TABRIZ' (pronounced and frequently written Tabreez), a and ancient city of Persia, capital of the province of Azerbijan, 40 m. e. of lake Ururniah, and on the Aji, which flows s.w. into that lake. The town is surrounded by a ditch and a brick wall, pierced by 7 gates. It forms an oblong of gardens and houses, m. long; stands 4,000 ft. above sea-level, but nevertheless has the appearance of being shut in by moun tains. The streets are broader and cleaner than in most eastern cities, but they are flanked as usual by the pits from which the earth required for their houses was taken; the houses are infested with noxious insects; and the bazaars are roofed with sticks, and are dark and dirty. Water, however, is comparatively plentiful. The chief buildings of Tabriz are not specially striking. Perhaps the principal architectural feature of the town is the fine ruin, Kabfid Masjicl, or "blue mosque," about 300 years old, and in part covered with blue tiles beautifully arabesqued. The citadel is a spacious edifice of burned brick, the walls of which, however, have been cracked in many places by earth quakes. Tabriz is the seat of a varied industry, in which leather and silk manufactures, and gold and silver smith's work alone are of importance; recently it has also become the emporium of an extensive trade, the exact vakie of which, however, is not known, owing to the careless manner in which the custom-house officials transact their business, and to the prevalence of smuggling. Merchandise, to the value £400,000 is exported through the regular channels from Tabriz to Russia; but it is estimated that in 1859 a quantity of equal value was conveyed to that country by smugglers. Since 1859 this
illicit traffic has very much diminished, although it still exists along the whole Russo Persian frontier of Azerbijan. The chief imports are cotton fabrics, sugar, woolen cloth, and wines and spirits. The chief exports are cotton cloths (originally from Eng land), drugs and spices, dried fruits, shawls, carpets, and raw silk. The commerce of 1877-78 was very small, mainly on account of the Russo-Turkish war, which arrested the trade between Trebizond and Tabriz. The imports were in that year valued at £525,500, the exports at only £270,000; while in 1873-74 the collective trade amounted to over £7,100,000. The Anglo-Indian telegraph line passes through the city.
Tabriz, the ancient Tau Pk became the capital of Tiridates III., 'king of Arme nia, in 297 A .D. , and was probably at that time an old city. In 791 A.D. it was enlarged and greatly embellished by Zobaidah, the wife of Harfin-al-Rashid. In 858, and again in 1041, the city was devastated by an earthquake. It was taken and sacked by Timur in 1392, and was soon after seized by the Turkomans, from whom it was taken by the Persians in 1500. In 1721 it was again visited by a dreadful earth quake, and on this occasion 80,000 persons are said to have perished. It has been several times in the hands of the Turks, but was finally taken from them by Nadir shah in 1730. Tabriz is a city of Turks, and Turkish is the language spoken. Pop. variously estimated at 110,000 to 180,000.—Eastwick's Three Years' Residence in Per sia (Loud. 1864), and Commercial Reports from Her _Majesty's Consuls (1878).