IDRISI

IDRISI (Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Idris al-Idrisi; 1100–1161, or, according to other sources, 1165), Arab Traveller and Geographer. In the beginning of the 12th century, he made a journey through North Africa, Central Europe and Asia Minor. I. also served at the court of the Sicilian King, Roger II. Author of the book titled Kitab Nuzhat al­Mushta Phihtirag al­Afag (The Book of Entertain­ ment for the One Bored after Having Reached One’s Horizons, 1154). He described the peoples of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including Bashkirs, Bulgars, Burtasians, ancient Hungarians, Kipchaks, etc. On his map of populated areas, the Bashkirs were marked as living in the Ural region. He described Bashkirs by the name of Basdzhirt and classified them as Turkic-speaking people. I. also gave the descriptions of the Bashkir cities of Karakiya, Mindzhan (Nemzhan), Kazir and Mazir.