Bohtan
Bohtan (also Buhtan, Bokhti) was a medieval Kurdish principality in the Ottoman Empire centered on the town of Jazirah ibn 'Omar (modern Cizre also known as Cizîra Botan (Jazira Botan)) in southeastern Anatolia. Bohtanis were an ancient and prominent branch of the Kurds that claimed descent from the Islamic General and Sahaba Khalid ibn al-Walid.[1] Some minor branches followed Yazidism but Sunni Islam predominated in the 14th century.[2]
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Modern history
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History
In the early 8th century Bukhtis and Bajnawi Kurds ruled the area surrounding Sinjar and Jazira mountains known under name Zozan by Arab geographers. Yaqoot Hamawi describes their residing area to be from Ikhlat to Salmas which included many strongholds belonging to Bokhtis; he also mentioned town of Jardhakil as their capital. The principality ruled over an area extending from Diyarbakir to Van and from Rawanduz to Sinjar at its peak.[1]
An important governor of the principality was Bedir Khan Bey. He was Mîr of the principality in 1835 and again in 1847.[1]
Bedir Khan Bey resigned after an unsuccessful uprising against the Ottoman Empire and following lost its independence[1]
Sub-groups
The main branches of Bukhtis were Brasbi, Dasni and Sindi. According to Sharafkhan Bidlisi in his time few Bukhtis followed Yazidi faith, furthermore he states that previously Bukhtis were among the Kurdish groups who had a large Yazidi branch.[3]
References
- Jongerden, Joost (2012). Social Relations in Ottoman Diyarbekir, 1870-1915. Brill. p. 60. ISBN 9789004225183.
- Nelida Fuccaro, The other Kurds: Yazidis in colonial Iraq, 256 pp., Palgrave Macmillan, 1999. (see p.10)
- Keo - Religion Archived February 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine