issued coins as early as 708 A.D. Plate VIII. 9 is an early Japanese
copper coin or _sen_ of the period 818-835 A.D. (inscription--"Divine
Treasure of Wealth and Longevity"). From the tenth to the sixteenth
centuries the main coinage of Japan consisted of imitations of
contemporary Chinese coins. One of the commonest of Japanese coins is
the _kwan-ei_ sen (Plate VIII. 10), which was extensively issued from
1624-1859. Large, flat gold coins (_obans_ and _kobans_) were
frequently issued from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. The
smaller gold and silver coins of this period are rectangular (Plate IX.
7, a gold _bu_ of 1837 A.D.). Plate IX. 4 is the obverse of a coin (a
piece of 5 _momme_) with an interesting history. In 1765, a high
official named Taruna ordered that all silver ornaments should be
confiscated as useless luxuries and made into coins. This edict aroused
great indignation, particularly among the fair sex, and its enforcement
was one of the causes which led to the assassination of the tyrannical
governor. In 1869 a mint with European machinery was established in
Tokio, and a coinage of gold, silver (_yen_ or dollar), and copper
(_sen_, 100 = 1 dollar) on the European model adopted (Plate IX. 5, 50
sen of the sixth year of Meiji, 1873).
_Corea, Annam, and Siam._--Corea issued bronze coins in the Chinese
style in its various intervals of independence. The commonest is the
_Shang Ping_ cash issued at various mints from 1790 to 1881 (Plate VIII.
11). Plate IX. 2 is a piece of one _yang_ (silver) issued by the new
mint in 1898. Japanese influence may be traced in it (_cf._ Plate IX.
5), as on the Chinese coin of Kashgar (Plate IX. 6). The kings of Annam
issued an extensive coinage modelled on the Chinese till Annam became a
French possession. Siam has issued a coinage struck by European
machinery since 1850 (Plate IX. 8, rupee of Phra Chom Klao, 1850-1868
A.D.).
BIBLIOGRAPHY.--Terrien de Lacouperie, British Museum Catalogue of
Chinese Coins, vol. i. (all published) (1892); J. H. S. Lockhart,
_Currency of the Farther East_ (Hong-Kong, 1893-1895); H. G. Munro,
_Coinage of Japan_ (Yokohama, 1904); A. Schroeder, _Annam, Etudes
Numismatiques_ (Paris, 1905).
V.--COINS OF EUROPEAN POSSESSIONS IN ASIA
_English._--In 1600 Queen Elizabeth granted a Royal Charter to "The
Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East
Indies," and soon afterwards ordered silver coins to be struck at the
Tower Mint for the Company's use in the Indies (Plate X. 2, sixpence or
real of this issue). In 1677 the first English mint in India was
established at Bombay, which had come to Charles II. in 1662 as part of
the dowry of Catherine of Braganza, and rupees and copper cash were
issued in the name of Charles II., or "bearing the name of their impure
king" as an indignant Moghul historian describes them. For trade with
the natives, however, the Company required coins of a type familiar to
them, and had to send their bullion to be minted at the Moghul mints or
to imitate Moghul coins at their own mints, the latter course being
really forgery, as it was not till the middle of the eighteenth century
that the Great Moghul finally allowed them to issue coins freely in his
name (Plate X. 5, half-rupee of Murshidabad struck by the East India
Company in name of Shah Alam II. in 1768 A.D.). In 1641 the Company had
acquired a settlement at Fort St. George (Madras) and thenceforth issued
coins in imitation of the local currencies of the Coromandel coast
(Plate X. 3, gold star pagoda; Plate X. 1, silver fanam (_cf._ Plate VI.
5); Plate X. 4 is the later pagoda of European fabric issued at the end
of the eighteenth century). It was not till 1835 that the name of an
English king again appeared on the coins of the East India Company, when
a uniform coinage of English style was adopted for India (Plate X. 6,
quarter-rupee of William IV.). There has since been little change in the
type then adopted. In 1858 the name of the East India Company disappears
from the reverse, and in 1877 the proclamation of Queen Victoria as
Empress of India necessitated a change of title on the obverse (Plate X.
7, quarter-rupee of Victoria).
