Babanlar

Babanlar (Baban Dynasty) is a powerful Kurdish dynasty that was influential in the geography of Bağdat and Kürdistan (Volume 4, p. 63). The dynasty, mentioned among the Kurdish tribes in the Osmanlı-İran border region, became one of the prominent Kurdish powers highlighted in the sources of the period, with both its political power and its position between the two empires.

On the Osmanlı-İran Border

Records regarding the early period of the dynasty show the Baban ruler as an important actor in the border balances of the Osmanlı-İran conflict. While Kanunî's struggle with the Safevi Shah Şah Tahmasb is recounted in Lütfi Paşa's work titled Tevârih-i Âl-i Osmân, the assistance of Kurdish tribes on the Osmanlı border is mentioned; in this context, it is stated that the Baban ruler, a Kurdish tribe on the Osmanlı-İran border, stood on the Osmanlı side and resisted the attacks of the Safevîs (Volume 4, p. 31).

Power and Internal Conflicts

The power and internal conflicts of the Baban Dynasty have been discussed in detail in Osmanlı historiography. Extensive space is given in sources to the Baban dynasty, which was powerful in Bağdat and the geography of Kürdistan (Volume 4, p. 63). Cevdet Paşa, in the second volume of his work, continues to provide information about the Kurdish Baban Dynasty, detailing the struggles the dynasty experienced; it is recorded that the Osmanlı and İran administrations were fed up with these struggles, and the conflicts and disagreements among Kurdish mîrs led to chaos and unrest in the geography of Kürdistan (Volume 4, p. 64). The same source also conveys the struggle between the Osmanlı State and Kerim Han, who ruled in İran, within this framework (Volume 4, p. 64).

In the Tribal Geography

The dynasty is also mentioned as an integral part of the region's tribal geography. In his travelogue, where he provides detailed information about Kurdish tribes, their branches, household numbers, and beliefs in the regions where the Osmanlı, İran, and Rusya borders intersect, Mehmed Hurşid lists Baban; along with the major Kurdish tribes of the region such as Atmanî, Badikî, Bıradost, Caf, Celali, Hayderan, Hemavend, Lek, Milan, Rişvan, Sebkî, Şemsikî, Şemzînan, Şeyhbızın, Şeyh Hasenan, Şikakî, and Zîlan (Volume 4, p. 78).

Later Period Members

Later period members of the family were also influential in Osmanlı intellectual and press life. Babanzade Naim Bey expressed his views on the activities undertaken by Şerif Paşa on behalf of the Kurdish people; arguing that Şerif Paşa was not authorized to speak on behalf of the Kurds, he criticized his Kurdish policy with the words, "Şerif Paşa has undertaken such an endeavor seeing himself authorized on behalf of the Kurdish people. However, I do not know that he is authorized to speak on behalf of the Kurds" and emphasized the unity of Kurds and Turks and loyalty to the caliphate (Volume 4, p. 317).