I. KAZVIN; then a flourishing city, though I know not why he calls it a
kingdom. Persian 'Irak, or the northern portion thereof, seems intended.
Previous to Hulaku's invasion Kazvin seems to have been in the hands of
the Ismailites or Assassins.
II. KURDISTAN. I do not understand the difficulties of Marsden, followed
by Lazari and Pauthier, which lead them to put forth that Kurdistan is not
Kurdistan but something else. The boundaries of Kurdistan according to
Hamd Allah were Arabian 'Irak, Khuzistan, Persian 'Irak, Azerbaijan and
Diarbekr. (Dict. de la P. 480.) [Cf. Curzon, Persia pass. - H. C.]
Persian Kurdistan, in modern as in mediaeval times, extends south beyond
Kermanshah to the immediate border of Polo's next kingdom, viz.:
III. LUR or Luristan. [On Luristan, see Curzon, Persia, II. pp. 273-303,
with the pedigree of the Ruling Family of the Feili Lurs (Pusht-i-Kuh), p.
278. - H. C.] This was divided into two principalities, Great Lur and
Little Lur, distinctions still existing. The former was ruled by a Dynasty
called the Fasluyah Atabegs, which endured from about 1155 to 1424,
[when it was destroyed by the Timurids; it was a Kurd Dynasty, founded by
Emad ed-din Abu Thaher (1160-1228), and the last prince of which was
Ghiyas ed-din (1424). In 1258 the general Kitubuka (Hulagu's Exp. to
Persia, Bretschneider, Med. Res. I. p. 121) is reported to have reduced
the country of Lur or Luristan and its Atabeg Teghele.
