| Sharafkhan Bidlisi | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emir,Beg,Mir andKhan | |||||
 A portrait of Sharaf Khan Bidlisi | |||||
| Emir of Bitlis | |||||
| Predecessor | |||||
| Successor | Shamsaddin Beg Abulmalik | ||||
| Born | 25 February 1543 Karahrud,Safavid Iran | ||||
| Died | 1603–1604 (60–61 years old) | ||||
| Issue | Shamsaddin Beg Abulmalik | ||||
| |||||
| Dynasty | Rojekî | ||||
| Father | Shamsaddin Beg | ||||
| Mother | A daughter of Emîr HanMusullu[2] | ||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||
Sharaf al-Din Khan b. Shams al-Din b. Sharaf Beg Bedlisi (Kurdish:شەرەفخانی بەدلیسی,Şerefxanê Bedlîsî;Persian:شرفالدین خان بن شمسالدین بن شرف بیگ بدلیسی; 25 February 1543 –c. 1603–04)[3] was aKurdish[4]Emir of Bitlis. He was also a historian, writer and poet. He wrote exclusively inPersian. Born in the Qara Rud village, in central Iran, between Arak andQom, at a young age he was sent to theSafavids' court and obtained his education there.
He is the author of theSharafnama, one of the most important works on medievalKurdish history, written in 1597. He created a good picture of Kurdish life andKurdish dynasties in the 16th century in his works. OutsideIran andKurdish-speaking countries, Sharaf Khan Bidlisi has influencedKurdish literature and societies through the translation of his works by other scholars.
He was also a gifted artist and a well-educated man, excelling as much in mathematics andmilitary strategy as he did in history.
Sharaf Khan Bidlisi was born on 25 February 1543, in theMarkazi province of Iran in the Garmrood village, during the exile of his father. His father was Shamsheddin, aKurdishBeg,[5]
Sharafkhan was a member of the ruling house ofRojakî tribal confederation, whose members ruled theBitlis Emirate at the time.[6] and had ruled intermittently as an independent emirate since at least the 9th century. Sharafkhan therefore never took up the common tribal title of "Khan", preferring instead the royal title ofemir ormir, "prince." He was most commonly known as Mir Sharaf (Prince Sharaf).
Later his family was taken under protection of theSafavid dynasty.[7] He was schooled atTahmasb's court, and wrote in 1596:
When I turned nine (in 1551) I entered the private harem (haram-i khass)... for three years (1551–1554) I served the family (Silsila) of that refined (pakiza atvar) shah as a page at the inner palace.
— Sharaf Khan Bidlisi
Bedlîsî spoke of his education entailing instruction in theQuran, readings on the principles ofshari'a, piety and purity. Due toShah Tahmasp's religious disposition, Bidlisi was introduced to religious scholars, who warned him against evil people, and instead encouraged friendship with the virtuous. And once Bidlisi attained maturity, he was taught the martial arts (sipahigira),archery,polo,racing,swordsmanship, and the precepts ofchivalry – humanism and generosity.[8]
In 1576Tahmasb of theSafavids gave him the title ofMir of Mirs and appointed him leader of allIranian Kurdish tribes. He accepted his title, but only two years later, Sharafkhan abandoned his previous stand, and supported theOttomans in their war against theIranians, offering them 400 soldiers. In 1578,Sultan Murad III, the Ottoman Sultan, granted Sharafkhan the title of Emir and he became the Mir of theEmirate of Bitlis.[9] Between 1578 and 1588, Sharafkhan virtually led all the Ottoman wars against thePersians.[10] In 1597, Sharafkhan gave the authority of his dynasty to his son Šams-al-Dīn.[3]
Sharaf Khan Bidlisi was planning for a long time to write a book aboutKurdish history, and finally in 1597 he started writing his epic,Sharafnama. Written inPersian, theSharafnama divides its history into four parts. The first one deals with the five Kurdish dynasties that have enjoyed status as royalty (Saltant): theMarwanids ofAmed, theHasanwayhids ofDinavar andSharizur, the Fadluyids of the GreatLur, the princes of little Lur, and finally,Saladin the Great and theAyyubids. The second part lists dynasties that have had coin struck and thekhutba recited in their names. (The Khutba is a religious invocation pronounced at the Friday day prayers meeting that mentions theProphet, the first four caliphs and the current rulers). The third part numbers the families of the hereditary governors, while the fourth details the history of the mirs ofBitilis.[11]
It was, in a sense, inevitable for Sharaf Khan to compose theSharafnama in Persian given the circumstances of his time.[12] After his father, Shams al-Dan Khan, sought refuge at the court of Shah Tahmasp, it is not surprising that Sharaf Khan, who received a high-quality education alongside the princes in Shah Tahmasp's palace inQazvin and mastered Persian like a native speaker, chose to write this work in that language. His decision was driven both by the desire to reach a wide audience across the Persian-speaking regions and to enhance his dynasty’s legitimacy in the broader world. Upon completing his book, Sharaf Khan sent copies to the Kurdish leaders ofKilis (Husayn Jānbūlād) andArdalan (Halo Khan). This gesture could have been aimed at demonstrating the Bidlis ruler's dynastic authority and gaining broader recognition, while also indicating that Persian was read and written in the courts of other Kurdish rulers.[12]