In 1796, the English occupied Ceylon, hitherto a Dutch possession, and
were confirmed in its possession by the treaty of Amiens in 1802. The
earlier coins were struck on the standard introduced by their
predecessors (Plate X. 8, a silver piece of 24 stivers). In 1836 the
English standard was adopted, and silver coins (three-halfpenny pieces)
and copper (half-farthings) issued till 1870, when the cent was adopted
as the standard coin (Plate X. 9, 25 cents (silver) of George V.).
The East India Company issued coins similar to their later Indian issues
for their possessions in the Malay Peninsula, and since 1867 there has
been a regular Imperial coinage (100 cents = one dollar) for the Straits
Settlements and also for Hong-Kong (Plate X. 10, 5 cents (silver) of
Edward VII.).
_Portuguese._--In 1510 Albuquerque captured Goa, which became the
capital of the Portuguese empire in the east, and increased in wealth
and commercial importance so rapidly that it became known as "Golden
Goa" (Goa Dourada). From the time of Albuquerque the Portuguese have
issued coins here, always with European types. Plate X. 11 is a _pardao_
or half-rupee of Maria struck at Goa in 1808, and is typical of the
coinage for nearly three centuries previous. Since 1881 the coins for
Goa, which is now all that is left of the Portuguese possessions in the
East, have been struck at the Bombay mint, and are uniform with those of
British India (Plate X. 12, quarter-rupee, 1885).
_Dutch, etc._--Towards the end of the sixteenth century the Dutch began
to dispute Portuguese supremacy in the East, and ultimately acquired
considerable possessions in the Malay Archipelago. An extensive coinage
was issued by the Dutch East India Company in Java in the eighteenth
century (Plate X. 13, gold rupee of Java, and X. 14, copper doit). The
latter coins of the Dutch territories in the East are similar to the
coins of Holland. Coins have also been struck for their Indian
possessions of France (Pondichery) and Denmark (Tranquebar) on local
standards but with European types.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.--J. Atkins, _Coins of the British Possessions and
Colonies_ (London, 1889); E. Thurston, _The Coinage of the East India
Company_ (Madras, 1890); G. da Cuñha, _Indo-Portuguese Numismatics_
(Bombay, 1880); J. A. van der Chijs, _De Munten van Nederlandsch Indië_
(Batavia, 1859).
[Illustration: PLATE I.]
[Illustration: PLATE II.]
[Illustration: PLATE III.]
[Illustration: PLATE IV.]
[Illustration: PLATE V.]
[Illustration: PLATE VI.]
[Illustration: PLATE VII.]
[Illustration: PLATE VIII.]
[Illustration: PLATE IX.]
[Illustration: PLATE X.]
MAPS AND PLANS
OF
NOTABLE BATTLES, DISTRICTS, & TOWNS
CONNECTED WITH
THE HISTORY OF ASIA
PLANS
OF THE
FIVE CHIEF BATTLES
OF INDIA
[Illustration: BATTLE OF
SERINGAPATAM
February 1792
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: BATTLE OF
ASSAYE
September 1803
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration:BATTLE OF
MEANEE
February 1843
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: BATTLE OF
ALIWAL
January 1846
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: BATTLE OF
SOBRAON
February 1846
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration:INDIAN MUTINY
SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF TROOPS
May, 1857
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: ARYAN LANGUAGES OF INDIA
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: NON-ARYAN LANGUAGES OF INDIA
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: SITES OF
ANCIENT INDIAN
TEMPLES
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: MILITARY DIVISIONS
OF INDIA
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: DELHI
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: LUCKNOW
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: CAWNPORE
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: LAHORE
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: RANGOON
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
[Illustration: LHASA
"THE FORBIDDEN CITY"
After Map by Major Ryder
Bartholomew _Edinburgh_]
A GAZETTEER
OF
TOWNS AND PLACES IN ASIA
A GAZETTEER OF TOWNS AND PLACES IN ASIA[1]
[Footnote 1: _A large number of the places are not marked in
the maps, but the latitude and longitude will enable the reader to
locate their position._]
ABBREVIATIONS
F. Founded.
Res. Residence.
Bp. Birthplace.
Provs. Provinces.
=Abila=, Palestine. 33N. 36E. Traditional burial-place of Abel.
=Abohar=, Punjab. 30N. 74E. Said to have been f. by Jaura; visited by Ibn
Batuta, 1332.
=Aboo=, Rajputana. 25N. 73E. Contains famous Jain temple, the Vimla Sah,
f. in 1032.
