An excerpt from the Safar-nama of Nasir Khusraw:
“Passing from there, we encountered a steep descent. Three leagues farther was a village belonging to Tehran called Barz al-Khayr. It was tropical and had many pomegranate and fig trees, most of which grew untended. We passed on. There was a river called the Shahrud, on the banks of which was a village called Khandan, where a toll was levied for the Duke, who was one of the Daylamite Kings. As this river passes through this village, it joins with another river called Safidrud. When these two rivers have united, the water flows down into a valley to the east of the Gilan Mountains, then on to Gilan itself, and finally empties into the Caspian Sea. They say that fourteen hundred rivers spill into the Caspian, the circumference of which is said to be twelve hundred leagues. In the midst of the sea there are islands with many inhabitants, as I heard from many people. But let me return to my own story.
From Khandan to Shamiran, there are three leagues of rocky wilderness. Shamiran is the entrepôt of Taram. Beside the city is a high fortress, the foundation of which is laid on solid granite. It is surrounded by three walls and in the middle of the fortress is a water channel connected to the river, the water of which is drawn up into the fortress. There are a thousand sons of provincial aristocracy kept inside that fortress so that no one can rise up in rebellion. It is said that the Prince has many such fortresses in Daylam and that he rules with such complete justice and order that no one is able to take anything from anyone else. When the men go to the mosque on Friday, they all leave their shoes outside and no one steals them. The Prince signs himself thus on paper: “Ward of the march of Daylam. The Gil of Gilan, Abu-Salih, client to the Prince of the Faithful.” His name is Justan, son of Ibrahim.
In Shamiran I saw a good man from Darband whose name was Abu’l-Fazl Khalifa, son of Ali the Philosopher. He was a worthy fellow and displayed much generosity and nobility of character to us. We discoursed together, and a friendship sprang up between us. “Where do you intend to go from here?” he asked me. “My intention is to make the pilgrimage,” I said. “What I desire,” he replied, “is that on your return journey you pass through here so I may see you again.”
On the twenty-sixth of Muharram 437 AH [August 2, 1046] I left Shamiran.”
Source: W. Wheeler McIntosh Thackston, ed. tr. (2010). Nasir-i Khusraw’s Book of Travels. Mazda Publishers, Costa Mesa, CA; p. 5-6.
Daylaman is a district and town in Gilan, located at the elevation of about 2,000 m on the Northern slope of Western Alborz, east of the Safidrud River. Many ancient sites, including cemeteries, are found in the district. All the tombs so far excavated have been tentatively assigned to two general periods: from the end of the Bronze Age to the early Iron Age (late 2nd millennium BCE) and from the late Achaemenid through to the Sasanian period.
The remote origins of the Daylamites are uncertain; however, the area was once inhabited by a robust and enterprising race of men ready to emigrate or serve abroad. The geographical term ‘Daylam’ followed the shape of Daylamite expansion in the 10th century and came to comprise many other neighbouring lands. There may have been some Zoroastrians and Christians in Daylam, but practically nothing is known about the other Daylamites.
Arab conquest of Daylaman: In the historical sources, numerous Muslim raids on Daylaman are mentioned summarily but little detailed information is offered. Qazvin was a strong Muslim establishment in the South; however, Daylamites successfully resisted early Arab efforts to conquer the land. Al-Baladhuri and other Muslim historians mention seventeen Muslim expeditions into Daylam, from the time of the Caliph ‘Umar to that of al-Ma’mun. These are also reflected in Arabic poems. Nevertheless Daylam preserved its independence.
From early on, the inaccessible highlands of Daylam served as places of refuge for various ‘Alids fleeing from Abbasid persecution. The region was ruled by the Justanid dynasty from the end of the 2nd AH / 8th CE century, with their seat in the valley of Alamut. It was the Justanid ruler Wahsudan (d. 251 AH / 865 CE) who evidently constructed the fortress of Alamut. Later, the Zaydi ‘Alids simultaneously established their own rule over Daylam. Subsequently, the Musafirids, the Ziyarids of Tabaristan (modern-day Mazandaran) and Gurgan, and the Shi‘i Buyids ruled over various parts of Daylam.
The greater part of Central Daylam, including Daylaman, later called Rudbar (the region to the south of Lahijan and to the east of the Safidrud), and the valley of Alamut, was incorporated into the Nizari Ismaili state of Persia, with its seat at the fortress of Alamut. After the Mongol destruction of the Nizari state in 654 AH / 1256 CE, parts of Daylam came under the rule of various dynasties. The Nizaris continued to be active in Daylam during Ilkhanid and Timurid times. The entire region was eventually seized by Safavids, who uprooted the various local dynasties and put an end to remaining Nizari influence in Daylam.
Daftary, Farhad. Historical dictionary of the Ismailis. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2012.
Daftary, Farhad. A short history of the Ismailis. Princeton, NJ: M. Wiener, 1998.
Hunsberger, Alice C. Nasir Khusraw, the ruby of Badakhshan. London: I. B. Tauris, 2000.
Willey, Peter. Eagle's Nest: The Ismaili Castles of Iran and Syria. London: I.B. Tauris, 2005.
“Daylaman”. Encyclopaedia Iranica Online. 2011.
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/deylaman [accessed June 2013]
“Alamut”. Encyclopaedia Iranica Online, 2011.
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/alamut-valley-alborz-northeast-of-qazvin- [accessed June 2013]
Daftary, Farhad. “Introduction,” The Assassin Legends: Myths of the Isma‘ilis. London, IB Tauris, 1994; reprinted 2001; p. 1-7.
http://www.iis.ac.uk/SiteAssets/pdf/assassin_legends.pdf [accessed June 2013]
