The Feylis: Authenticity, Heritage, Concerns, and Hopes – Part 4

In this article, I speak about the Atabegate of Lur-i Buzurg (Great Lur), which is also called the Fadluyid Emirate, whose rule lasted for two hundred and seventy-seven years and under whose shadow cultural and urban movements flourished. I also speak about the Feyli Emir, Dhu al-Faqar, who ruled Mesopotamia for six years and took Baghdad as his capital. Finally, I shed light on the progress witnessed by the Zand State during the reign of its prince, Karim Khan, whose kingdom encompassed Luristan and who also ruled Basra and Bahrain.

This Feyli emirate was established in southeastern Luristan in the Eastern Kurdistan region, and its rule lasted for two hundred and seventy-seven years. The kingdom included Luristan and extended to the outskirts of the city of Isfahan; during certain periods, it also included the province of Khuzestan and the city of Basra. Agriculture and trade advanced, and the urban renaissance flourished during the reign of its prince, “Atabeg Hazarasp,” who was a just, wise ruler, beloved by his people.

In order to preserve his existence and the entity of his state, the Feyli prince “Atabeg Tekle” was forced to participate in Hulagu’s campaign against Baghdad. However, the terrible massacres committed by Hulagu against the inhabitants of Baghdad had a profound impact on “Atabeg Tekle,” and he expressed severe discontent regarding this. Hulagu learned of the Luristan prince’s discontent and planned to kill him, but the prince fled back to Luristan before Hulagu could reach him. Hulagu sent a large military campaign in pursuit of him, and Hulagu’s forces managed to capture and kill him.

During the reign of Prince “Atabeg Nusrat al-Din Ahmad,” justice prevailed throughout the country, and the realm was rebuilt after his predecessor had ruined it, while the state’s financial resources improved. This prince cared for scholars, brought them close to him, and encouraged them. Among the results of this attention was “Mulla Fadlallah ibn Abdallah al-Qazwini” composing his book entitled Tarikhi Mu’jam fi Athar Muluk al-Ajam, which was printed in “Persia” and is preserved in the Egyptian National Library and Archives (Dar al-Kutub). Another example is the manuscript by “Muhammad ibn Ali Shabankarai” entitled Majma’ al-Ansab, in which this just prince is given the title “Pir.” The traveler “Ibn Battuta” mentions that Prince “Atabeg Nusrat al-Din Ahmad” established one hundred and sixty schools during his reign, forty-four of which were in the city of “Izag” (Izeh), while the remaining schools were scattered across various parts of the country.

Prince “Dhu al-Faqar Ahmad Sultan Mawasillu,” chief of the Mawasillu tribe—which belonged to the Kurdish Kalhor clan—was an emir over the outskirts of Luristan. Following the death of Shah Ismail Safavi and the accession of his son Tahmasp to the throne in 1522 AD, Prince Dhu al-Faqar seized Baghdad and expelled the governor of Baghdad, Ibrahim Khan, who had been appointed by Shah Ismail Safavi. Prince Dhu al-Faqar took Baghdad as the capital of his kingdom and managed to consolidate his power in Baghdad, extending his rule over most cities of Mesopotamia (Iraq), placing Kurdish military garrisons in all cities extending from north of Samarra down to Basra.

The prince declared the independence of his country and sought protection under the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, having the Friday sermon (khutbah) recited in his name, striking coinage in his name, and sending a delegation to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1524 AD to offer entering under his sovereignty. The Safavid Shah, Tahmasp I, sent an army to occupy Baghdad in 1528 AD, successfully capturing the city, killing the Feyli prince Dhu al-Faqar, subjecting the remaining cities of Mesopotamia to his rule, and appointing Beglu Muhammad Khan as governor of Baghdad, thus ending the Feyli rule of Mesopotamia that had lasted for six years.

“Zand” is a branch belonging to the Feyli “Lak” clan, whose men were known for their bravery (the Lurs are part of the Feyli component inhabiting the region located between Isfahan and Khuzestan, and their region is called “Luristan”). The majority of the Zand army consisted of members of this clan living in the Eastern Kurdistan region. The Zand tribe used to reside in the city of “Malayer.” By order of Nader Qoli Shah, this tribe was exiled to Khorasan in the year 1173 AD. Following the sudden assassination of Nader Shah, Iran was divided into several provinces, and the strongest of these governors was “Karim Khan Zand,” ruler of Shiraz, who took Shiraz as his capital.