=Abydos=, Asia Minor. 40N. 26E. Xerxes entered Europe, B.C. 480. Scene of
story of Hero and Leander. (See Byron's 'Bride of Abydos.')
=Acre=, Palestine. 33N. 35E. Taken by the Crusaders, 1104; retaken by
Saladin, 1187; recovered by Richard Coeur de Lion, 1191; surrendered
to Saracens, 1291; unsuccessfully besieged by Napoleon, 1799; stormed by
Ibrahim Pasha, 1832; bombarded by a combined English, Austrian, and
Turkish fleet, 1840. (See Scott's 'Talisman,' 'Travels of Marco Polo,'
Thomson's 'Land and the Book,' Volney's 'Voyage en Syrie et en Egypte.')
=Adalia=, Asiatic Turkey. 36N. 31E. Visited by Kinglake, who gives an
account of the city in 'Eothen.'
=Adam's Peak=, Ceylon. 7N. 80E. Supposed to contain tomb of Adam. (See
'Travels of Marco Polo.')
=Adas=, Bombay. 22N. 73E. Scene of Hamid Khan's victory over Rustam Ali,
1723; Mahrattas over Raghunath Rao Peshwa, 1775; British over Mahrattas,
1775.
=Aden=, Arabia. 13N. 45E. Taken from the Portuguese by Turks, 1538;
annexed to British India, 1839. (See 'Purchas His Pilgrimes,' 'Travels
of Marco Polo.')
=Adoni=, Madras. 16N. 77E. Seized by Sultan of Bijapur, 1568; by
Aurungzebe, 1686; unsuccessfully attacked by Hyder Ali, 1779; taken by
Tippoo Sahib, 1786; ceded to British, 1800.
=Agra=, United Provs. 27N. 78E. Contains palace of Shah Jehan, the Pearl
Mosque, and the Taj Mahal, and was the supposed scene of incarnation of
Vishnu. Capital of Mogul sovereigns, 1526-1658. Taken by British, 1803.
(See Sir Edwin Arnold's 'With Sa'di in the Garden,' Whittier's 'Miriam,'
'Purchas His Pilgrimes.')
=Ahar=, United Provs. 28N. 78E. Town from which Rukminí, wife of Krishna,
was said to have been taken.
=Ahmadabad= ('the abode of Ahmed'), Bombay. 23N. 73E. F. in 1412. Ancient
Mohammedan capital, famed for architectural relics. Taken by British,
1818.
=Ahmadnagar=, Bombay. 19N. 75E. F. by Ahmed Nuzam Shah, 1494. Taken by
General Wellesley, 1803.
=Aivalli=, Bombay. 16N. 76E. Contains famous temples, and is sacred spot
of Vishnu.
=Ajmere=, Rajputana. 26N. 75E. Capital of Ajmere-Merwara. Contains tomb of
Mussulman saint, Kwajah. Purchased by Britain, 1818. Mayo College f.
1875.
=Akashi=, Japan. 35N. 135E. Contains Shinto temple in honour of the poet
Kakinomoto-no-Hitomaro.
=Ak-su=, Eastern Turkestan. 41N. 81E. Nearly destroyed by earthquake,
1718. Captured by Khan of Kashgar, 1867; retaken by Chinese, 1877.
=Alandi=, Bombay. 19N. 74E. Resort of Hindu pilgrims, and said to have
been res. of Jnaneshvar.
=Aleppo=, Syria. 36N. 37E. Taken by Saracens, 636; conquered by Tamerlane,
1402; by Turks, 1517. Visited by earthquakes, 1170, 1822. Contains the
Jami Sakarya, or Great Mosque, in which lie alleged remains of
Zacharias, father of John the Baptist. Res. of Mutanabbi. (See Volney's
'Voyage en Syrie et en Egypte,' Hakluyt's 'Voyages,' Burckhardt's
'Travels in Syria and the Holy Land.')
=Aligarh=, United Provs. 28N. 78E. Contains Fort Aligarh, captured by
General Lake from Mahrattas, 1803. Seat of Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental
College.
=Allahabad= ('city of God'), United Provs. 25N. 82E. F. by Akbar, 1575.
Taken by Britain, 1801. Contains Muir Central College. Scene of
journeying of Rama and Sita described in the 'Ramayana' as the hermitage
of Bharadvaja.
=Allah Shehr=, Asia Minor. 38N. 29E. F. by Attalus Philadelphus, c. 200
B.C.; supposed to be one of 'seven churches of Asia' mentioned in
Apocalypse.
