'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎200v] (405/706)

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KURDISTAN
Besides these 17 tribes there are 7 others, but they are not worth chronicl
ing. All pass the summer in Kurdistan and most of them go for the winter
to Kirmanshah, Lur-i-Pusht-i-Kuh, and Shahrizur. They are looked after
by 7 delegates who always give trouble and cause much confusion.
All these tribes are Sunni. The Shaikh Isma’ili Shamshiri and PurpisheK
have their winter pasture grounds in Turkish territory.
Administration .—Persian Kurdistan was governed for centuries by Guran
princes of the house of Bani Ardalan under the title of Vali of Sinnoh. At
the date of Rich’s visit (about eightly years ago) Amanullah Khan, the
Vali of Sinneh, was almost independent of the Tehran Government, though
as a concession to the Persian Court, he and the chief members of his family
professed the Shi’ah faith. Amanullah was a strong ruler, who exacted the
most implicit obedience from his own children, ministers, and subjects. He
appointed whom he pleased to be governors of the different districts of
Kurdistan, and even in the case of the chief ships of Avroman and Baneh,
although the field of selection was by custom restricted to one family, the
particular individual to succeed to a vacancy was named by the Vali.
Ghulam Shah Khan was the last Vali of Sinneh of the house of Ardalan. His
father married a daughter of Path’All Shah, a princess of a very vigorous
and determined character. She was the virtual ruler of Kurdistan, and
administered the affairs of the province in open darbdr. Her son, Ghulam
Shah Khan, died about forty years ago, leaving a brother, Riza Qull
Khan, and three children, sons. These were all set aside, and Mu’tamad-
ud-Dauleh, the late Shah’s uncle, was appointed the first Hakim of
Kurdistan. It does not appear that the people made any objection to the
change of ruler. Rich points out that the peasantry of Persian Kurdistan
are not clansmen, and notoriously lacking that love for, and devotion to
their princes, w T hich marked the relations between the chief of Sulaimanieh
and his tribesmen. The Valis of Sinneh moreover were cruel and rapacious
and deserving little sympathy, and probably their people were not sorry
to be rid of them. However this may be, the subjection of the Chief of
Avroman seems to have b6en Mu’tamad-ud-Dauleh’s main difficulty. After
a struggle the details of which belong to Persian history, the district
was eventually subdued.
Mu tamad-ud-Dauleh administered the district for nine years and has been
followed by a succession of Persian governors. The ancient family of the
Bani Ardalan has been reduced to poverty and insignificance. The governor
does not trouble himself much about the condition of the province over which
he rules. The administration is carried on by the Vazir who has himself
farmed the revenue. The amount to be nominally collected is 60,000
tudmns, of which 25,000 are retained for local expenses and the balance
remitted to Tehran, but the governor demands pishkash from the vazir who
has to maKe his profit as well, so it is evident that the people have to pay con
siderably more than the sum required.
The Governor of the Kalhur district is-now for the present Sulaiman, son
of Daud Khan, who was killed in 1812.
For an account of Salar-ud-Dauleh’s rebellion of 1911-12, during which
Kurdistan was much disturbed, see article under Kirmanshah (Province).