After Nader Shah’s death, the Zand tribe returned to its original homeland, the city of Malayer. Both Karim Khan and his brother Sadiq Khan led the Zand tribe. Over time, Karim Khan Zand managed to extend his control over the areas surrounding his tribe’s territory. Karim Khan’s influence and power grew after he successfully extended control over the city of Hamadan and brought it under his rule. “Karim Khan” agreed with “Ali Mardan Khan” to attack the city of “Isfahan” and bring it under his control, succeeding in his endeavor as Isfahan fell when its governor, “Abu al-Fath Khan,” was forced to surrender and accept the reality once he realized he could not withstand the forces of Karim Khan and his brother Iskandar Khan.

It was agreed to install one of the Safavid princes as governor of Isfahan; the choice fell upon the eight-year-old child Shah Ismail III. Ali Mardan Khan became regent over Isfahan due to the young age of the city’s ruler, teaching Shah Ismail III royal court etiquette and rituals. As the Zand kingdom expanded and grew in strength, Karim Khan became Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, Ali Mardan Khan assumed the post of Viceroy (Deputy Sultan), and Abu al-Fath Khan became governor of Isfahan. Karim Khan set out for Hamadan, Kermanshah, and Qazvin to establish state control there. Karim Khan’s absence from Isfahan provided an opportunity for Ali Mardan Khan to eliminate the governor of Isfahan, Abu al-Fath Khan—who aspired to take over Persia—by murdering him. In 1757 AD, Karim Khan became the sole ruler of Iran, extending control over all of Iran except Khorasan, which he left for Nader Qoli Shah’s descendants living there to rule out of respect and appreciation for that Shahanshahic family. He brought Mazandaran (1759 AD), then Azerbaijan (1762 AD), and other vast lands under his rule.

Karim Khan sought peace and desired to bring happiness to his people. He did not consider engaging in war with Mesopotamia except in the final years of his reign, frequently sending luxurious gifts to the Mamluks. During the early years of Omar Pasha’s rule in Baghdad, relations between the Eyalet of Baghdad and the Zand government were good, and they jointly participated in countering the pirates of Bani Ka’b. However, relations began to deteriorate between the Zand and Ottoman states due to the ill-treatment by Ottoman authorities toward Zand citizens visiting the Shiite holy shrines in Najaf, Karbala, Kadhimiya, and Samarra, including the extortion of tolls by Ottoman authorities and continuous attacks on the pilgrims. Another reason for the deterioration of relations was the Ottomans’ refusal to fulfill the Zand authorities’ request to repatriate one hundred Zand families residing in Basra to the Zand state, alongside the shift of trade traffic from the ports of Bushehr and Bandar Abbas to Basra.

In 1773 AD, the plague broke out in Basra, resulting in the death of vast numbers of its inhabitants, who totaled around fifty thousand at the time. Crime, looting, and pillaging worsened due to the epidemic, which also led to economic stagnation, followed by raids by the Bani Ka’b tribes on Basra. In 1775 AD, the Zand offensive against Basra began under the leadership of “Sadiq Khan,” with the Zand army comprising fifty thousand fighters and a fleet of thirty ships. Vanguard Zand forces reached the Shatt al-Arab supported by Bani Ka’b forces. After a siege lasting thirteen months, Basra surrendered to the Kurdish forces in June 1776 AD after food and military munitions ran out in the city. Karim Khan was also able to reclaim Bahrain from the rebellious Arab “Al Haram” tribe and annex it to his kingdom.

The entry of Kurdish forces into Basra took place without violence. Sadiq Khan, Karim Khan’s brother, became governor of Basra and treated its residents well; however, Ali Mahmud Khan, whom Sadiq Khan had appointed as military governor over Basra, acted harshly toward the citizens during Sadiq Khan’s absence. After four years of Zand rule in Basra, they withdrew due to the death of Karim Khan Zand in 1779 AD.

