Emırate of SuveydıorSuveydis was a Kurdish Emirate.[1] that ruled over the Bingöl Province from the 14th century until 1864. While Kurds comprised the majority of its population, there was also a significant Armenian presence contributing to the region's cultural diversity.[2][3]
From the early 14th century onwards, the Suveydis emerged in the Bingöl region. These lords ruled over areas such as Solhan,Genç, and the central Çapakçur regions of Bingöl. Despite occasional invasions during the periods of the Qara Qoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu, the Suveydis managed to maintain their presence. The Suveydis claim to be of Barmakids origin and are accepted by the Suveydi tribe as their ancestors. Historians recognize the Pazuki Emirate as having originated from the Suveydis. They acknowledge that the Pazuki tribe descended from the Suveydis.[4][5]
The region fell under Aq Qoyunlu rule after facing occasional invasions by both the Qara Qoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu. In 1467,Süveydis formed an alliance with the Aq Qoyunlu, gaining their independence. During the Aq Qoyunlu period, Muhammad Beg from Süveydi leader sought refuge with Uzun Hasan, who granted him the lordship of Hançuk and Çabakçur. Throughout this period, the Süveydis maintained their authority in the region.[6] In 1508,Shah Ismail established the Safavid Empire by defeating the Aq Qoyunlu and subsequently launching campaigns into Kurdish principalities, capturing Çapakçur. However, the administrative center of the Süveydis, Hançuk, was protected from the Safavid invasion thanks to the resistance led by Süveydi Emir Abdal Beg. Under Abdal Beg's leadership, Süveydi forces won the battle in Hançuk, saving the Süveydi leaders from extinction and protecting the region from Safavid invasion.[7]
After the death of Abdal Beg, the Süveydi army, under the leadership of Isfahan Beg, provided support to the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Chaldiran. Isfahan Beg, like other Kurdish lords, pursued a path of agreement with the Ottomans, and during this process, entered into an alliance agreement with the Ottoman Empire through the mediation of İdris-i Bitlisi. In 1515, Bingöl and its surroundings joined the Ottoman Empire.[8] It is known that the Palu Principality occasionally occupied Süveydi territories. Information about the Süveydis is limited in the 17th and 18th centuries. During the Tanzimat period, Süleyman Beg II, along with Çapakçur and its dependent territories, managed the region for thirty years. In 1864, with the exile of Süleyman Beg II to Harput, the eight-century existence of the Süveydi Principality came to an end. In 1874, with the death of Süleyman Beg, the end of the Süveydi Principality was confirmed. Despite various external interventions during this period, the Süveydi lords attempted to maintain their existence, but they could not go beyond being vassal governors under Ottoman rule. [9]
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