NOTE 7.—­Of the ports mentioned as exporting horses to India we have already made acquaintance with KAIS and HORMUZ; of DOFAR and ADEN we shall hear further on; Soer is SOHAR the former capital of Oman, and still a place of some little trade.  Edrisi calls it “one of the oldest cities of Oman, and of the richest.  Anciently it was frequented by merchants from all parts of the world; and voyages to China used to be made from it.” (I. 152.)

Rashiduddin and Wassaf have identical statements about the horse trade, and so similar to Polo’s in this chapter that one almost suspects that he must have been their authority.  Wassaf says:  “It was a matter of agreement that Malik-ul-Islam Jamaluddin and the merchants should embark every year from the island of KAIS and land at MA’BAR 1400 horses of his own breed....  It was also agreed that he should embark as many as he could procure from all the isles of Persia, such as Katif, Lahsa, Bahrein, Hurmuz, and Kalhatu.  The price of each horse was fixed from of old at 220 dinars of red gold, on this condition, that if any horses should happen to die, the value of them should be paid from the royal treasury.  It is related by authentic writers that in the reign of Atabek Abu Bakr of (Fars), 10,000 horses were annually exported from these places to Ma’bar, Kambayat, and other ports in their neighbourhood, and the sum total of their value amounted to 2,200,000 dinars....  They bind them for 40 days in a stable with ropes and pegs, in order that they may get fat; and afterwards, without taking measures for training, and without stirrups and other appurtenances of riding, the Indian soldiers ride upon them like demons....  In a short time, the most strong, swift, fresh, and active horses become weak, slow, useless, and stupid.  In short, they all become wretched and good for nothing....  There is, therefore, a constant necessity of getting new horses annually.”  Amir Khusru mentions among Malik Kafur’s plunder in Ma’bar, 5000 Arab and Syrian horses. (Elliot, III. 34, 93.)

The price mentioned by Polo appears to be intended for 500 dinars, which in the then existing relations of the precious metals in Asia would be worth just about 100 marks of silver.  Wassaf’s price, 220 dinars of red gold, seems very inconsistent with this, but is not so materially, for it would appear that the dinar of red gold (so called) was worth two dinars.[5]

I noted an early use of the term Arab chargers in the famous Bodleian copy of the Alexander Romance (1338): 

  “Alexand’ descent du destrier Arrabis.”