KURDISTAN

Kurdish landscape outside of Sulaymaniyah, courtesy, Wikipedia

The country of Kurdistan is today, a country that’s geographically under occupation by Arabs, Turks, and Iranians. Descended from the ancient Medes, the Kurds are the largest nation presently without an independent homeland. Historically, and not since the ancient Median Empire and the medieval Ayyubid Empire was the land of Kurdistan a unified polity, until relatively recently. Below is a brief overview of only some of the Kurdish dynasties and territories throughout history:

The ancient Median Empire, founded by Deioces who, in c. 700 BCE, unified the disparate Median tribes into a unified nation. This nation eventually supplanted the Assyrian Empire and covered an area that included Iran, Afghanistan, and eastern and central Anatolia. Its last king was Astyages who was overthrown in 549 BCE by the Achaemenid Persians under Cyrus the Great.

The Kingdom of Corduene arose during the fall of the Median Empire and was located in eastern Anatolia. During the reign of Zarbienus, with the rise of the Roman Empire, it became a vassal of Rome. Its last governor was Jovinian who reigned in the 4^th century.

Sadakiyans (770-827), ruling in central and northeastern Iran, centered at Urmia. The dynasty, originally a Mawali (client) of the Azd tribe, was founded by Sadaka ibn Ali, a local chieftain, who engaged in skirmishes with the Abbasid Caliph Abu Jafar Al-Mansur. 

Hadhabani (943–1063), founded by Muhammad ibn Bilal and centered at Arbil, Ushnu and Urmia. Their dominion included the surrounding areas of Maragha and Urmia to the east, Salmas to the north and parts of Arbil and Mosul to the west. Mokryan (1400–1800), centered at Mahabad, ruling areas to the south and west of lake Urmia, founded by Mukris, originally ruled by the Hadhabani.

Shaddadids (951–1199), founded by Muhammad bin Shaddad and ruled in various parts of Armenia and Arran. They were established in Dvin. Through their long tenure in Armenia, they often intermarried with the Bagratuni royal family of Armenia.

Hasanwayhids (959–1095), centered at Dinawar (northeast of present-day Kermanshah). The principality ruled western Iran and upper Mesopotamia. The founder of the dynasty was Hasanwayh from the Kurdish tribe of Barzikani. 

Marwanids (983–1096), founded by Abu Shuja Badh ibn Dustak, dynasty in the Diyar Bakr region of Upper Mesopotamia (present day northern Iraq/southeastern Turkey) and Armenia, centered on the city of Amid (Diyarbakır). The dynasty’s descendants were the Bani Ardalan who traced their line back to "Ahmad b. Marwan" also known as "Nasr al-Dawla Ahmad ibn Marwān", who was the ruler of the Marwanid Emirate from 1011-1061. Eventually, he settled down among the Goran Kurds and toward the end of the Mongol period, took over the Sharazor, where he established himself as an absolute ruler and established the Vassaldom of Ardalan which lasted until 1867. Principality of Bitlis (1182–1847), originated from the Rojaki (or Rozagi) tribal confederation. Claiming descent from the Marwanid dynasty, the Rojaki defeated the Georgian King David the Curopalate and conquered Bitlis and Sasun in the 10th century. Emirate of Pazooka (1499–1587), established in the Bitlis region by Huseyin Ali Bey of the Pazooka tribe and  consisted of the towns of Hınıs, Erciş, Malazgirt, Doğubayazıt, and Nakhchivan, and its capital Eleskirt.

Annazids (991–1117), founded by Abul Fath Mohammad bin Annaz, ruled a territory on the present-day Iran-Iraq frontier that included Kermanshah, Ilam, Hulwan, Dinawar (all in western Iran), Sharazor, Daquq, Daskara, Bandanijin (Mandali), and No'maniya (in south-eastern Iraq). 

Principality of Eğil (1049–1864), conquered by Pir Mansûr around 1049. Emirate of Palu (1495–1845), founded by Hüseyin Bey, one of the lords from the Principality of Eğil who conquered the fortress of Palu.

Hazaraspids (1155–1425), founded by Abu Tahir bin Mohammad, ruled the Zagros Mountains region of southwestern Iran, essentially in Lorestan and the adjacent parts of Fars which flourished in the later Saljuq, Ilkhanid, Muzaffarid, and Timurid periods.

Ayyubid dynasty (1171–1341), founded by Saladin and centered in Egypt, ruling over the Levant, Hijaz, Nubia and parts of the Maghreb during the 12th and 13th centuries. The Principality of Donboli (1210–1799), originated under the Ayyubids, was a Kurdish principality centered around the town of Khoy and named after the Donboli tribe. This principality was ultimately dissolved in 1799 by Abbas Mirza. In 1232, the descendants of the Ayyubids became rulers of the Emirate of Hasankeyf until their overthrow in 1524. When the Ayyubid dynasty collapsed around 1260, the Mamluks appointed Mend Kasım as ruler of the Emirate of Kilis. This emirate lasted until 1611. Principality of Mahmudi (1406–1839), centered around Lake Van, founded and ruled by the Mahmudi tribe from Azerbaijan or the Bohtan region. Tabriz Khanate (1747–1802), founded by Khan Najaf Qoli Donboli and centered around Tabriz. Khoy Khanate (1747–1813), Iranian khanate in the province of Azerbaijan, founded by Shahbaz Khan I, a descendant of Haji Beg, son of Sheikh Ahmad Beg, who received the rulership over Khoy and Sokmanabad on behalf of the Safavid Shah Tahmasp II. Eventually, it extended its rule over Tabriz.

