The First Bedirkhanis Revolt was a military conflict between the Ottoman Empire and the autonomous Kurdish ruler Bedirhan Bey, the emir of Bohtan. The campaign was a part of the Ottoman centralization policies of the 19th century. The Ottomans aimed to centralize their authority in Eastern Anatolia. Following the Kurdistan campaign of 1847 which ended in the defeat and exile of Bedir Khan Beg. In August 1848, a violent conflict in the village of Weşin brought the rule of the Palu begs under the scrutiny of the Meclis-i Vâlâ (The Supreme Council of Judicial Ordinances).
The campaign ended with the defeat of Bedirhan Bey and the dissolution of the Bohtan Emirate. This event marked a major turning point in the political structure of the Kurdish principalities within the Ottoman Empire. Yezdanşêr was born to Mir Sevdin (also known as Seyfeddin), a former Mir of Bohtan. Yezdanşêr was also the grandson of Bedir Khan Beg's uncle and a commander of Bedir Khan's troops during his revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1847. However, Yezdanşêr later betrayed Bedir Khan Beg and guided the Ottoman forces to victory. In exchange for his services, Yezdanşêr was promised some position in the Ottoman bureaucracy and after the defeat of his relative he was appointed the Mütesellim of Cizre in the Kurdistan Eyalet. He was soon replaced by an Ottoman kaymakam, sent to Constantinople in March 1849 the same year then also to Mosul. He was subsequently prohibited from returning to Cizre.
Background The suppression of the Bohtan Emirate was a significant achievement in the decline of Kurdish emirate-based authority within the Ottoman imperial system.
An important Mir of Bohtan was Bedir Khan Bey, who succeeded Mir Seyfeddin.Henning, Barbara (2018), p. 95 Bedir Khan Bey was Mîr of the principality between 1821 and 1847. He reformed the military forces in establishing an elite force consistent with members of the several tribes within the emirate which brought security into Bohtan.Gökçe, Hasan (1997). Kieser, Hans-Lukas (ed.), p. 80 According to European diplomats in the region, he even tested if the regional chief was observant enough. He would try to raid a tribe by night, and if he succeeded he would punish the tribal chief in whose territory the robbery was successful. He then returned what he had robbed the night before. The security standard in Bohtan was such, that it encouraged the population of neighboring provinces to move into the territory under Bedir Khans control. This led to the opposition by the Ottoman Vali of Mosul, who demanded an end to the emigration of the habitants from the Mosul province to Bohtan. Following, Bedir Khan expelled 2000 immigrants who settled into Bohtan during the Governorship of Mehmet Pasha in Mosul, but they returned after four years. The renewed emigration lead the Vali of Mosul Mehmet Şerif Pasha to file a report against Bedir Khan, who in 1847 had to agree to bring an end to the immigration of foreigners in Bohtan. Bedir Khan Bey resigned after an unsuccessful uprising against the Ottoman Empire and following, Bohtan lost its independence. The End of Kurdish Autonomy Kurdish emirates (such as Baban, Bohtan, and Hakkari) operated under a mutual connection with the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans relied on local Kurdish aristocrats to manage the periphery. In exchange for recognizing the Sultan’s suzerainty and providing military support, these Kurdish dynasts enjoyed significant local autonomy. The Rise of the Modern Centralized State The chapter argues that the 19th-century modern state expansion rendered this old system obsolete. Centralization: The Ottoman government began replacing decentralized, "confederal" structures with a cohesive administrative regime. Local Kurdish aristocrats were replaced by government-appointed officials sent from the imperial center. Ending the Kurdish autonomy was the formalization of the Ottoman-Iranian borders. Previously, Kurdish leaders held power in the borderlands between the two empires. As the two states moved to define a permanent, rigid border, they viewed the independent-minded Kurdish dynasts as obstacles. The removal of these local leaders made it easier to determine the borders, where borderland peoples were increasingly marginalized as the empires transformed into more modern and defined states. This period marked the dismantling of the Kurdish administrative structures that predated the Ottomans.
Bedirkhan Beg Revolt Alliance between Bedirhan Bey and the Kurdish emirs Bedirhan Bey held a significant position due to his influence and authority in the Kurdistan region. For this reason, following the reforms introduced during the Tanzimat period, the Ottoman Empire appointed him as the mütesellim of Cizre and granted him the military rank of Redif Miralay (reserve colonel).
Following the rebellion of Han Mahmud after 1842, Bedirhan Bey’s position and his close relations with Han Mahmud led to claims that Bedirhan Bey, Han Mahmud, and Nurullah Bey had formed an alliance. However, Bedirhan Bey repeatedly rejected these accusations.
Despite his repeated denials, the Ottoman authorities remained unconvinced and continued to distrust him. During the administrative transfer of Cizre to Mosul in 1842, policies pursued by the Ottoman government contributed to the development of closer relations between Bedirhan Bey and Han Mahmud. A formal alliance only became clearly evident from 1846 onward, when other Kurdish emirs in the region joined this cooperation, transforming it into a broader political alliance.
