BAGDAD, Turkey, capital of the vilayet of Bagdad, situated on the Tigris. The old Bag dad, the residence of the caliphs, said to have had 2,000,000 inhabitants, was situated on the western bank of the river and was one of the most magnificent cities of the Mohammedan world. The modern city lies mostly on the eastern bank of the river and is surrounded with a brick wall about six miles in circuit, partly in a ruinous condition, and with a ditch from five to six fathoms deep, intended to be filled with water from the Tigris. The houses, mostly built of brick, are but one story high, the streets unpaved, and so narrow that two horsemen can scarcely ride abreast. The houses of the wealthy are distinguished by a better architecture. Of the mosques, about 100 in number, only a few attract much notice, and many are in ruins. Their architecture is in general inferior to that of other Mohammedan cities, but they have a gaudy appearance from the glazed tiles covering their domes and min arets, and arranged in a kind of mosaic work in various colors. In the vicinity are situated tombs held in high reverence by the natives and visited annually by thousands of pilgrims. The bazaars are spacious and well stocked with goods. That built by Daoud Pasha still ranks as one of the most splendid in the world. Bag dad long commanded large part of the traffic between Europe on the one hand, and Persia and India on the other. The Persian and In dian trade is still considerable, as also that with Europe, a large portion of it being carried on by steamers up and down the river. The trade with Europe was formerly more largely by land, passing through the Syrian Desert to Damascus, or by way of Armenia northward. Since the opening of the Suez Canal the sea routes are of far more importance. The traffic from India has declined somewhat, but.owing to develop ment of railway facilities, it is the mart through which pass the imports and exports of Mesopo tamia. Wool is the chief export to Europe, others being wheat, gum, galls, dates, horses, various Oriental fabrics, skins, tragacanth, feathers and leather articles. Imports include
iron and copper, suga: and coffee. There are numerous manufactures of copper utensils, cloth and felts, etc. The heat of the summer is oppressive in Bagdad, but the winter is cold enough to make a fire necessary. The climate is on the whole agreeable and healthful, though sometimes the plague prevails. Bagdad is in habited by Turks, Arabs, Persians, Kurds, Armenians, Jews and a small number of Chns tians. The Turks compose three-fourths of the whole population. The Jews are confined to a certain district of the city, and are in a very oppressed condition. The population of the city, according to the most recent estimate, amounts to between 175,000 and 200,000.
Bagdad was founded in 762 by the Caliph Almanzor, and was raised to a high degree of splendor in the 9th century by the famous Harun al-Rashid, who figures so often in the 'Arabian Nights.) It then became the chief city in the Moslem world and a great centre of culture and learning, but at present its high schools or medresses are few in number, and its importance rests solely on its commerce. In the 13th century it was stormed by Hulagu (Holagou), grandson of Genghis-Khan, who caused the reigning caliph to be slain and over threw the caliphate. The descendants of the conqueror were expelled in 1392 by Tamerlane. In the 15th century Shah Ismael, the first sovereign of Persia of the house of Sofi, took possession of the city. From that time it was a perpetual subject of contest in the wars be tween the Turks and Persians. After a memorable siege in 1638 it was conquered by the Turldsh Emperor, Murad IV, and Nadir Shah endeavored in vain, in the 18th century, to wrest it from the Turks.
Early.in 1917 British forces, advancing up the Tigns, took Kut and pushed on toward Bagdad. On 10 March the last Turkish position south of the city was attacked, and that night the Turks evacuated the city, which at daybreak of the llth was occupied by the British. See