‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎174r] (352/722)

Despite the numerous invasions and bloody revolutions^ of which the past
history of Mashhad is so full, there are a few ancient monuments outside
its sacred quarter. In the old bazar in the heart of the town is a mosque,
called the mosque of the Shah. Above its aivan, are the fairly well
preserved remains of averse of the Kuran, at the end of which you read:
“Year A.H. 1119. ^ The edges of this wall to the right and left were
formerly adorned with an inscription, of which hut little trace remains.
To the right side can be deciphered : “The work of Ahmad, son of Shams-
uddin Muhammad, architect of Tabriz.'” To the left are a few words,
which conclude an effaced sentence, after which you read: “A.H. 855.”
To the north of the sacred quarter is rather a poor mosque, known as
‘ Pir-i-Palanduz/ signifying ‘ The old camel-saddler.'’ The inscription
states that this edifice was built, by order of Sultan Muhammad Khudabandi,
in A.H. 985. Not far from this, at the end of the street which leads from
Sahan to the Katal-Gah, to the right, is a beautiful sepulchral flagstone,
placed near a small mosque, on which is the following inscription: “Ac
cording to the verse of the Kuran, which states that all things living are
subject to death. The pilgrim of the two temples Taki of Karman died and
was buried here during the reign of Shah Suliman in A.H. 1078.” Opposite
the fort, to the east of the large square, is the mosque Gumbaz-i-Shaikh
Mumin, much frequented by dervishes. It bears no inscription; but the
Shaikh is supposed to have died in it, A.H. 901. On the borders of the
canal, near the western gate, rises the mosque of Shah Abbas, built A.H.
1082. Nearly facing this edifice was formerly the tomb of Nadir Shah, who
had built it at great expense during his life. But the eunuch Agha Muhammad
Khan had this monument razed to the ground, disinterred the remains of
his illustrious predecessor, and had them placed at the entrance of the Tihran
palace. His dishonoured grave is now only marked by the mins of the edifice
that once sheltered it from the elements.
Mashhad has fourteen universities. The most ancient bears the name of
‘ Dodar.’ The inscription on it states'that it was founded during the
reign of Shah Rukh in the year A.H. 828. The second is that of Khairat
Khan, founded during the reign of Shah Abbas II. in A.H. 1058. The third,
that of Mfrza Jafar, is in the sacred quarter and was built in A.H. 1059.
The fourth, the madrassah of Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. , was built in A.H. 1076 during the
reign of Shah Suliman. Six others were founded here during his reign. That
of Abbas Kuli Khan and Pain pa in A.H. 1078; that of Mulla Muham
mad Bajhir in A.H. 1083; those of Irnazar and Bholizar, founded by
Mirza Saad-uddin in A.H. 1001 ; and, finally, that of Hap Hassaip the
date of which is not accurately known. The three last,—that of Suliman
Khan, Mirza Taj, and Ali Naki Mirza,—do not bear the dates of their
construction, and are not very flourishing. The number of puprls in these
schools is not large, and there are no men of note among the proiessors.
Mashhad has sixteen caravansarais, which are the caiavansaiais of the
inhabitants of Kashan, Derond and Kasvin ; those of Salai, Riza, Kuli
Mirza, Kumuk, Zamburakchi, Badalkhan, the Imam Jumi, Gandumabad,
and Zungal, which signifies, “ The caravansarai of colliers.. Foui aie in the
sacred quarter. That of the Sultan, built during* the xeign of Shah Tama-
sib son of Shah Ismail; that of Mir Muin Riaz, the Dar-us-Zawar, built
durino' the reio-n of Shah Suliman in A.H. 1091 ; and, finally, that of Shah
Yardi Khan, built in A.H. 1091, also in Shah Suliman. This, last caravan-
sarai is noted for a long inscription engraved on a tablet, in which the