One of the most important figures in this Kurdish alliance was Nurullah Bey, the emir of Hakkâri. He too was accused of supporting Han Mahmud’s rebellion together with Bedirhan Bey, but like Bedirhan Bey, he rejected these accusations.
After 1846, the Kurdish emirs involved in the alliance strengthened their fortresses, increased their troop numbers, and began expanding their armaments.
Bedirhan Bey established arms and gunpowder workshops, minted coins as a symbol of autonomy, and had the Friday sermon (khutba) read in his own name.
According to the British officer Claudius James Rich, when he visited Bedirhan Bey in Cizre following an imperial decree (firman), Bedirhan Bey reportedly declared:
Van revolt Following the administrative reforms introduced in Kurdistan after the Tanzimat, Bedirhan Bey lost confidence in the central government and sought to strengthen his position by forming alliances with other Kurdish emirs, particularly Han Mahmud.
Regarding the rebellion initiated by Bedirhan Bey and other Kurdish emirs in Van, the Erzurum field marshal Esad Pasha reported to the Sublime Porte in a letter dated 22 February 1846 that unrest continued despite attempts at mediation and that Mustafa Bey of Van, Han Mahmud, Nurullah Bey, and Bedirhan Bey had rebelled against the state.
Esad Pasha later attempted to resolve the issue through negotiation with the Kurdish emirs but failed. He warned that military action should be taken regardless of the season, otherwise the rebellion would spread further.
During this period, the Russian and British consulates closely monitored the rebellion in Van and advised the Sublime Porte that it should be suppressed as soon as possible. Bedirhan Bey’s formation of an alliance with several Kurdish emirs in 1845 and his subsequent rebellion, together with increasing pressure from Western powers following his campaign against the Nestorians in 1846 demanding his punishment, led the Sublime Porte to decide to remove Bedirhan Bey. While the Ottoman Empire began military preparations, it also attempted to resolve the issue peacefully through provincial governors and intermediaries.
Initially the governor of Erzurum Hafız Pasha, sent the regional figure Sheikh Mahmud Bayazidi as an mediator, but it was inconclusive. The government made extensive efforts to persuade Bedirhan Bey. Leading Naqshbandi sheikhs were asked to advise him, and several prominent religious leaders wrote letters stating that they would support the Ottoman Empire if he ignored their counsel. Later, İsmail Nazım Efendi was sent to the region and personally met with Bedirhan Bey. İsmail Nazım Efendi departed from Istanbul on 7 September 1846 and arrived in Cizre, where several points of agreement were reached between the two parties:
If the office of mütesellim of Cizre were assigned to another individual by the central government, Bedirhan Bey would accept the new situation and remain in his residence in Cizre, provided his honour, life, and property were protected, or he would serve as kethüda to the newly appointed official if deemed appropriate. If permitted to continue his emirate, he would fulfil imperial orders to the extent of his ability and ensure that those who had migrated from surrounding districts returned to their original settlements. He would pay in full the taxes owed from districts previously under his authority that had been attached to Mosul. He would provide troops from territories under his control to the Ottoman army in accordance with established regulations. An official appointed by the governor of Mosul would determine the amount of jizya to be collected from the Nestorians, and Bedirhan Bey would assist if necessary and would no longer interfere in its collection. Although Cizre was attached to Mosul, it bordered the provinces of Diyarbakır and Erzurum, whose governors had previously intervened in regional affairs. Therefore, only the governor of Mosul would show authority in this regard.
Following this meeting, Bedirhan Bey sent a letter to the sultan on 22 January 1847 declaring his loyalty and stating that he would abide by the agreed terms, accepting any punishment should he fail to do so. He also asked forgiveness for his previous actions and expressed his willingness to sacrifice his life for the sultan.
However, many Ottoman officials, including Abdulmejid I, continued to view his actions with suspicion. Their concerns were reinforced by reports that Bedirhan Bey had secretly resumed having the khutbah read in his own name.
Nazım Efendi’s report was discussed in the Meclis-i Hâs, where it was decided that despite the concessions granted to him, Bedirhan Bey remained unreliable and should be removed from Cizre.
It was concluded that he had attempted to mislead Nazım Efendi in order to gain time for military preparations. A final letter demanding submission was therefore sent to him, stating that military operations would begin if he failed to comply within one week.
Meanwhile, Bedirhan Bey sent Sheikh Yusuf of Mosul to the British consulate there, declaring that he would submit to the sultan if guarantees were provided. The British consulate forwarded a copy of the agreement to the British ambassador in Istanbul, who in turn transmitted it to the Ottoman Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This development increased suspicions within the Ottoman government regarding Bedirhan Bey’s intentions.
On 19 April 1847 an imperial rescript (Irade-i Seniyye) submitted to the sultan stated that Bedirhan Bey’s declarations of loyalty were not credible and that his submission appeared to be motivated by fear of the ongoing military preparations. The implementation of previously determined military measures was therefore to continue.
This imperial order was transmitted by the grand vizierate to the field marshal of Diyarbakır. Meanwhile, the commander of the Anatolian army, Osman Pasha, advanced toward Diyarbakır via Samsun and summoned tribal leaders and Kurdish emirs connected with Bedirhan Bey to Diyarbakır in order to assess his strength and win their support.