History of the Kurds

The history of the Kurdish people encompasses their communities across the Middle East, their political movements, and their changing relationships with surrounding states.

Connect

Medes: An ancient Iranian-speaking people who established a kingdom in western Iran in the seventh and sixth centuries BCE. The Medes are often linked to Kurdish origins, though direct descent is not established.
Kurdish emirates: Hereditary principalities that governed parts of Kurdistan under Ottoman or Persian suzerainty. Their autonomy depended on bargaining between local rulers and empires.
Saladin: A Kurdish-born Muslim ruler who founded the Ayyubid dynasty and led forces against the Crusader states. His prominence complicates histories that equate Kurdish political history with modern nationalism.
Partition of the Ottoman Empire: The post–First World War division of Ottoman territories among new states and European mandates. The settlement placed Kurdish communities under several states rather than one sovereign polity.
Pan-Kurdism: A political idea advocating unity or solidarity among Kurds across state borders. It contrasts with political strategies focused on autonomy within existing states.
Kurdish language: A group of Iranian languages spoken by Kurdish communities, including Kurmanji and Sorani. Its dialects reveal regional diversity within Kurdish communities.
Battle of Chaldiran: A 1514 battle in which the Ottoman Empire defeated the Safavid Empire near Lake Van. Its outcome strengthened Ottoman influence over many Kurdish principalities.
Sheikh Ubeydullah: A Kurdish religious and political leader who led a major revolt against Ottoman and Persian authorities in 1880. His revolt expressed cross-border Kurdish political ambitions before modern nationalism.
Kurdistan Democratic Party: An Iraqi Kurdish political party founded in 1946 and led initially by Mustafa Barzani. It became a central institution of Kurdish party politics in Iraq.
Kurdish nationalism: A movement seeking political recognition, rights, or self-determination for Kurdish people. Its changing aims connect cultural claims with organized political movements.