Sharaf Khan Bidlisi

Who is Sharaf Khan Al-Ballisi?

Sharaf Khan Al-Ballisi combined governance and historical writing. He was a Kurdish prince from a family associated with the rule of Bitlis, and he left the book “Sharafnama,” which preserved information about the Kurdish emirates, families, and tribes. Encyclopaedia Iranica describes him as the leader of the Kurdish Rozhki tribe and the author of a history of the Kurds in Persian.

His birth and family

He was born in the year 949 AH/1543 AD. His father, Shams al-Din, was from the ruling family in Bitlis, and his grandfather was Sharaf Bey. His birth came at a time of political and military rivalry between the Ottoman and Safavid states, which directly affected the Kurdish emirates located between them.

between the Ottomans and the Safavids

In the sixteenth century, Kurdish princes were sometimes forced to switch alliances in order to preserve their principalities amid the conflict between the two powers. Sharaf Khan's grandfather cooperated with the Ottomans, while his father moved to the Safavid side after disagreements over Bitlis' rule. Sharaf Khan grew up in the Safavid political environment and gained experience in administration and relations between the emirates.

Return to Bitlis

In 1578, Sharaf Khan moved to the Ottoman side after an arranged meeting with Commander Khosrow Pasha. Encyclopaedia Iranica states that he was returned to the rule of Bitlis, the seat of his family. He then participated in Ottoman military campaigns, and Muş was added to the lands he administered after the Georgia campaign in 1583.

Retirement and heading towards history

In about 1597, he transferred his official responsibilities to his son Shams al-Din, and devoted himself to studying and writing more in Bitlis. He did not write as a detached observer of politics; He experienced some of the alliances and events he discussed.

Şerefname – Şerefname

He wrote the book “Sharafnama” in the late sixteenth century. Encyclopaedia Iranica places its composition between about 1597 and 1603, although many references link it to the year 1597. The work was written in Persian, which was one of the important languages ​​of writing and administration in the region at that time, even though its author is Kurdish and its subject is the history of the Kurds.

What does the book contain?

A section of the book presents the history of the Kurds according to regions, tribes, families, and ruling dynasties, and includes a brief biography of the author. Another section presents the history of the Ottoman sultans and the kings of Iran and Turan until the late sixteenth century. Sharaf Khan relied on Arab, Persian, and Ottoman writings, and on testimonies and information from the political environment he knew.

Why is the Sharafnama important?

The book preserved a large amount of information about the Kurdish emirates and dynasties, and it became a source used by researchers in studying the history of the region. Like every source from its era, it should be read in the context of its author's political position and compared to other sources when examining disputed facts.

The spread of Sharafnama

The work did not remain confined to his Persian manuscripts; Editions, translations, and studies of it appeared in various languages ​​during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including French, Russian, and Arabic. This spread helped make it a reference used by researchers outside the region.

His death and legacy

Encyclopaedia Iranica places his death at approximately 1603–1604, without stating a single year. His name remains present as a prince and historian who documented the history of the Kurds and their emirates, especially through “Sharafnama,” whose impact extended beyond the time of his rule in Bitlis.

Why do we remember him?

Because his life shows the situation of the Kurdish emirates between the Ottomans and the Safavids in the sixteenth century, and because his book preserved historical material about Kurdish families, tribes, and emirates that became a reference for researchers centuries later.