Due to Karim Khan’s commitment to justice, equality, and firmness in managing state affairs, Arab and Turkic tribes in the region were loyal to him and viewed him with satisfaction and admiration. During his reign, Karim Khan succeeded in establishing stability and prosperity, with agriculture, internal trade, and manufacturing flourishing, while tax burdens were lifted from the citizens’ shoulders. Trade relations between the Zand state and India thrived; Karim Khan worked to control tax revenues and developed irrigation systems. He took great care of his capital, “Shiraz,” fortifying and embellishing it by adding tiled structures, building fortresses around it, erecting palaces and public houses, planting beautiful gardens around it, and cultivating trees and flowers. He also transformed his capital, Shiraz, into an important cultural center. During his rule, he renovated the tombs of the famous poets “Saadi” and “Hafez” buried in the outskirts of Shiraz, endowing them with numerous real estate properties, vineyards, and gardens, and appointing officials and guards to manage these endowments.

Karim Khan allocated a few hours of his time daily to hear complaints from the aggrieved to grant them justice and understand their demands. Malcolm mentions that on one occasion, as Karim Khan was preparing to return home after a tiring day, a merchant whose entire property had been stolen while he slept joined his procession and informed the King of his problem. Karim Khan ordered his minister to compensate the man for what was stolen and search for the thief and the stolen property. Karim Khan passed away in 1779 AD, after a reign lasting twenty-eight years. His mausoleum lies in the city of Shiraz.

Following Karim Khan’s death, many factions contested the throne, plunging the country into chaos as his sons and relatives assumed power. Internal disputes erupted among them, causing unrest, instability, and battles between “Sadiq Khan” (Karim Khan’s brother) and “Zaki Khan,” who seized power and was tyrannical and ruthless. The Qajars brought an end to the Zand State during the war between the two sides in 1794 AD. The Qajar army was led by their chief, “Agha Mohammad Khan,” who killed the last prince of the Zand State, the young Prince “Lotf Ali Khan.” Agha Mohammad Khan personally gouged out the eyes of the Kurdish prince, who had been captured while wounded. (The Qajar clan is a Turkic tribe brought by Timur/Tamerlane from Syria and relocated to Iran; it was one of the seven tribes that brought Shah Ismail I to power). The Qajars did not stop at killing the Kurdish prince; they also killed and gouged out the eyes of the leaders of the Zand tribe and other tribes that supported Zand rule. Thus, the Zand capital “Kerman” was occupied (under Prince Lotf Ali Khan, the capital had been transferred from Shiraz to Kerman), and this Kurdish state, which lasted thirty-four years, disappeared.

I conclude this article shedding light on a aspect of the history of the Feyli component, which is part of Kurdish history. My goal in detailing Feyli history was to acquaint the reader with the authenticity, deep heritage, and deep-seated roots of this component in the land they inhabit. The Feylis are the Kurdish component that migrated from the mountains of Kurdistan to the lowlands with abundant water and fertile soil; in their new homeland, they built the civilizations of Sumer, Elam, and Media, establishing many Kurdish states and emirates. All of humanity is indebted to the Feylis for the great contributions and services they provided to human civilization, especially their construction of the Sumerian civilization—the cradle of civilizations—where they created letters, writing, numbers, architecture, laws, agriculture, and more. Therefore, my objective in diving into Feyli history was simply to highlight a portion of the history of the descendants of the Sumerians, Elamites, and Medes.

For brothers and sisters wishing to learn more about Kurdish history, reference can be made to the books of the scholar Professor Muhammad Amin Zaki in his two books: Summary of the History of Kurds and Kurdistan – From the Oldest Historical Eras to the Present – Part One (published in 1945) and Summary of the History of Kurds and Kurdistan – History of Kurdish States and Emirates in the Islamic Era – Part Two (published in 1961). These two books are also available in Kurdish, along with another book in Kurdish titled Sharafnama by Sharafkhan Bidlisi, which Kurdish readers can consult.

In upcoming parts of this article series, I will begin addressing the conditions, circumstances, concerns, and hopes of the Feylis, offering ideas, plans, and programs that may assist in reuniting the Feylis to achieve their ambitions and goals, so they may serve as an effective Kurdish component supporting their Kurdish nation and working toward building and advancing Kurdistan’s civilization, just as their Sumerian, Elamite, and Mede ancestors did.