Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Philosopher and physician BuAli Sina (Avicenna or Ibn Sina) lives primarily in Ha-
madan and Esfahan and publishes 250 books including the
Canon Medicinae
, used in
European universities until the 17th century.
1051
Nomad Turks from Central Asia, the Seljuks (1051-1220) sweep across Persia and cre-
ate an empire reaching east to Syria, Palestine and the gates of Byzantine Con-
stantinople.
1079
In an observatory built by the Seljuks, mathematician and poet Omar Khayyam
(1048-1123) calculates the length of the year as 365.242198 days, preceding the
Gregorian calendar by almost 500 years.
1218
Mongol leader Genghis Khan's westward advance arrives with catastrophic results.
The Mongols take most Persian territories, raze cities including Tus and Nishabur and
slaughter tens of thousands.
1256
Hulagu Khan leads a second Mongol drive into the Middle East, destroying the power
of the Ishmaelite Assassins. The Ilkhanids rule from Maraghe, then Soltaniyeh, until
1335.
1271-95
Marco Polo crosses Iran while travelling to and from China, stopping in Tabriz,
Kashan, Yazd, Kerman, Hormoz, Bam, Tabas and Neishabur, among others.
1380
Tamerlane, the sword-happy Tatar, brutally takes control of Persia from a series of loc-
al rulers. Governing first from Samarkand, then Herat and Qazvin, the Timurids prove
great patrons of the arts.
1502