=Amarapura= ('city of the gods'), Burma. 22N. 96E. Former capital of
Burma. F. in 1783, by Bodawpaya. Destroyed by fire, 1810; by earthquake,
1839. Contains celebrated temple with colossal bronze statue of Gautama.
=Amasia=, Asiatic Turkey. 41N. 36E. Former capital of kings of Pontus. Bp.
of Strabo.
=Ambur=, Madras. 13N. 79E. Muzaffar Jang conquered Anwar-ud-din, Nawab of
Arcot, 1749.
=Amoy= ('gallery gate'), China. 24N. 118E. Taken by Britain, 1841; opened
to foreign trade by Treaty of Nanking, 1842.
=Amritsar= ('pool of immortality'), Punjab. 32N. 75E. F. round sacred
reservoir by Guru Ram Das, 1574. Contains Darbar Sahib, chief Sikh
temple; also fortress of Govindgarh, 1809.
=Amroha=, United Provs. 29N. 78E. Said to have been f. by Hastinapur; res.
of Shah Wilayat. In the vicinity the Mongols were conquered, 1304.
=Amu Daria=, Turkestan. 37N. 73E. Ancient river Oxus, occurring as Amoo in
'The Veiled Prophet of Khorassan.' (See Moore's 'Lalla Rookh.')
=Anantapur=, Madras. 15N. 78E. F. by Chikkappa Udaiyar, 1364; attacked by
Mahrattas, 1757.
=Aneysa=, Arabia. 26N. 45E. Bp. of Abdul-Wahab, founder of Wahabis. (See
Doughty's 'Travels in Arabia Deserta.')
=Angkor=, Indo-China. 13N. 104E. Ruined city, near which are ruins of
Angkor-Vat, a famous Cambodian temple. (See Little's 'Far East.')
=Angora=, Asiatic Turkey. 40N. 33E. Supposed to have been f. by Midas.
Scene of Christian Councils, 314, 358. Contains temple erected to
Augustus. Sultan Bejazet I. captured by Tamerlane, 1402.
=Ani=, Asiatic Turkey. 41N. 43E. Ancient Armenian capital. Taken by
Greeks, 1045; by Seljuks, 1064. Destroyed by earthquake, 1319.
=Anjangaon=, Berar. 21N. 77E. Treaty signed between British and Daulat Rao
Sindhia after second Mahratta War, 1803.
=Anjengo=, Madras. 9N. 77E. Bp. of historian, Robert Orme, and res. of
Eliza Draper, friend of Laurence Sterne.
=Anjidiv=, Bombay. 15N. 74E. Island visited by Ibn Batatu, 1342; by Vasco
da Gama, 1498. Occupied by Portuguese, 1505. Mentioned by Ptolemy.
=Ankai Tonkai=, Bombay. 20N. 74E. Conquered by Shah Jehan, 1635; occupied
by British, 1818.
=Antioch=, Syria. 36N. 36E. F. by Seleucus Nicator, c. 300 B.C. Scene of
St. Paul's first ministry. Destroyed by earthquakes, 526, 1872. Ruined
by Persians, 538; taken by Saracens, 658; by Turks, 1516. Bp. of
Archias, St. Luke, and Chrysostom. (See Volney's 'Voyage en Syrie et en
Egypte.')
=An-tung=, Manchuria. 40N. 125E. General Kuroki established here during
Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905. (See McKenzie's 'From Tokyo to Tiflis.')
=Anupshahr=, United Provs. 28N. 78E. Occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani, 1757;
by British, 1773.
=Arafat= ('the mountain of mercy'), Arabia. 21N. 40E. Mountain on which
Adam and Eve are alleged to have met after the fall. Scene of many
Mohammedan pilgrimages. (See Burton's 'Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and
Meccah,' Burckhardt's 'Travels in Arabia.')
=Arantangi=, Madras. 10N. 79E. Seized by Raghunatha Levan, c. 1646, 1698.
=Ararat=, Asiatic Turkey. 40N. 44E. One of mountains in Asia on which
Noah's ark is said to have rested. Parrot first ascended Great Ararat,
1829. Severe earthquake experienced, 1840. (See 'Travels of Marco
Polo.')
=Arcot= ('six deserts'), Madras. 13N. 79E. Contains ruins of Nawab's
palace. Mentioned by Ptolemy. Clive defended city successfully against
siege, 1751.
