2025-04

From The Unity to Fragmentation The Role of Tribes in Kurdistan 1514-1914

Sindi Tribe in Zakho During the Ottoman Empire A Historical Study Abstract Kurdish tribes were generally considered the major components of the Kurdish emirates. They played a significant role in expanding and protecting the political borders of the Kurdish emirates. After the establishment of the Kurdish emirates, Kurdish tribes gathered under the reign of emirates. One of the largest and most powerful Kurdish emirates was Bahdinan emirate. Sindi was the major tribe who contributes in the establishment of this emirate. According to historical and Ottoman documents and sources, Sindi tribe had a noticeable role in the Bahdinan emirate in terms of governance. Zakho, as one of the Bahdinan emirate territories. The value of this study to historically highlight the nationalist role of this tribe and their significant contribution to the establishment of Kurdish emirates as well as in the Ottoman Empire as they protected the Kurdish territories during the emirate’s reigns. In fact, these emirates were under the reign of the Ottoman Empire, yet Kurdish tribes, especially Sindi tribe, had run their administration by themselves for hereditary and property in Kurdish territories in Bahdinan emirate. Badlisi in his Sharafname mentions that among many Kurdish resided districts in Bahdinan emirate, Zakho was the most prominent one and Sindi tribe was the biggest and the most important tribe in the area. Therefore, Zakho was often mentioned as the province of Sindi tribe. Some books that studied the orient life have mentioned Sindi tribe; to give an example, W A Wigram and Edgar T I have talked about Abdi Agha and the power he owned in Zakho. They also mentioned that there were two prominent figues in that region had helped to bring stability to the region which showed the strength and impact that tribe leaders and aghas had in that era. This paper investigates to highlight the significant role of Sindi tribe in Bahdinan emirate during the Ottoman Empire. Orientalists’ books, Sharafnama, Ottoman Empire documents, and historical books and data serve as sources of this study. This paper uses the historical approach. Keywords: Sindi tribe, Zakho district, Bahdinan emirate, The Emir of Amedi, Ottoman Empire