Çapakçur

Çapakçur is an administrative unit located in the Diyarbekir region during the Ottoman period, heavily populated by Kurds (today's Bingöl region). Throughout history, it has been recorded within different administrative structures, sometimes as an independent liva (sancak), sometimes transforming into a kaza.

16th Century Tahrir Records

In the 16th century, Çapakçur was a liva recorded with a separate register within the Ottoman tahrir system; indeed, the Çapakçur Mufassal Tahrir Defteri numbered 50 is one of the main sources for the population, settlement, and tax structure of this region (Cilt 3, s. 22). In this detailed register, various tribes (aşiret) and communities (cemaat) affiliated with the liva are seen to be recorded. For example, in Çapakçur's Sekeran nahiye, community and kethüda records such as Ulus-ı Sivkari, Yakub bin Şeyh Cafer Kethüda, Süleyman Bargi Kethüda, Köse Ali's brother Taceddin Kethüda, and obas affiliated with Şahkuli are found (Cilt 3, s. 22).

Administrative Affiliation

Çapakçur is also referred to as a unit affiliated with the Diyarbekir vilayet within the administrative division. According to the registers in Kâmil Kepeci Tasnifi, the Diyarbekir vilayet consisted of administrative units such as Amid, Ruha, Ergani, Siverek, Harput, Sincar, Mazgirt, Pertek, Tercil, Rakka, Atak, Çapakçur, Hasankeyf, Hizan, and Zaho (Cilt 3, s. 50). This indicates that Çapakçur was evaluated within the same administrative framework along with the surrounding Kurdish sanjaks and kazas.

In Archives and Maps

Çapakçur is one of the names that lead to documents concerning Kurdish and Kürdistan history in searches conducted by place name in the Ottoman archives; it is listed alongside places such as Diyarbekir, Bitlis, Erzurum, Malatya, Harput, Siirt, Van, Muş, Kiğı (Cilt 3, s. 77). Similarly, among the maps of the period, there is also a map showing the region of Lice, Sason, Muş, Çapakçur, and Kiğı (Cilt 3, s. 145).

Later Period and Press

In the administrative arrangements of later periods, Çapakçur's position is seen to have changed: it was recorded as a kaza affiliated with the Genç sanjak, along with Kulp (Cilt 4, s. 119). The region also found a place in the press of the period; news mentioning "Çapakçur havalisi Kürdleri" was published in the Diyarbekir newspaper (Cilt 4, s. 228).