poses to be of Arabic origin.* The Assireta seldom or
never cultivate the land, while the Guran, on the: other
hand, never become warriors. The former/ whom Mr.
Rich terms “ the Clansmen” of the Kurds, call themselves
Sipah or Soldiers, and the peasants, Rayahs or Koeylds,f
meaning villagers or “ pagani.” The Guran race are easily
distinguished by their physiognomy, and by their dialect,
from the nobler caste,J The) warriors conceive the peasants
to have been created merely for their use. “Wretched,
indeed,” says Mr. Rich^ “ is the condition of these KürdisÜ
cultivators. It much resembles that of a negro slave in the
West Indies ; and the worst - of :all4i^' that it is impossible
to make the Kurdish masters ashamed of their' cruelty to
their poor dependants. Every one agrees,” he adds, “ that
the peasant is in a moment to be distinguished, both in
countenance and speech from the true tribesman, nor would
it be possible for him to pass himself for one of his countrymen
of a nobler race.”
According to the missionary, Father Maurizio Garzoni,
Kurdistan is divided into five great lordships,-which are
Betlis, Jezira, Amadiyah, Julamerik, and Karatschohm !§
This last is now Suleimamyeh. The Kurds of Betlis call
themselves Betlisi; those of Julfimbfik are .thc. Shamho.
Von Hammer has corrected this statement, and informs^us
that according to the Jehannuma, or political survey of the
Ottoman empire, Shambo is merely the designation of tmf;
chiefs of this district, and the people are the® Hakkhrh
The Kurds óf Jezira are named Bottan, the Boh tan of
Mr. Rich, or properly Buhtan. The Kurds of Amadiyah
are the Bahdlnfin ; those of Karatscholan are the .Soran or
* Nazione Guerriera, Tribu Assireta. Garzoni, Grammatica e Vocabulario
della lingua Curda.—Ritter 571.
The name of the Assireta was unknown to Mr. Rich, who mentions that o f
the Guran. He terms the warrior caste, the proper Ktzrds.—Narrative 1. p. 81.
t Koeylü expresses in Turkish the meaning of the Persian wórd Rayah.
% Page 89.
■% These, which are old and well-known divisions of Kürdistan, may be seen
marked on any tolerably good map of Turkey in Asia.
Baba; they are the Bebeh, who have obtained the dominion
in Suleïmhnïyèh.*
We have* accounts of the« Kfirdish tribes of later date,
which are somewhat more, particular.
The following is an enumeration of the Kdrdish tribes
in IsauthPrn-Kurdistan, under- the . government nf Suleï-
mhniyeh :—A
1 Clans who are settled and irihabit particular districts.
In fbe district óf Pizhdeil—The'Sekkir, the Noareddini.
Of those’ two* tribes there'nar^Jabout;one hundred villager,
and tbey^lèn^i^er about one'-tho^and 'musketeers.
In ' the' resWcti^b^ districts b’earing| their names:—The
Shirkis, two hundred families,; and thé' Gbfelïaliif^óne hundred
;and fifty famipèl/^thfee^re' two pure clans.
Th'e;§iweir:—The’ plire origin o f these may 've questioned^
but they are at#^F%efits n'öw^fi^l® and will not‘mix
with thé peasants.
%fhe ólÊhet.districts are, mixed. Some inhabitants are of
the pella^^lS®e''!of 'tliè èla^fflsh fa^d, and no^Viffugp^ has
inhabitants óf one exclusive kind. 3
/ Wandering br Encamping, clans.
* The Jed*:—There, are tvyelve, branches^of. th e (Jafs. ■ O f
thjftrue J a f ^ p r e a r e n q iim W th a n hundred families>|
but. under their protection t h e r ^ a r e f^ g ^ p n t s p f a ll A e
tribesj o f Luristan and Persian .Kurdistan, which ' makes,
itlie Whole, strength o f the tribe amount tó l||y p r a i thousand
fam iij p ls The tribes mustpr .about, pm jlh p p san d infantry
and three h u n dm f e h o p e , that isf i%.. say, ,rin ftheir own
defence. For, the services p f the Pashp, thpy;w o u ld n p t bp
prevailed,on to furnish so many. ‘ Thp.mhole tribe only pay
to government a yearly tributb* o f thirty purses, ^sometimes
* Of the four districts of Kurdistan Pf(i^er,,'|iBAhtan' is under tbeigovernment
ófMkbó and Jezira ilnOmar, tb.eWte^of wïlch waapn|y subdued by
Rësbid Pdshd' in 1834-5. '^he; tribes'of - northern Kurdistan were reduced to
■ obedience b^ H&fiz B&sha in ,1837-8. ,,|£berjW of Hakkari is .really under the
sway of ./the Pdshd of V&n, the fertile shores of whose lake bring industry and
civilisation into the heart of. Central and Northern Kurdistan.- The. Bey of
Row&ndiz.^ of Raw&nduz, revolted • a few, years ago. The Bey of Amadiyah,
who governs Bahdin&n, has heen a source of trouble to the Turkish armies.