Zakarids (1186-1360), were a noble Armenian-Georgian dynasty of at least partial Kurdish origin. In 1177, the Zakarids supported the monarchy against the insurgents during the rebellion of Prince Demna and the Orbeli family. The uprising was suppressed, George III persecuted his opponents and elevated the Zakarids. Sargis was granted the Province of Lori during the reign of the Tamar of Georgia in 1186.

Emirate of Hazro-Sason (13th century-1839/40).

Emirate of Bingöl (1231–1864), originally known as Capakcur and ruled by the Barmaki family since the reign of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, the emirate was founded after the collapse of the Ayyubid Empire.

Emirate of Çemişgezek (13th century-1613), centered around the town of Çemişgezek.

Emirate of Bohtan (1330–1855), centered on the town of Jazirah ibn 'Omar (modern Cizre also known as Cizîra Botan (Jazira Botan)) in southeastern Anatolia. 

Principality of Zirkan (1335-1835 ), founded in Mardin at the beginning of the 14th century by Sheikh Hassan Zerraki. 

Emirate of Hakkâri (14th century–1855), founded by Izz al-din Shir, a Kurdish noble descended from the Armenian Artsruni dynasty. Emirate of Bahdinan (1339–1843), founded by Baha-al-Din originally from the Şemzînan area in Hakkari. The capital was Amadiya. Its rulers claimed descent from the Abbasid Caliphate.

Emirate of Şirvan (1264–1840s), centered around Şirvan after the fall of the Ayyubid dynasty in 1264, founded by Emir Hasan who was a relative of Emir Kor who would become ruler of the Soran Emirate (late 14th century–1851), centered in Rawandiz. Kor was ousted in an offensive by the Ottomans.

Emirate of Bradost (15th century-19th century), centered around Urmia.

Emirate of Miks (1514–1847), centered around Lake Van.

Principality of Suleyman (1515–1838), founded by Suleyman Bey (Silivani) and centered around Silvan and Kulp. 

Shahkulu Sons (1548–1823) and centered around Salmas and Hakkari.

Emirate of Baban (1649–1851), founded by Ahmad Faqih of the Baban clan of Pijder,  centered around the region of Sulaymaniyah, encompassing the areas of present-day Iraqi Kurdistan and western Iran.

Sarab Khanate (1747–1797), founded by Ali Khan, leader of the Shaqaqi tribe, capital at Sarab. It bordered the Ardabil Khanate to the east and the Tabriz Khanate to its west, and divided into three mahals: Sarab, Hashtrud and Miyaneh. 

Zand dynasty (1751-1794), founded by Karim Khan Zand who initially ruled southern and central Iran in the 18th century. It later expanded to include much of the rest of contemporary Iran, as well as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, and parts of Iraq and Armenia.

Khurasani Kurdish exclave founded c. 1835.

Kingdom of Kurdistan (1921–1924 and 1925), was a short-lived unrecognized state proclaimed in the city of Sulaymaniyah following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Officially, the territory was under the jurisdiction of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. Its first king was Mahmud Barzanji.

Red Kurdistan Kurdistan Uyezd (1923–1929) and Kurdistan Okrug (1930), Soviet administrative units. It was part of Azerbaijan SSR with its capital at in Lachin. It was briefly succeeded by the Kurdistan Okrug from May 30 to July 23, 1930.

Republic of Ararat (1927–1930), self-proclaimed Kurdish state. It was located in eastern Turkey, centered on Karaköse Province. It was led by the central committee of the Xoybûn party under Ibrahim Haski, declared independence on October 28, 1927 or 1928 during a wave of rebellion among Kurds in southeastern Turkey.

Republic of Mahabad (1946–1947), arose alongside the Azerbaijan People's Government, a similarly short-lived state. Its president was Qazi Mohammad. The capital was the city of Mahabad, in northwestern Iran. The state encompassed a small territory, including the adjacent cities of Piranshahr and Naghadeh. The republic's foundation and demise was a part of the Iran crisis during the opening stages of the Cold War.

Iraqi Kurdistan, formed in 1992 and continues to the present, generally considered to be one of the four parts of Greater Kurdistan, which also includes parts of southeastern Turkey (Northern Kurdistan), northern Syria (Western Kurdistan), and northwestern Iran (Eastern Kurdistan). 

Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (self-proclaimed autonomous region declared during the Syrian Civil War by the PYD) (July 19, 2012– ).