Thread by @EzidiHeritage

Bedirxan Beg's massacres in Tur Abdin - In 1840-1844, the #Ezidis of Tur Abdin faced repeated invasions by Bedirxan Beg, the Prince of Bohtan & head of the Ezizan, an old and influential Kurdish noble family who according to Şerefxan Bedlîsî, were themselves originally Ezidis.

Despite this, he is infamous for his bloodthirst against the religious minorities in the region, including Ezidis and Nestorians. He participated in the 1836 massacre which killed over 10,000 Nestorians, enslaving and forcibly converting furthermore to Islam.

Between 1840-1844, he launched numerous invasions against Ezidis in Tur Abdin, throughout that period, thousands of Ezidis were killed, with their property looted and the women and children abducted or enslaved.

One of his largest attacks against Ezidis in Tur Abdin took place in 1844, when he used force to convert them to Islam. Those who rejected Islam were immediately executed. Seven villages adopted Islam out of fear.

According to Hormuzd Rassam's reports, during Kurban Bayram feast when Muslims slaughter animals to honor Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac, Bedirxan would round up Ezidis for a grisly ceremony and personally slaughter those who refused to accept Islam.

📷: Hormuzd Rassam

Bedirxan had an Ezidi woman of Ezidi princely family as his wife, she had been abducted by his warriors & forcibly married to himself. They had children, the mother of Emin Ali Bedirkhan Beg and thus the grandmother of the brothers Celadet, Kamûran and Süreyya Bedirkhan.

In 1847, when the Ottoman Croatian general Osman Pasha, was sent with a force to eliminate Bedirxan, many Ezidi tribesmen took advantage of this opportunity to take revenge and stop decade long persecution.

Ezidis were a part of the forces who intercepted the marching Hakkari forces under the command of Han Mahmud, who were on their way to aid and reinforce Bedirxan Beg's forces.

📷: 1840 map of Hakkari and central Kurdistan.

Unfortunately, this is just one example of conflict and enmity that occurred between Kurds of different faiths. For example, Alevi Kurds and Sunnis also often fought on the opposing sides of the conflict. We hope religious co-existence continues to grow and none of this repeats.