Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/177
The Fourth Book
of the
Travels
of
Monsieur TAVERNIER:
Being, A
Description
of
PERSIA.
CHAP. I.
Of the Extent of Persia, and its division into Provinces.
Persia, according to the present State of the Empire, to the North is bounded by the Caspian Sea; Southward, by the Ocean; Eastward it joyns to the Territories of the Great Mogul; Westward, to the Dominions of the Grand Signor; the two Empires being parted by the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates.
But that you may the better understand the full extent of the Dominions of the Persian King, you are to know, That this great Monarch, besides that Tract of Ground which is properly call'd Persia, possesses a vast part of the ancient Assyria and the great Armenia, the ancient Kingdoms of the Parthians and Medes, the Kingdom of Lar, the Kingdom of Ormus, and all Eastward of Persia beyond Candahar, almost as far as the Kingdom of Scindi.
But because those Europeans that have Travel'd before me, either were not so curious, or had not perhaps the opportunity to learn the true number of the Provinces that compose the whole Continent of Persia, I have undertak'n, though the Persians themselves are ignorant enough, to give the best account I can, finding it necessary for the better satisfaction of the Reader, to take some notice of the Names of Places according to the ancient Geography.
The first is the Great Armenia, which our Maps without any ground or reason at all call Turcomannia; in regard they might have more properly call'd it Ermenick in general, since the Inhabitants are the greatest part Armenians. That part whereof which is situated between the two Rivers of Araxes and Cyrus, at this day call'd Aras and Kur, by the Natives is call'd Iran, or Cara-bag, being one of the most beautiful, and richest pieces of Land in all Persia; the principal Cities of which are Erivan, Nacksivan, Zulpha, and Van.
The