Early Travels in Palestine: Comprising the Narratives of Arculf, Willibald, Bernard, Sæwulf, Sigurd, Benjamin of Tudela, Sir John Maundeville, de la Brocquière, and Maundrell
History
Early Travels in Palestine: Comprising the Narratives of Arculf, Willibald, Bernard, Sæwulf, Sigurd, Benjamin of Tudela, Sir John Maundeville, de la Brocquière, and Maundrell
Middle East -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Palestine -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
Four miles from thence begins Khuzistan, the Elam of Scripture, a large
province, which, however, is but partially inhabited, a portion of it
lying in ruins. Among the latter are the remains of Shushan[238], the
metropolis and palace of king Ahasuerus, which still contains very large
and handsome buildings of ancient date. It has seven thousand Jewish
inhabitants, with fourteen synagogues; in front of one of which is the
sepulchre of Daniel, who rests in peace. The river Ulai divides the city
into two parts, which are connected by a bridge; that portion of it
which is inhabited by the Jews contains the markets, to which all trade
is confined, and there all the rich dwell; on the other side of the
river they are poor, because they are deprived of the above-named
advantages, and have even no gardens or orchards. These circumstances
gave rise to jealousy, which was fostered by the belief that all honour
and riches originated in the possession of the remains of the prophet
Daniel, who rests in peace, and who was buried on the favoured side of
the river. A request was made by the poor for permission to remove the
sepulchre to the other side, but it was rejected; upon which a war
arose, and was carried on between the two parties for a length of time;
this strife lasted until "their souls become loath," and they came to a
mutual agreement, by which it was arranged that the coffin which
contained Daniel's bones should be deposited alternately every year on
either side. Both parties faithfully adhered to this arrangement, until
it was interrupted by the interference of Sanjar Shah ben Shah[239], who
governs all Persia, and holds supreme power over forty-five of its
kings. This prince is called in Arabic Sultan-al-Fars-al-Khabir (Supreme
Commander of Persia), and his empire extends from the banks of the
Shat-el-Arab to the city of Samarkand and the Kizil Ozein, inclosing the
city of Nishapur, the cities of Media, and the Chaphton mountains, and
reaches as far as Thibet, in the forests of which country that quadruped
is found which yields the musk. The extent of his empire is four months
and four days' journey. When this great emperor, Sanjar king of Persia,
came to Shushan and saw that the coffin of Daniel was removed from one
side to the other, he crossed the bridge with a very numerous retinue,
accompanied by Jews and Mohammedans, and inquired into the reason of
those proceedings. Upon being told what we have related, he declared it
to be derogatory to the honour of Daniel, and commanded that the
distance between the two banks should be exactly measured, that Daniel's
coffin should be deposited in another coffin, made of glass, and that it
should be suspended from the centre of the bridge by chains of iron. A
place of public worship was erected on the spot, open to every one who
desired to say his prayers, whether he be Jew or Gentile; and the coffin
of Daniel is suspended from the bridge unto this very day. The king
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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