Bedr Khan Beg

Bedirxan Beg Khan also Bedir or Badr Khan (* 1802 in Cizre, † 1868 in Damascus ) was a Kurdish prince of the dynasty of Botan in today's Şırnak of the family of Azizan / Azizi. The family claimed descent from a Muslim general Khalid ibn al - Walid.

Born Bedirxan 1802 or 1808 in Cizre, the capital of Botan, the son of Abdullah Bey. Even with 18 years he was with the help of the Ottomans in 1821 to the Prince of Botan. The Principality of Botan was an autonomous Kurdish principality in the Ottoman Empire. Bedirxan collected locally collected taxes for the Ottoman Empire and bore the title of Mütesellim ( tax collector ). He was largely loyal to the Ottomans, but sent only once troops for the Sultan at the battle of Nizip on June 24, 1839 against the Egyptian Ibrahim Pasha. After the defeat of the Ottomans Bedirxan moved back to Botan. He presented with an iron hand the security in the emirate recovers. Under his leadership, the region flourished economically. There was a continuous migration from surrounding provinces. This was one of the causes of the conflict between him and the Vali of Mosul, which impacted his relations with the Porte.

The conflict with the Nestorians

The Christian Nestorians lived in tribes. Tribal fighting and assaults were among them as to the Tagsesordnung as with the Kurdish neighbors. The Nestorian Patriarch Mar Shimon, was in conflict with the Emir of Hakkari. This called Bedirxan Beg to help. In 1843 there were two campaigns, the second of which was extremely bloody. This brought Bedirxan in the then European public - despite the political nature of the conflict - the reputation of a Christian butcher one.

Uprising

To the discomfort of the Ottomans Bedirxan met with the Kurdish prince of Bitlis, Hakkari, Muş, Van and Kars a "holy agreement ". Later, the Principality of Ardalan was in Iran to do so. Bedirxan Beg was with the new Ottoman policy of centralization dissatisfied because they threatened the local autonomous principalities. Botan should be divided between the Ottoman governors in Diyarbakir, and Mosul.

Bedirxan declared independence in 1842 Botans and began to mint their own coins. The Ottomans tried on the one hand to keep Bedirxan under control and on the other hand they made military preparations to attack from several fronts Cizre ago. The first battle between the Ottomans and Bedirxan took place on 4 June 1847. When it came to attacks from Bedirxans men on the Christian Nestorians, he lost the favor of the Europeans who now to disempower it more crowded Bedirxan with the Ottomans. Bedirxan could not resist for long and retreated to the castle of Eruh. The decisive factor was that the Ottomans could Bedirxans nephew Yezdan Ser, led a large part of Bedirxans troops persuade, not to support his uncle, they gave him the promise to recognize him as ruler of Botan.

On July 27, 1847 resulted Bedirxan was with chains on their feet through the bazaar of Cizre and then moved to Istanbul and then sent of to Crete into exile. In 1858 he went back to Istanbul and received the title of Pasha. Later he went to Damascus, where he died in 1868. Among the Kurds Bedirxan is regarded as the ideal ruler. He left behind four wives, six concubines ( odalık ), 42 children and ten grandchildren.

Massacre of Kurdish Yazidi

Bedirxan Beg was several times for massacre against the Kurdish Yazidis, a religious minority among the Kurds, responsible. In 1832 were killed in cooperation with the Kurdish Soranfürsten Mohammed Pasha Rewanduz thousands of Yezidis in Schei Khan area. Bedirxans Beg aim was to force the Yazidis in his territory to the adoption of Islam.

Family members

Some of his descendants and relatives were active and leading the way for the Kurdish national movement, so his son Emin Ali Bedirxan and his grandchildren Celadet Ali Bedirxan Süreyya Bedirxan and Kamuran Bedirxan. Other family members such as Huseyin Cinar and Cemal Kutay Vasif played within the Turkish politics and society major roles.