'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia' [‎668v] (1338/1386)

74
Reports come from Bashkala that Turkish troops are being rapidly moved up to
Gevver to guard the frontier both from Kurds and the pursuing Persians. It is said,
however, that many fugitive Kurds have come over the frontier, who have plundered
many Christian villages in Gevver, so that the inhabitants have fled to Bashkala; and
complaints also come that the Turkish troops are as had as the Kurds.
On the whole, I do not think that Sheikh Obeydullah is likely to be formidable
again for some time to come.
I have, &c.
(Signed) EMI .LIUS CLAYTON.
Inclosure 2 in No. 80.
Captain Clayton to Major Trotter.
(Extract.) Van, November 27, 1880.
WITH reference to your request for further information that can be procured
as to the rumoured attempt to form a Kurdish League, I do not think that
such a thing as a Kurdish League can be said to exist, if by that is meant a
deliberate union of Chiefs and tribes for an object understood and aimed at by all.
What has really been going on has been, I think, this. Sheikh Obeydullah, by his
reputation for sanctity, by his personal ability, and by the skill and zeal of his agents,
succeeded in obtaining a great and wide spread influence over the Kurds. The various
Chiefs and tribes were therefore readv to obev his commands whatever they might be,
partly on account of this influence he had gained over them, and partly in the hope
of plunder.
Thus, while the Sheikh himself had, I believe, very definite aims and plans, the
Kurds generally hardly knew’ in what enterprise they might be engaged; although,
no doubt, a considerable excitement has been caused generally among them by the
rumours that have been current with regard to special privileges being granted to the
Armenians; and it is highly probable that the Sheikh took advantage of this, and
pointed out the necessity of a union among the Kurds to protect their own interests.
The Sheikh’s idea was, I feel sure, to unite all the Kurds, both in Turkish and
Persian territory, into an independent or semi-independent Principality under himself.
Circumstances caused him to turn his attention first to the Persian side, probably
being considerably influenced by the not very great success of his partial attempt
against the Turkish rule last year, and by the prevailing idea of the Persian weakness.
He may also have thought that, in commencing with Persia, he was less likely to
offend the European Powers. He, no doubt, hoped to extort from the Persian
Government the advance to semi-independency of the authority his son, Abdulkader,
already possessed over the Kurdish tribes south of the Lake of Urumiah. If he had
succeeded in this I believe he would, after consolidating his power on the Persian
side, have turned his attention to obtaining the same concession as regards the
Turkish Kurds from the Ottoman Government. There is no doubt that his emissaries
have been very busy in all directions, trying to bring over to him, not merely all the
Kurdish tribes, but also the Nestorians and Armenians. I have spoken in previous
despatches of his advances to the Nestorians and Armenians; and Samih Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. told
me yesterday that he had obtained possession of letters written by the Sheikh to
various Kurdish tribes, calling upon them to join him, and saying that the Turkish
Government had promised him arms and ammunition. But the nature of his levies
made a check fatal to him. In the first place, many, no doubt, joined him for little
more than the prospect of plunder, and when they had enough of that fell away,
and prestige and influence did not suffice to keep together the rest when once his
triumphant advance was stopped—for the Kurds are not, in general character, a very
courageous and stubborn race, but, though easily roused they are as easily cowed, and,
moreover, are unprovided with any of the things necessary to carry on a lengthened
and contested campaign.
Therefore I think there is little danger of any important combined movement
among the Kurds taking place again for some time, as the only person who could,
unite them has thus conspicuously failed. But, of course, the various tribes could do an
immense amount of harm to the settled and peaceable inhabitants of the country, in
the absence of proper measures on the part of Government to ensure tranquillity.
I have been informed by the Turkish authorities that the Sheikh has returned to
Shemdina, his force being entirely dispersed, and that many fugitives have come across