Qal‘ah Iṣṭakhr.* —In all the whole world there is no castle more ancient than this one, and every governor [of Fārs] who has held power has been master of this castle. From the times of the Pīshdādian kings this castle with two others standing near by have been known as the Three Domes. The other two are called Qal‘ah Shikastah [the Broken Castle] and the castle of Shankavān [or Shakanvān], but these last are now in ruins. [For the castle of Iṣṭakhr] ‘Aḍud-ad-Dawlah built a mighty tank, which is known as the Ḥawẓ-i-‘Aḍudī. It was constructed in a deep gully, down which the stream that passed by the castle flowed. First, ‘Aḍud-ad-Dawlah with boardings closed the end of this gully, making the like of a great dam, and next inside this he set cement [in forms] with wax and grease laid upon kirbās-stuffs, with bitumen, bringing the whole structure to the upper level all round, and afterwards when it had settled down firmly nothing could be stronger. Thus was the tank made, and its area was a qafīz [a square of 144 ells] all but a fraction, being 17 feet in depth, wherefore if a thousand men for a whole year were to drink therefrom, the water-level would not sink more than a foot. Then in the middle part of the tank they built up twenty columns of stone, set in cement, on which they rested the roof that covered over the tank. Further, ‘Aḍud-ad-Dawlah, besides this tank, built here other water-tanks and cisterns. The fault of this castle, however, is that it can very easily be taken by assault. Its climate is cold, being very like that of Isfahān. Within its walls are many fine kiosks and beautiful palaces, also a broad maydān [or ground for reviews].
Qal‘ah Būshkānāt.—This is a strong castle, that at the present day is still in the hands of Siyāh Mīl ibn Bahurast.* For he being a good man [the Saljūq Sultan] has allowed him to keep the command here, and has not dispossessed him [as has been the case with other local chiefs], and so this castle remains in his hands.
Qal‘ah Khurshah.—This castle stands 5 leagues distant from Jahram.* Khurshah, the man after whom the castle takes its name, was a certain Arab who had been appointed governor in these parts by [Muḥammad] brother of [the Omayyad Viceroy of ‘Irāq] Ḥajjāj ibn Yūsuf. Now Khurshah having amassed much money built this castle, and taking up his abode therein rebelled. On account of this, in later times the governor of the [Dārābjird] District has never been allowed to be master of this castle as well; for of a surety power and wealth in a governor will breed conceit, and to possess this castle would breed further conceit, and where in a man’s head two causes of conceit exist without fail these result in the disorder of rebellion. The castle of Khurshah is so strong a fortress that it cannot be taken by assault. Its climate is that of the hot region.
Qal‘ah Ramm Zavān.* —This is a very strong castle which stands near Ghundijān, and it commands that district. The climate here is that of the cold region. Their water is from cisterns.
Qal‘ah Abādah.* —This is a well-fortified castle, but in all general particulars like many other small castles. The climate is temperate, the water is stored in cisterns, and it would be possible to take the place by assault.
Qal‘ah Khuvār.* —This is a fortress that is not very strongly fortified. The climate is cold but temperate; and its water is obtained from wells.
Qal‘ah Iṣṭahbānān.* —A strong castle that was in the hands of Ḥasūyah. But Atābeg Chāulī went to war with Ḥasūyah, and though he afterwards made peace with him he dismantled this castle. Now, however, recently, it has again been re-garrisoned.
Diz Iqlīd.* —This is merely a village that is well fortified, not a castle.
Diz Abraj.* —Above Abraj stands a hill, one half of which is fortified, the other half remaining unfortified, so that it could be surrounded and easily besieged; still, it could not be taken by assault, or quickly invested. There is a running stream that passes along the fortified part of the hill, flowing down thence to the plain, where its waters are used by the people of the village.
Qal‘ahā Abādān, or “the Garrisoned Castles”.—This is the name of certain castles which are mentioned [in the histories], for in times past there were seventy and odd notable castles in the province of Fārs, all of which the Atabeg Chāulī took by force of arms, and then dismantled for the most part, all indeed but those which are more particularly mentioned in the foregoing section of the present work.