=Ardahan=, Asiatic Turkey. 41N. 43E. Successfully stormed by Russians,
1877; ceded to Russia by Turkey, 1878.
=Argaum=, Berar. 21N. 77E. Mahrattas defeated by Wellesley, 1803.
=Arginusæ Is.=, off W. coast of Asia Minor. 39N. 27E. Spartan fleet
defeated by Athenians near these islands, 406 B.C.
=Arjesh=, Turkish Armenia. 39N. 43E. Taken by Jelal-ed-Din, 1228.
Destroyed by earthquake, 1246.
=Arni=, Madras. 13N. 79E. Clive defeated Raja Sahib and French forces,
1751.
=Aror=, Bombay. 28N. 69E. Captured by Mohammedans, c. 712.
=Arpad=, Syria. 37N. 37E. Taken by Tiglath Pileser II., 740 B.C.
=Arrah=, Bengal. 26N. 85E. In Indian Mutiny 12 Englishmen and 50 Sikhs
held out against 3000 Sepoys for 8 days, 1857.
=Artaxata=, Russian Armenia. 39N. 45E. Ancient capital of Armenia, now in
ruins. Hannibal supposed to have superintended building of city; named
after Artaxis I., c. 180 B.C. Destroyed by Romans, 58; by Persians, 370.
Joseph, the patriarch, presided over ecclesiastical council, 450.
=Ashdod=, Palestine. 32N. 35E. Captured by Jonathan, 147 B.C. Mentioned by
Herodotus. Contained famous temple of Dagon. (See Thomson's 'Land and
the Book.')
=Ashta=, Central India. 23N. 77E. Contains fort built by Dost Mohammed
Khan, 1716; captured by Mahrattas, 1745; stormed by Kudsia Begam, 1837.
=Ashta=, Bombay. 18N. 75E. British defeated Baji Rao Peshwa, 1818.
=Asirgarh=, Central Provs. 21N. 76E. Massacre of garrison by Ala-ud-din
Khilji, 1295; captured by Akbar, 1600; by General Wellesley, 1803;
besieged by British, 1819.
=Askelon=, Palestine. 32N. 35E. Ancient seat of worship of Astarte, and of
Dagon and Dercetis, whose temple was plundered by Scythians, 630 B.C.
Bp. of Herod I., who embellished it. Godfrey de Bouillon defeated
Egyptians, 1099; city taken by Crusaders, 1153; by Saladin, 1187;
destroyed by Sultan Bibars, 1270. (See Scott's 'The Talisman.')
=Assaye=, Haidarabad. 20N. 76E. Mahrattas conquered by Sir Arthur
Wellesley, 1803. (See Malleson's 'Decisive Battles of India.')
=Athni=, Bombay. 17N. 75E. Visited by French traveller Mandelslo, 1639.
Yielded to Rajah Sahu of Satara, 1730; British possession, 1839.
=Atrauli=, N.W. Provs. 28N. 78E. Held for three months by Mohammedans
during Mutiny, 1857.
=Attock=, Punjab. 34N. 72E. Contains fort built by Akbar, 1581; captured
by Ranjit Singh, 1812.
=Augur=, Central India. 24N. 76E. F. by Agra Bhil; destroyed by Bapuji
Sindhia, 1801; suffered during Mutiny, 1857.
=Aurangabad= ('the abode of Aurungzebe'), Haidarabad. 20N. 75E. F. in
1620. Contains Buddhist caves, and mausoleum built by Aurungzebe in
memory of his daughter.
=Ava= ('a fish-pond'), Burma. 22N. 96E. F. by Thadominpaya, 1364. Former
capital of Burma. Ruined by earthquake, 1839.
=Ayodhya=, United Provs. 27N. 82E. Famous in legend as city of Dasa-ratha,
father of Rama. (See 'Ramayana.')
=Ayuthia=, Siam. 14N. 101E. Founded in 1351; capital of Siam until nearly
destroyed by Burmese, 1767. Chief ruin is a Buddhist temple, the 'Golden
Mount.' (See Little's 'Far East.')
=Baalbek= ('city of Baal'), Syria. 34N. 36E. Contains Temple of the Sun,
built by Antoninus Pius. Taken by Arabs, 748; by Tamerlane, 1400.
