Siirt

Siirt is a historical settlement and region frequently mentioned alongside Bitlis in Upper Mezopotamya. Its name appears in sources in different forms such as İsirt, İsird, and Siird; it is recorded as a center densely populated by the Kurdish population in records extending from ancient times to Ottoman archives (Volume 2, p. 101).

Mervânî Dynasty

During the Islamic period, Siirt is directly related to the origin of the Mervânî dynasty, which ruled in Northern Mezopotamya between 983-1085 (Volume 1, p. 129). Mervân, who gave his name to the dynasty, was originally from Kurmâs Köyü, located between Siirt and Maden, and worked as a miller in this village. Mervân married Fehm, the sister of Bâz, who was at the core of the dynasty's foundation, and their sons born from this marriage joined their uncle Bâz's army; after Bâz's death, Ebû Ali el-Hasan b. Mervân, considered the true founder of the Mervânî State, took over the administration (Volume 1, p. 130).

Islamic Geography Sources

In Islamic geography and travel literature, various views exist regarding the name and characteristics of Siirt. Korkis Avad, the editor of the work named Diyârât, argues that the name Siirt is of Kurdish origin; the same sources state that the city is an old settlement inhabited by Kurds, that the people used it as a summer retreat and as pasture for small and large livestock, and that due to the Kurdish presence, the region was called "Cezîretu el-Ekrad" (Island/Region of Kurds). Ebü'l-Fidâ states that Siirt is famous for its abundance of trees, especially figs, pomegranates, and grapevines, that these trees grow in high places without irrigation, and that the people drink from spring waters. İbn Şeddad, on the other hand, discusses the transformations the city underwent during the Hamdânî, Mervânî, and Eyyûbî periods, and the destruction caused by the Mongol raids he personally witnessed (Volume 2, p. 101).

Ottoman Archive Records

During the Ottoman period, Siirt regularly appears in the administrative and financial records of the region. In the Amid Evkaf Defteri, the districts of Amid, Hısn-ı Keyf, Mardin, Ruha, Siirt, Harbrud, Nusaybin, and Birecik are recorded along with the Çemişgezek sanjak (Volume 3, p. 22). In the administrative division, Siirt is mentioned alongside units such as Cizre, Hazzo, Çemişgezek, and Eski Musul within the scope of Eyalet-i Kürdistan (Volume 3, p. 51). The socio-economic and cultural life of Kurds living in regions such as Bitlis, Siirt, and Hısn-ı Mansur (Adıyaman) can be traced through the sharia registers and archive documents of the period (Volume 3, p. 40). In archive searches conducted through place names, Siirt is one of the key names, along with centers such as Diyarbekir, Bitlis, Mardin, Hakkâri, and Van, for accessing documents related to Kurdish history (Volume 3, p. 77).

In the late Ottoman administrative structure, Siirt was a unit affiliated with the Bitlis province; transactions such as renting an inn for the establishment of the Bidayet Court demonstrate this (Volume 3, p. 89). According to archive drawings based on the population data of the period, the Kurdish and Ermeni populations constituted the majority in the sanjaks of Van, Hakkâri, Muş, Bitlis, Siirt, and Genç (Volume 3, p. 92).