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As far
as mythology is concerned, the primary construction of
parts of Yazd, such as Meibod, has been ascribed to
prophet Solomon, while Yazd city and Abarkouh are believed
to have been founded by Zahhak(a mythological king) and
prophet Abraham, respectively. Stone hand-tools discovered
in Shirkouh valleys, drawings engraved on a boulder in
Mount Ernan, and pieces of engraved tiles discovered in
Meibod’s Narain Castle, which researchers believe belong
to Elamite era are all indicative of Yazd’s very rich
heritage handed down from an ancient and well-rooted
culture and civilization.
Yazd’s
own civilization began flourishing at the outset of the
agriculture era in four main areas including Mehriz and
Fahraj,Yazd, Rostaq and Meibod and maybe Abarkouh region.
These regions, which were along the ancient Rey-Kerman
Highway, were considered as part of the remote territories
of the Mede Empire in the ancient times.
In
Achaemenid Monarch, the region enjoyed well-established
routs, roads, maintenance posts, postal service and
horse-changing centers. Yazd was mainly as a trade transit
route. There are evidences of the worship of sun and the
sun goddess, Anahita, by the region’s inhabitants long
before the dissemination of neo-Zoroastrian religion.
The
region was conquered by Arab in the 8th century AD and as
of the second half of the same century, some Arab from
Bani-Tamim and Bani-Amer entered Yazd and resided in a
place later known as “Arabs’ Neighborhood”.
Later,
in 1033 AD, Seljuk Toqrol exchanged Yazd and Abarkouh for
Isfahan, with Zahiruddin Abou Mansour Faramarz Kakoui.
Kakoui Dynasty rulers embarked on many useful projects and
made considerable efforts in developing the city and
attending to public welfare. They built numerous schools
and subterranean canals to irrigate the city’s quarters
and small towns around it.
During
Alaoddoleh Kakoui’s region, a rampart was erected around
the city for the first time. Also, four ironclad gates
were placed at four entrances to the city. The last of
Kakoui Dynasty’s rulers, Amir Faramarz, established a
village around Abrandabad, which was later known as the
Faramarz Gerd.
It was
during Sultan Qotbeddin’s rule, when Mongol conqueror
Genghiz Khan invaded Iran. Qotbeddin accepted the Mongol
domination and his successors were reinstated in Yazd as
Mongol appointees and they thus saved the city from
destruction with their competence and political acumen.
Since Iran’s southern provinces had fallen to Mongol
Conquerors by then, Yazdi commodities could reach beyond
Iran’s southern waters, especially, India. Yet, the only
problem was the safety of routes leading to target
markets.
The
situation of Yazd on the desert’s margin was frightening
to caravans as they would be subject to bandits’ attacks
from every direction while passing that route. Mongol
rulers then appointed Sharafoddin Mozaffar, father of Amir
Mobarezeddin Mohammad, to put down the bandits’ threat.
He took the challenge with all of his might and suppressed
the bandits to the point that according to a book entitled
Majmaal-Ansab. He would deliberately leave bags if gold
and silver on passageways and no one dared touch them!
Within the century that Mongol ruled Iran, Yazd expanded
two-fold and was turned into a political center under
Mozaffar dynasty, especially during the time of its
founder, Amir Mobarezeddin Mohammad. It has been reported
that Mozaffar’s Family rulers were Arab, who had
migrated to Iran in the early days of Islam, and had
resided in Khorasan’s Khaph region.
Though
Mozaffar Dynasty’s rule was suppressive towards people
in other regions, it was rather tolerant to the people of
Yazd. As such, Yazd’s culmination of material and
cultural development occurred during the same era. The
number of schools built in Yazd at the time was totally
unrivalled compared to that of any other area across Iran.
This cultural development expanded to the point, which won
the title “House of Knowledge” for the city. Various
branches of knowledge and sciences were taught in Yazd’s
schools. It should be noted that mysticism saw a very
prosperous era across the province during the region of
Mozaffar’s Family.
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