Destroyed by earthquake, 1170, 1750. (See Twain's 'New Pilgrim's
Progress,' Lamartine's 'Voyage en Orient,' Moore's 'Lalla Rookh,'
Volney's 'Voyage en Syrie et en Egypte,' Burckhardt's 'Travels in Syria
and the Holy Land.')
=Babylon= ('the gate of the god'), Asiatic Turkey. 33N. 45E. First
mentioned, 3800 B.C.; capital of Babylonia, c. 2300 B.C. Destroyed by
Sennacherib, 689 B.C.; attained eminence under Nabopolassar, 625-604
B.C.; under Nebuchadnezzar, 604-561 B.C. Surrendered to Cyrus, 539 B.C.
Alexander the Great died in palace of Nebuchadnezzar, 323 B.C. (See
'Purchas His Pilgrimes,' Hakluyt's 'Voyages.')
=Badami=, Bombay. 16N. 76E. Contains famous cave-temple, f. 650. Captured
by General Munro, 1818; by Arabs, 1840.
=Badarpur=, Bengal. 25N. 93E. British defeated Burmese, 1824.
=Badnera=, Berar. 21N. 78E. Partially destroyed by Rajah Ram, 1822.
=Bagalkot=, Bombay. 16N. 76E. Captured by Peshwa of Savanur, 1775; by
Hyder Ali, 1778; by General Munro, 1818.
=Baghdad=, Asiatic Turkey. 33N. 44E. F. by Caliph Al-Mansur, c. 762;
embellished by Harun-al-Rashid; taken by Hulaku Khan, 1258; by
Tamerlane, 1393; by Amurath IV., 1638. Contains tomb of Zobeida, wife of
Harun-al-Rashid, and is famous by means of the 'Arabian Nights.' (See
Firdausi's 'Sha Name,' Gosse's 'Firdausi in Exile,' 'Purchas His
Pilgrimes,' 'Travels of Marco Polo.')
=Baghput=, Punjab. 29N. 77E. Said to be the Vyaghraprastha mentioned in
the 'Mahabharata.'
=Bahera=, Punjab. 32N. 73E. Captured by Babar, 1519; pillaged by
Nur-ud-din, 1757.
=Bahraich=, United Provs. 28N. 82E. Contains tomb of Mohammedan saint,
Masaud.
=Baj-Baj=, Bengal. 22N. 88E. Fort captured by Clive from Siraj-ud-daula,
1756.
=Bajwara=, Punjab. 32N. 76E. Rajah Sansar Chand conquered Sirdar Bhup
Singh, 1801; fort captured by Ranjit Singh, 1825.
=Balkh=, Afghan Turkestan. 37N. 67E. Zoroaster first preached his
doctrine, 549 B.C.; died at Balkh. Visited by Chinese explorer, Fa Hian,
402; Hiouen Thsang, 643; by Marco Polo, 1263. Besieged and taken by
Ninus, 1933 B.C.; pillaged by Genghis Khan, 1221; destroyed by
Tamerlane, 1390. (See 'Travels of Marco Polo.')
=Bamian=, Afghanistan. 35N. 68E. Destroyed by Genghis Khan, 1221.
=Bander Abbas= ('harbour of Abbas'), Persia. 27N. 56E. Ancient Harmozia.
Portuguese driven out by Shah Abbas the Great with help of British,
1623. (See Moore's 'Lalla Rookh,' story of 'The Fire-Worshippers.')
=Bandhogarh=, Central India. 24N. 81E. Attacked by Asaf Khan, 1563;
captured by Patr Das, 1597; yielded to Anup Singh, 1658. Said to be bp.
of Akbar.
=Banera=, Rajputana. 26N. 75E. Conquered by Akbar, 1567; fort built in
1726; captured by Rajah of Shahpura, c. 1756.
=Bangalore=, Mysore. 13N. 78E. F. by Hyder Ali, 1537. Taken by Lord
Cornwallis, 1791. Contains palace of Tippoo Sahib, and Central College.
=Bangkok=, Siam. 14N. 101E. Ceded to Louis XIV., 1687; became royal
residence, 1767. Contains famous temples, and a colossal statue of
Buddha. (See Little's 'Far East.')
=Banias=, Syria. 33N. 36E. Visited by W. M. Thomson, and described in 'The
Land and the Book.'
=Bankapur=, Bombay. 15N. 76E. First mentioned, 898. Stormed by Firoz Shah,
1406; conquered by Hyder Ali, 1776; ceded to British, 1802.
