be a supply. In the middle of the Friday Mosque, also, is a large tank ; and from it, when it is filled with water, anyone who wishes may take. The area of the mosque measures 200 paces by 300 paces. Over one of its porches is an inscription, stating that on Muharram 15, of the year 425 (December 10, 1033), there was an earthquake^* of great violence, which threw down a large number of buildings, but that no single person sustained any injury. ... (N. Kh., 21.)

Footnotes

* This earthquake is mentioned by the Arab annalists, who stale that a third of Ramlah was thrown down, the mosque in particular being left a mere heap of ruins. See p. 101.

English from Le Strange (1890) - embedded

• see two thrids of the way down page 306 starting with The next account of Ramlah
• from Le Strange (1890:306-307)
• from archive.org

Chronology

Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
10 December 1033 CE	15 Muharram A.H. 425	none	Calculated using CHRONOS 10 December 1033 CE fell on a Monday (calculated using CHRONOS) Agrees with date supplied by Le Strange

Seismic Effects

• there was an earthquake of great violence, which threw down a large number of buildings, but that no single person sustained any injury.

Locations mentioned

• Ramla

Online Versions and Further Reading

References