Yaqut al-Hamawi facts for kids

Yaqut al-Hamawi (born 1179, died 1229) was a famous writer and scholar from the Islamic world. He is best known for his huge "geography" book called Mu'jam ul-Buldān. This book was more than just a geography; it was also like an encyclopedia of history, biographies, and literature from the late Abbasid Caliphate.

Yaqut's Early Life

Yaqut's full name was Yāqūt Shihāb al-Dīn ibn-'Abdullāh al-Rūmī al-Hamawī. His first name, Yaqut, means "ruby" or "hyacinth." He was born in a city called Constantinople. The name "al-Rumi" in his full name means "from Rūm," which suggests he had a Greek background.

Yaqut was a "mawali," which means he was a freed slave or a close helper to a trader named ‘Askar ibn Abī Naṣr al-Ḥamawī. This trader lived in Baghdad, which was a very important city in the Abbasid Caliphate. Yaqut got the name "Al-Hamawī" from ‘Askar.

As ‘Askar's helper, Yaqut learned a lot about numbers and business. He became a trusted messenger for trade trips. He traveled a few times to Kish in the Persian Gulf.

In 1194, Yaqut and ‘Askar had a disagreement. Yaqut lost his job and had to find new work. He became a copyist, someone who copied books by hand, to earn money. He also started studying with a grammar expert named Al-‘Ukbarî.

A few years later, in 1199, he went on another trip for ‘Askar. When he came back to Baghdad, he opened his own bookstore. This is when he started his career as a writer.

Yaqut's Travels and Studies

Yaqut spent about ten years traveling across different lands. He visited places like Persia, Syria, and Egypt. His travels were very important for his studies.

He was one of the last people to visit many great libraries east of the Caspian Sea. These libraries held many valuable books and writings that are now lost. Yaqut visited them just before they were destroyed by Mongol invaders.

He found a lot of information for his books in the libraries of old cities like Merv (in modern-day Turkmenistan). He studied there for two years. He also gathered materials from libraries in Balkh.

Around 1222, Yaqut was working on his famous "Geography" book in Mosul. He finished the first version of it in 1224. Later, in 1227, he was in Alexandria. From there, he moved to Aleppo, where he passed away in 1229.

Yaqut's Important Books

Yaqut wrote several important books. His works are still studied today because they contain so much information about history, geography, and literature from his time.

• Kitāb Mu'jam al-Buldān (Arabic: معجم البلدان)

This book is often called the "Dictionary of Countries." Yaqut wrote it between 1224 and 1228. It's like a huge encyclopedia of place names from Arabic writings. It lists places in alphabetical order. For each place, it tells you how to say the name, where it comes from, and where it is located.

But it's much more than just a list of places! Yaqut added historical stories, details about different cultures, and interesting tales. He included information about Muslim conquests, names of leaders, famous buildings, and local celebrities. This book saved a lot of valuable old writings, history, biographies, and geography, including poems and stories.

• Irshād al-Arīb ilā Ma’rifat al-Adīb

This book is also known as the "Dictionary of Learned Men of Yāqūt." It's a collection of biographies of important scholars and writers. It helps us learn about the lives and works of many people from the Islamic world.

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