Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s1.38

c19.s1.38

Broach (Báruj, Báru't, Báru's) is one of the places first attacked by the Muslim Arabs. In the fifteenth year of the Hijrah (A.D. 636) the Khalifah Umar appointed Usmán son of Abdul Asi to Bahrein. Usmán sent Hakam to Bahrein and Hakam despatched a fleet to Bárúch (or Broach).⁶ Al Biláduri (A.D. 892-93) speaks of Junaid the son of Abdur Rahmán Al Murri on his appointment to the frontier of Sindh in the Khiláfat of Hishám bin Abdal Malik (A.D. 724-743) sending an expedition to land against Báruj (Broach) . . . . . . and overrunning Jurz⁷ (Gujarát).⁸ Ibni Khurdádbah (A.D. 912) enumerates Bárúh among the countries of Sindh.⁹ Broach is next noticed¹⁰ by Al Birúni (A.D. 970-1039) as standing near the estuary of the river Narbada, as 120 miles (30 parasangs) from Debal, and as being with Rahanjur (Ránder) the capital of Ládes. In describing the coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean Al Masúdi (A.D. 915-944) speaks of Broach as باروس Bárús adding from which come the famous lance shafts called Bárúsi.¹² Al Idrisi (A.D. 1100) mentions¹³ Bárúh as a large town well-built of brick and plaster, the inhabitants rich, engaged in trade and ready to enter upon speculations and distant expeditions, a port for vessels coming from China and Sindh, being two days' journey from Saimúr (Chaul) and eight days from Nahrwára Anhilwára Pattan. In the fourteenth century (A.D. 1325) Broach is described as in the flames of the insurrection