Qal‘ah Ispīd Diz, or “the White Fortress Castle”.* — This in the most ancient days had been fortified, but for long years had been dismantled, so that no one could say at what time it had last been garrisoned. Then Abū Naṣr of Tīr Murdān, the father of Bā Jūl,* during the times of trouble [at the end of the Buyid rule] rebuilt the fortifications. Now this is a fortress that entirely covers the mountain-top, measuring 20 leagues round and about, so that it is not a mere castle nor a place to be held by a handful of men. It is a great circular mountain plain, the cliffs below it being of white rocks, but on the upper level of the fortress there is arable land, the soil being red, which they sow for crops. Here too they have vineyards of grapes and orchards of almonds with other fruits: for there are many springs of water, everywhere in the ground, and when they dig down water is easily found. The air here is quite cool and pleasant, the crops too are most abundant. The fault of this castle, however, is that it must be garrisoned by a great company of troops, and that when the rightful sovereign [namely the Saljūq Sultan]* approaches to take possession thereof, the country folk will steal away [with the needful supplies and the forage]. The White Castle stands at a distance of 2 leagues from Nawbanjān, and below the castle there has been built a small fortress, but one that is well fortified, called Astāk. All round the White Castle there are many hunting-grounds among the hills, and within the castle limits there are numerous fine kiosks, and there is also a broad review ground.
Qal‘ah Sahārah.* —This stands on a great hill, which lies 4 leagues distant from Fīrūzābād. The castle was built by the Mas‘ūdī Kurds,* and it is a very fine place. The climate is cold, the water excellent, and it lies surrounded by arable lands that are never let to go out of cultivation, for they are tilled by the Shabānkārah. It is indeed a great place, and all the year round corn is grown here.
Qal‘ah Kārzīn.* —This is a castle that is not so strongly fortified as some others. The climate here is very hot. It stands on the banks of the Thakān River, and they have constructed a syphon-tube, by which water from the river is brought up to the castle.
Qal‘āh Samīrān.* —This is a strong castle standing near by to Juwaym of Abū Aḥmad. The climate is hot, and their water is from cisterns.
Qal‘ah Khwādān, or Khwābdān.* —A strong castle standing in the midst of many broad lands. The climate is temperate, and the water is from cisterns.
Qal‘ah Khurramah.* —A well-fortified castle, standing among cultivated lands. The climate is temperate, and the water is from cisterns.
Qal‘ah Tīr-i-Khudā [the Castle of God’s Arrow].—This castle is near Khayrah,* and it is a strong place, standing upon the summit of a high hill. It is for this reason that it is called God’s Arrow, for it cannot be taken in war. The climate is cold, and their water is from cisterns.
Qal‘ah Iṣṭakhr.* —This is a very strong castle, for the which reason it has been given the name of Iṣṭakhr-Yār, “the Friend of Iṣṭakhr” to wit. Its climate is temperate, and for water they have springs here, also cisterns.
The Castles of Purg and Tārum.* —The castle at Purg is very great and strong, it cannot be taken in war. The castle of Tārum is not so strong as the other in regard to its fortifications. Both have a hot climate, and their water is from cisterns.
Qal‘ah Ranbah.* —This castle stands in the Ranbah Pass. It is a strongly built and well-fortified place, and the control of the city of Dārābjird belongs to him who holds this castle. The climate is excellent, and its water comes from springs and from cisterns. At the present time it is in the hands of the people of Kirmān.
Qal‘ah Gunbad Mallaghān.* —This is a castle that could be held by one single armed man, so strongly fortified is it. Its climate is temperate, and water is plentiful in the cisterns. They keep here a store of corn sufficient for three or four years.
The Irāhistān Castles.* —These are so numerous as to be beyond count, for in this district every village has its own fortress, perched either upon a rock or crowning a hill, or again built on the level ground. And in all times the climate hereabout is extremely hot.