=Bantam=, East Indies. 6S. 106E. Described in first part of 'Purchas His
Pilgrimes' as celebrated town of Java.
=Baragaon=, Bengal. 25N. 85E. Visited by Hiuen Tsiang, who here studied
religion.
=Bardwan=, Bengal. 23N. 88E. Scene of the third story of the vampire in
Burton's 'Vikram and the Vampire.'
=Bareilly=, United Provs. 28N. 79E. New town f. by Rajah Makrand-Mughals,
1657. Taken by English, 1801; Europeans massacred during Mutiny, 1857;
recaptured by Sir Colin Campbell, 1858.
=Baroda=, Bombay, 22N. 73E. Tributary to Great Britain, 1802; Malhar Rao
succeeded Sayaji Rao III., 1875.
=Barpeta=, Bengal. 26N. 91E. Sankar Deb, follower of Vishnu, here f. a
religious college. Partially destroyed by earthquake, 1897.
=Barrackpur=, Bengal. 23N. 88E. Prominent town in Sepoy mutinies, 1824,
1857. Contains Lady Canning's tomb.
=Barsana=, United Provs. 28N. 77E. Fabled to be a res. of Radha, mistress
of Kishna. Pillaged by imperial troops, 1774.
=Barwani=, Central India. 22N. 75E. Said to have been f. by Rana Chandra
Singh, c. 1650. Near town is sacred hill of Jains, and temple with
inscription dating from 1166.
=Basarh=, Bengal. 26N. 85E. Visited by Buddha, and sacred town of
Buddhists. Visited by explorers Fa Hian and Hieun Tsiang.
=Basavapatna=, Mysore. 14N. 76E. Captured by Bijapurs, 1637; destroyed by
Hyder Ali, 1763; plundered by Mahrattas, 1791. Ancient res. of Baba
Budan.
=Basra= ('fortress'), Asiatic Turkey. 30N. 48E. F. under Omar, 656.
Contains tomb of Zobeir. (See 'Travels of Marco Polo.')
=Bassein=, Bombay. 19N. 73E. Ceded to Portuguese, 1534; taken by
Mahrattas, 1765; by British, 1780.
=Batala=, Punjab. 32N. 75E. F. by Rai Ram Deo, c. 1465. Contains tomb of
Shamsher Khan, foster-brother of Akbar.
=Batavia= ('good land'), East Indies. 6S. 107E. First European settlement
f. by Pieter Both, 1610; new city f. by Jean Koen, 1621. Unsuccessfully
besieged by Kings of Bantam and Jacantra, 1619. Earthquake experienced,
1699.
=Bayana=, Punjab. 26N. 77E. Contains temple with inscription dated 1043.
Fort near captured by Mohammed Ghori, 1196; by Sikanda Lodi, 1492; by
Humayun, 1535.
=Bayazid=, Turkish Armenia. 39N. 44E. Captured by Russians, 1828, 1854,
1877. Yielded to Turkey by Treaty of Berlin, 1878.
=Bednore= ('bamboo city'), Mysore. 14N. 75E. Capital of Rajah of Ikari,
1645. Taken by Hyder Ali, 1763; by General Matthews, 1783; by Tippoo
Sahib, 1784.
=Beer-Sheba= ('well of the oath'), Palestine. 31N. 35E. Only ruins remain
of ancient city famous in Biblical history from time of Abraham's
digging a well and planting a grove.
=Begampur=, Bombay. 18N. 76E. Contains tomb of daughter of Aurungzebe.
=Behar= ('monastery'), Bengal. 25N. 86E. Famous as ancient centre of
Buddhism, and as city in which Buddha preached.
=Behistun= ('place of the gods'), Persia. 34N. 47E. Rock on which
cuneiform inscriptions recounting deeds of Darius I. are engraved;
discovered by Sir Henry Rawlinson, 1835.
=Beit Jibrin=, Syria. 32N. 35E. Visited by W. M. Thomson, and described in
'The Land and the Book.'
=Bela=, Baluchistan. 26N. 66E. Contains tomb of Sir Robert Sandeman.
=Belgaum=, Bombay. 16N. 75E. Taken by Aurungzebe, 1686; by Hyder Ali,
1776; by British, 1818.
=Bellary=, Madras. 15N. 77E. Captured by Sivaji, the Mahratta, c. 1678;
ceded to British, 1800.