History of Shiraz

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The city of Shiraz, Iran is more than 4000 years old.

Pre-Islamic times

Shiraz is founded in

Persian civilisation
. The earliest reference to Shiraz is on
Sassanid ruin, east of the city, (2nd century AD). As early as the 11th century several hundred thousand people inhabited Shiraz. Its size has decreased through the ages.[clarification needed
]

Achaemenid times.[2]

There is mention of a city at Shiraz during the

Hamdollah Mostowfi
confirmed the existence of pre-Islamic settlements in Shiraz.

Islamic period

The city became a provincial capital in 693, after the Arabs conquered

Buwayhid dynasty
(945 — 1055) made it their capital, building mosques, palaces, a library and an extended city wall.


The city was spared destruction by the invading

Hafiz the mystic Roozbehan and the philosopher Mulla Sadra
.

Bazar of Shiraz as seen by Jane Dieulafoy in 1881

As early as the 11th century, several hundred thousand people inhabited Shiraz.[5] In the 14th century Shiraz had sixty thousand inhabitants.[6] During the 16th century it had a population of 200,000 people, which by the mid-18th century had decreased to only 50,000.

In 1504 Shiraz was captured by the forces of

Afghans and the rebellion of its governor against Nader Shah; the latter sent troops to suppress the revolt. The city was besieged for many months and eventually sacked. At the time of Nader Shah's murder in 1747 most of the historical buildings of the city were damaged or ruined, and its population fell to 50,000, a quarter of that of the 16th century.[3]

Shiraz soon returned to prosperity under the enlightened rule of

Agha Mohammad Khan, the founder of the Qajar dynasty, eventually came to power, he wreaked his revenge on Shiraz by destroying the city fortification and moving the national capital to Sari.[3] Although lowered to the rank of provincial capital, Shiraz maintained a level of prosperity as a result of the continuing importance of the trade route to the Persian Gulf and its governorship was a royal prerogative throughout the Qajar dynasty.[3]
many of the famous gardens, buildings and residences built during the nineteenth century, contribute to the actual outlook of the city.

Eram Garden

Shiraz is the birthplace of the founder of the short-lived Babi movement, the Báb (Sayyid `Ali-Muhammad Shirazi, 1819-1850). In this city, on the evening of 22 May 1844, he began discussions that led to his claiming to be an interpreter of the Qur'an, the first of several progressive claims between then and 1849. Since the Báb is considered a 'forerunner' of the Baháʼí Faith, Shiraz is a holy city for Bahá’ís, where the Báb's House (demolished in 1979 by the Islamic regime) was a putative pilgrimage site.

Further information:
1910 Shiraz blood libel

In 1910 a

Jewish quarter started after false rumours that the Jews had ritually killed a Muslim girl. In the course of the pogrom, 12 Jews were killed and about 50 were injured,[7] and 6,000 Jews of Shiraz were robbed of all their possessions.[8]

The city's role in trade greatly diminished with the opening of the trans-Iranian railway in the 1930s, as trade routes shifted to the ports in Khuzestan. Much of the architectural inheritance of Shiraz, and especially the royal district of the Zands, was either neglected or destroyed as a result of irresponsible town planning under the Pahlavi dynasty. Lacking any great industrial, religious or strategic importance, Shiraz became an administrative centre, although its population has grown considerably since the 1979 revolution.[9]

Recent history

Recently many historical sites in the city were renovated. But in 1979, the Islamic regime demolished the beautifully restored house that had belonged to Sayyid 'Ali Muhammad Shirazi, the Bab, and built a mosque on the site. The Shiraz International Airport is expanded.

Agriculture has always been a major part of the economy in and around Shiraz. This is partially due to a relative abundance of water compared to the surrounding deserts. The Gardens of Shiraz and "Evenings of Shiraz" are famous throughout Iran and the middle east. The moderate climate and the beauty of the city has made it a major tourist attraction.

Shiraz is also home to many

Esfahan Shiraz is one of the handful of Iranian cities with sizable Jewish populations and more than one active synagogue
.

The municipality of Shiraz and the related cultural institutions have promoted and carried out many important restoration and reconstruction projects through the city.

Hafiz.[3]

Timeline

Main article: Timeline of Shiraz

References

  1. ^ Cameron, George G. This is wrongTreasury Tablets, University of Chicago Press, 1948, pp. 115.
  2. ^ "Fárs and Shíráz"[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Shiraz". Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ (pdf file)
  5. ^ "Shiraz, Iran" Archived 2007-12-26 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ (Google book search)
  7. ^ Littman (1979), p. 14
  8. ^ Littman (1979), p. 12
  9. ^ Shiraz History - Shiraz Travel Guide - Lonely Planet

Bibliography

See also: Timeline of Shiraz § Bibliography
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