Yezidiler

The Yezidiler are a people whose language is Kürtçe, mentioned in sources both as a distinct faith community and with their tribes. Historically, it is recorded that they spread from Mezopotamya to İran, Rusya, and more distant geographies, and their spiritual leaders were located in Musul.

Religious Leadership in Şam

In Islamic period geography and travel books, a distinct religious-political presence of the Yezidi community is observed in Bilad-ı Şam. According to El-Umerî, Şeyh İzzeddin, after serving as a mîr -that is, the religious and worldly head of the Yezidiler- in Şam for a long time, later functioned as a clergyman. This person, residing in Şam's el-Mezze neighborhood, was considered a sacred figure; Kürtler came from everywhere to visit him and presented him with various gifts and goods; it is stated that this sheikh, who had numerous disciples, was also associated with a rebellion against the sultan (Cilt 2, s. 75).

In Ottoman Archives

In Ottoman archive documents, the Yezidiler are mentioned within local struggles and public order issues among Kürt tribes. In a record reflected in the Mühimme defterleri, "Yezidi Yakup" is also counted among the men of Mehmed Sani Bey; it is reported that this group attacked the Malazgirt sancak, plundering 54,000 sheep and 8,000 black cattle (Cilt 3, s. 17).

Musul and El-Cezire

Ottoman press and geographical works mostly associate the Yezidiler with the Musul and El-Cezire region. In the geography books of the period, they are introduced among the inhabitants of Mezopotamya as "a people called Yezidi" and described with expressions -reflecting the prejudiced language of the era- stating that they worship a being they call "peacock ruler"; it is mentioned that they are settled in countries extending to İran, Rusya, and Çin, and their spiritual leaders reside in Musul (Cilt 4, s. 148; Cilt 4, s. 166). In another work, it is said that a part of the population consists of Yezidiler and their beliefs are "based on evil spirits" (Cilt 4, s. 150).

Ethnic and Linguistic Position

Salnameler and administrative sources provide more concrete information regarding the ethnic and linguistic position of the Yezidiler. The language of the Yezidiler was Kürtçe, and the places where Kürtçe-speaking Yezidiler lived most densely were the villages belonging to Sincar Kazası, which was part of Musul; within Musul's religious population, the Yezidiler ranked third (Cilt 4, s. 270). It is recorded that they lived alongside Muslim, Christian, and other communities in places like Siird Sancağı and Garzan Kazası, and the population of Kulp kazası, part of Bitlis, consisted of Muslim, Armenian, and Yezidiler (Cilt 4, s. 270; Cilt 4, s. 134). In a provincial salname, it is stated that the Yezidiler were in a position "between Kürd in terms of ethnicity and İslam in terms of nationality," but were seen as a separate community due to their own sect (Cilt 4, s. 279).