el-Umerî

el-Umerî (Ibn Fadlullah al-Umari) is an author known for his encyclopedic geography and administrative correspondence works, which provide detailed information about the Kurds, and who lived in Egypt and Syria during the Mamluk period. He has two books concerning Kurdish history: the encyclopedic work Mesâlikü'l-Ebsâr fî Memâliki'l-Emsâr, which primarily discusses history and geography, and et-Taʿrîf bi'l-Mustalah eş-Şerîf, which covers the rules of chancery secretarial work and official correspondence (Vol. 2, p. 38; Vol. 2, p. 42).

Life and Work

Ibn Fadl al-Umari grew up in a family that held high positions in the state in Egypt and Syria, particularly undertaking the duties of chancery secretary and private secretary. His family's position was instrumental in his rise to high offices within the state; he accompanied his father on journeys between Damascus and Egypt due to his father's duties (Vol. 2, p. 38). He explains his purpose in writing his work as providing brief information about objects and people on earth, introducing countries, their conditions, and their inhabitants; thus enabling the people of each country to learn about the conditions of the people of other countries. He emphasizes that he did not follow the style of previous geographers, but rather tried to focus on large and well-known countries and their characteristics, touching upon neighboring countries when necessary, but primarily concentrating on Islamic countries and their regions (Vol. 2, p. 38).

Kurds in Mesâlik

In his most important work, Mesâlikü'l-Ebsâr, he dedicated a special section to the Kurds; he discussed Kurdish tribes and touched upon their political and social conditions. The author, using a poetic and rhyming language, bases his statements about the Kurds on what he saw and heard; in his work, he provides valuable information about the migration of Kurds to Damascus, Yemen, and Egypt after the Mongol invasion (Vol. 2, p. 39). He examines Kurdish tribes and clans one by one: he describes the Kurdish tribes of the Shahrazor region before the Mongol destruction, communities like Hamidiyye, Hesnaniyye, Sehriyye with their numbers and leaders (Vol. 2, p. 40); he introduces the Bestekiyye Kurds in Cebel-i Kumraniyye and their leaders who possessed mineral deposits (Vol. 2, p. 41). He refers to the lands inhabited by Kurds as Memleketu'l Cibal; he provides detailed information about Kurdish tribes in this region, especially the Çölemerik region and the Çölemerik tribe, and considers the Lorlar as tribes with independent authority in Loristan (Vol. 2, p. 57). He highlights the Kurds' relationship with mountains and their dominance over them, characterizing them as "Mîrs of the Mountains" (Vol. 2, p. 81).

Origin of the Kurds

el-Umari is among those who transmit the narrative that the Kurds are of Arab origin regarding the issue of their origin. He states that the ruler of Çölemerik established authority over other Kurds, that his word was heeded, that other tribes appreciated him, and that his lineage traced back to Utbe b. Abi Sufyan b. Harb b. Umayya; in another place and in his other book, he reiterates the same view, stating that the people of Çölemerik were of Umayyad descent, and that after the Umayyads were defeated by the Abbasids, they took refuge in the mountains (Vol. 2, p. 50). When speaking of the Ayyubids, he wrote, quoting Ibn Athir, that they were from the Rawwadiya Kurds, and he characterized the Kurds as "Kurdish nobility" [Ashraf al-Akrad] (Vol. 2, p. 52).

Geography and Kurdish Mîrs

The author addresses the vast geography inhabited by the Kurds by dividing it into regions; he speaks of Ermenistan, Azerbaycan, and Aran as separate regions, stating that each was a sultanate in its own right, and that Ermenistan was a large sultanate with Ahlat city as its center (Vol. 2, p. 60). While following the division of seven climates and customary regions in Mamluk-era geographical literature (Vol. 2, p. 54), he also introduces the communities that established a large emirate between Fars and Kirman, the Şebankare/Şinkare region, and the power politics of various Kurdish rulers (Vol. 2, p. 67).

In his work, he also gives place to the position of Kurdish figures within the state. He recounts that the Kurdish Mîr Imaduddin Ahmed b. Sayf al-Din Ali b. Ahmed b. al-Mashtub had a strong influence within the state and surpassed the Hakariye Kurds; due to this influence, after the death of al-Malik al-Adil in 625 AH/1218 CE, he planned a coup against al-Malik al-Kamil, al-Malik al-Kamil was forced to flee to Yemen, and then Imaduddin al-Mashtub was exiled to Bilad-ı Şam (Vol. 2, p. 80). He also details the conspiracy involving Huseyn al-Kurdi and his capture (Vol. 2, p. 76).

His second book concerning the Kurds, et-Taʿrîf bi'l-Mustalah eş-Şerîf, deals with the rules observed in chancery secretarial work and correspondence emanating from the chancery; these rules must be applied with great care as they are directly related to the sultan or ruler. The original manuscript copy of the book is found in Dârü'l-Kutub al-Misriyya in Cairo; the work, dated 764 AH/1362 CE, was first published in 1312 AH/1893 CE and has been translated into other languages. In this work too, el-Umari dedicated a special place to the Kurds and mentioned Kurdish figures such as Saladin Ayyubi (Vol. 2, p. 42).