The Greatness of Cities [21]
said in his time that when Babylon was taken it was three days ere one part took knowledge of the conquest. The people thereof were such a number as they durst offer battle unto Cyrus, the greatest and the mightiest king for power that ever was of Persia. Semiramis did build it, but Nebuchadnezzar did mightily increase it. When it was ruinated afterward at the coming in of the Scythians and other people in those countries, it was re-edified by one Bugiasar Emperor of the Saracens who spent upon it eighteen millions of gold. Jovius writeth that even at this day it is greater than Rome, if you respect the compass of the ancient walls; but there are not only woods to hunt in and fields for tillage, but also orchards and large gardens in it. The kings of Media made their residence in Ecbatana, the kings of Persia in Persepolis, of whose greatness there is no other argument than conjecture. In our time the kings of Persia have made their residence in Tauris, and as their empire is not so great as it hath been, so also neither is their city of the greatest. It is in compass, for all that, about sixteen miles, yea, some say more. It is also very long, and hath many gardens in it, but it is without any wall, a thing common, in a matter, to all the cities in Persia. In Tartary and in the Oriental Asia, through the power of those great princes, are far greater cities than in any parts else in the world. The Tartars have at this day two great empires, whereof the one is of the Mongolian Tartars, the other of the Cathayans. The Mongolian Tartars have in our time incredibly enlarged their dominion, for Mahommed their prince, not contented with his ancient confines, subdued not many years since, in a matter, all that ever lieth between Ganges and Indus. The chief city of Mogora is Samarkand, which was incredibly enriched by the great Tamburlane with the spoils of all Asia, where like an horrible tempest or deadly raging flood he threw down to the ground the most ancient and worthiest cities, and carried from thence their wealth and riches. And to speak of none other, he only took from Damascus eight thousand camels laden with rich spoils and choicest movable goods. This city hath been of such greatness and power that in some ancient reports we read it made out forty thousand horse. But at this day it is not of such magnificency and greatness, through the dominion of the empire. For as after the death of the great Tamburlane it was suddenly divided into many parts by his four sons, so is it likewise in our time divided amongst the sons of Mahommed, who hath last of all subdued Cambay. And forasmuch as I have made mention of Cambay I must tell you there are in that kingdom two memorable cities: the one is Cambay and the other is called Chitor. Cambay is of such greatness that it hath gotten the name of a province. Some write that it doth contain one hundred and fifty thousand houses; to the which allow, as commonly the matter is, to every house five persons and it will then come to little less than eight hundred thousand inhabitants. But some make it to be much less. Howbeit, in any sort howsoever it is a most famous city, the chiefest of a most rich kingdom, and the seat of a most mighty king, that brought to the enterprise against Mahommed King of the Mongols five hundred thousand footmen and a hundred and fifty thousand horsemen, whereof thirty thousand were armed after the matter of our men-at-arms. Chitor is twelve miles about, and is a city so magnificent of buildings, so beautiful for goodly streets and so full of delights and pleasures that few other cities do come near it, and it is for that cause called by the people that inhabit there, the Shadow of the Heavens. It hath been in our time the city of residency of the Queen Crementina, who, because she rebelled from the said king of Cambay, was with main force deprived thereof in the year 1536. The emperor of the Cathayan Tartars (commonly called the Great Cham) deriveth himself from the great Genghis, who was the first that three years agone came out of Scythia