[645] Sultan Khalil, the Eiobbite. [646] Hesn Keyf. See p. 108. [647] Ajem. [648] Jemeleyn. [649] Kharput. [650] Alla-ed Douleh, named Becarbec. [651] See Angiolello, p. 108. [652] Kaisarieh. [653] Marash. See Zeno, p. 54. [654] El Bostan or Albistan. See Zeno, p. 54. [655] Kara Dagh, Black Mountain. [656] Malatia. [657] Tchimish Gazak. [658] Next page says 4000. [659] Kharput. [660] Nevruz, New Year’s day, at the vernal equinox. [661] Kashan. [662] Ispahan, which rose to its greatest prosperity under Shah Abbas. [663] Shiraz. [664] Caierbec, notorious for his treachery against Khafoor el Ghouri, the Soldan of Egypt, in his war with Selim I. See Angiolello, p. 122. [665] Sheibani Khan. See Zeno, p. 56. [666] Khorassan. [667] Herat. See Zeno, p. 56. [668] Astrabad, a city of about fifty thousand inhabitants, is situated near the mouth of the river Ester, on a bay of the Caspian. It is the capital of a small province of the same name often included in Mazanderan; it is also a treasure city of the reigning family, being the centre of their hereditary possessions. [669] Probably one of the ports of Mazanderan; perhaps Balfrush. Zeno. [670] Shirvan. [671] Kara Bagh Dagh, or Mountain of Kara Bagh. [672] Baku, after which the Caspian is sometimes named. [673] Derbend. See Zeno. [674] Probably the names of the twelve Imaums. [675] La Illaha illa Allah. Ismael Wely Allah. [676] Yezd. [677] Sheibani Khan. [678] The battle of Merv took place in 1514. [679] Bir or Birajik. [680] He does not mention the Turkish invasion of Persia, under Selim I, in 1514, which must have come under his notice, if, as he says, he remained in Tauris till 1520. NARRATIVE OF THE MOST NOBLE VINCENTIO D’ALESSANDRI, Ambassador to the King of Persia for the Most Illustrious Republic of Venice. VINCENTIO D’ALESSANDRI. [Sidenote: Introduction.] I have now undertaken to give an account to your most Illustrious Government of the regions and kingdoms which are in Persia, of the produce, of the character of the people, of the person of the king, and the qualities of his mind, the government of the Court, the manner and custom of determining the affairs of State, of things of importance in the administration of justice, of the revenue and expenditure, of the number and quality of the Sultans, who are nothing but commanders of the soldiery, and in fine of all that may appear to me worthy of your greatness. [Sidenote: Ismail, King of Persia, by breaking his word, seizes the kingdom.]