Kingdom of Kurdistan
Kingdom of Kurdistan كوردستان کهیانیی Keyaniya Kurdistanê | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921–1924 | |||||||||
.svg) | |||||||||
| File:Kingdom of Kurdistan.png | |||||||||
| Status | Unrecognized state | ||||||||
| Capital | Sulaymaniyah | ||||||||
| Common languages | Kurdish, Soranî, Kurmanji, Zazaki | ||||||||
| Religion | Shia Islam | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Prime Minister | |||||||||
| Historical era | Interwar Period | ||||||||
• Treaty of Sèvres | August 10, 1920 | ||||||||
• Proclaimed | October 10, 1921 | ||||||||
| July 24, 1923 | |||||||||
• Disestablished | July, 1924 | ||||||||
• British Mandate of Mesopotamia | October 3, 1932 | ||||||||
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The Kingdom of Kurdistan can refer to two short-lived unrecognized states formed in the 1920s in the geo-cultural region of Kurdistan after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, in the territory officially under the jurisdiction of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia.
Northern Iraq
During the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Kurds in Iraq attempted to establish a semi-independent state. On at least one occasion they succeeded and formed the Kingdom of Kurdistan, which lasted from September 1922 - July 1924.[1]
The Shaykh of the Qadiriyyah order of Sufis, the most influential personality in Southern Kurdistan,[2] was appointed Governor of the former sanjak of Duhok, but rallied against the British and declared an independent Kurdistan in May, 1919. He was defeated in June.
On the 10 October 1921, a statement was issued in Sulaymaniya, the capital of Kurdistan, to establish a Kurdish government. Sheikh Mahmud Barzanji declared himself as the King of the Kingdom of Kurdistan.[3][dead link]
After the Treaty of Sèvres, which settled some territories, Sulaymaniya still remained under the direct control of the British High Commissioner. After the subsequent penetration of the Turkish "Özdemir" Detachment into the area, an attempt was made by the British to counter this by appointing Shaykh Mahmud Governor again, in September 1922. The Shaykh revolted again, and in November declared himself King of the Kingdom of Kurdistan. Members of his cabinet included:.[4][dead link]
Barzanji's cabinet
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- Shaikh Qadir Barzanji, a brother of Shaykh Mahmud - Prime Minister
- Abdulkarim Alaka, a Christian Kurd - Finance Minister
- Ahmed Bagy Fatah Bag - Customs Minister
- Hajy Mala Saeed Karkukli - Justice Minister
- Hema Abdullah Agha - Labour Minister
- Zaky Sahibqran - Defence Minister of the Kurdish National Army
- Mustafa Yamulki - Education Minister
- Shaykh Mohammed Gharib, brother in law to Shaykh Mahmud - Interior Minister
The army of the Kingdom of Kurdistan was called the Kurdish National Army. Barzanji was defeated by the British in July, 1924, and in January 1926 the League of Nations gave the mandate over the territory to Iraq, with the provision for special rights for Kurds. In 1930-1931, Shaykh Makhmud Barzanji made his last unsuccessful attempt.
The British Royal Air Force's Iraq Command acting on behalf of the Iraqi government in Baghdad played a part in bringing the Kingdom of Kurdistan to an end.
Sheikh Said Rebellion
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The second Kingdom of Kurdistan was attempted in southeastern Turkey with Sheikh Said Rebellion in 1925 and only lasted 3 months before being put down by the Turkish army. The rebellion was initiated by Sheikh Said of Piran who was reported to have been assisted by tribal elements from Syria.[5]
See also
- List of Kurdish dynasties and countries
- Republic of Ararat
- Republic of Mahabad
- Kurdistan Regional Government
References
Footnotes
- ^ Prince, J. (1993), "A Kurdish State in Iraq" in Current History, January.
- ^ Eskander, S. (2000) "Britain's policy in Southern Kurdistan: The Formation and the Termination of the First Kurdish Government, 1918-1919" in British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies Vol. 27, No. 2. pp. 139-163.
- ^ Fatah, R. (2005) Mustafa Pasha Yamolki: his life and role in the Kurdish nationalist movement KurdishMedia.com
- ^ Fatah, R. (2006) The Kurdish resistance to Southern Kurdistan annexing with Iraq KurdishMedia.com
- ^ Elphinston, W. G. (1946) "The Kurdish Question" in International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-), Vol. 22, No. 1. (Jan., 1946), pp. 91-103.
General
- McDowell, D. (1996) A Modern History of the Kurds, pp. 155–163, 194-196