subject: Learn About History Of Mashad Before You Order A Tour To Iran [print this page] History of Mashad is all about the transformation of a small village to a flourishing city it is today. It dates back to 9th century when it was known by the name of Sanabad. The governor of Khorasan called Hamid ibn Qahtabi had a summer palace in this place. When the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid was passing through this town in 808, he became sick and died. The region under the Hamid ibn Qahtabi palace served as the burial ground of this caliph.
Imam Ali al-Reza was also killed by Al-Ma'mun in 818 and was laid to rest alongside the grave of Harun under the palace. This area was then given the name Mashad al-Riza which means, the place of the martyrdom of Ali al-Riza. It became a pilgrimage center for the Shias. The 9th century witnessed the building of a dome on the grave along with many other buildings and bazaars beside it.
Growth of the City
History of Mashad shows that the region came into prominence mainly after the Mongols invaded the country in 1220. Many big cities in the Greater Khorasan area were destroyed but Mashad was untouched. This led to the people from nearby places shifting to this town. Accounts of Ibn-e Batuta, the world famous traveler, reveal that in the year 1333, this place was overflowing with streams, fruit trees and mills.
He wrote about the dome on the mausoleum and about colored tiles on the walls. With the beginning of the Shahrokh era, this city became very important under the Timurid dynasty. His wife, Goharshad supervised the making of a beautiful mosque alongside the shrine. You can still see this mosque today when you take a tour to Iran.
Religious Center
The rule of the Timurid dynasty came to an end when Husayn Bayqarah died leading to the establishment of the Safavid dynasty under Shah Ismail I. When Shah Abbas came to the throne, the city was attacked by the Uzbeks, but Shah Abbas again regained control over Mashad in 1597 after vanquishing the Uzbeks in a fierce battle near Herat. The importance of the city grew as a pilgrimage center according to the history of Mashad under Shah Abbas I.
The renovation, reconstruction and also construction of various sections of this shrine compound have been continuing till today. At present, the physical extent of the structure supersedes the great mosque of Mecca.
by: Rahman Mehraby
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