- Azarbaijani Kurds
ethnic group
group=Azarbaijani Kurds
poptime= 2 to 2.5 million
popplace=Azarbaijan
region1=West Azerbaijan (also referred to asIranian Kurdistan )
region2=East Azarbaijan
rels= Sunni Muslim,Yarsan
langs= Kurdish (Native)
Persian second language
related= OtherKurdish people , otherIranian peoples The AzarbaijaniKurds (Kurdish: "Kurdên Azirbaycanê/Adirbaycanê", Arabic: أكراد أذربيجان ) are among the original Iranian populations of Azarbaijan (ancientAtropatene ), and traditionally mostly inhabited the areas in western regions of Azarbaijan aroundLake Urmia (Zêy Wurmê), known asMatiene district of Media Atropatene in ancient times.Etymology
The name Azerbaijan is an ancient name and is thought to be derived from "
Atropates ", [ Atroapates. Encyclopedia Iranica. [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v3f1/v3f1a020.html] ] theSatrap (governor) of Media in theAchaemenid empire , who ruled a region found in modern Iranian Azarbaijan called "Atropatene ". "Historical Dictionary of Azerbaijan" by Tadeusz Swietochowski and Brian C. Collins, ISBN 0-8108-3550-9 (retrieved07 June 2006 ).] Since ancient times following non-Turkic peoples have inhabited in Azerbaijan reported by ancient and medieval geographers: The Kurds and some other Iranian groups closely related to Kurds andArmenians . The Kurds themselves are a collection of northwestern Iranians mostly of Median stock.As stated above, the name Azarbaijan was not originally an ethnic toponym, rather than a region named after an ancient Median general. In modern times that some
Azerbaijanis prefer to use the term as an ethno-geographical topynym, the borders of such a topynom vary according to demographics of Azerbaijanis. For more details see: Azarbaijan.History
Shortly after Islamic conquest in 7th century, Kurds like their forefathers again played an important role in the political scene of Azarbaijan. Some of better known Kurdish dynasties and principalities of Azarbaijan include:
Hadhabani s,Shaddadids ,Rawadids , Mukriyans, etc.According to Encyclopedia of Iranica the first Turks who entered Azerbaijan were mercenary archers imported and employed by medieval Kurdish dynasties.
A medieval Kurdish
Sufi family inArdabil (literally: "soft soil" in Kurdish) founded one of important Iranian dyansties: theSafavids , who are credited as a dynasty who rebuilt Iran after centuries of foreign invasion by Arabian (Muslim) and Turanian (Mongol) tribes.As of mid 20th century Kurds of Azarbaijan established a short-lived Soviet-backed republic centered at
Mahabad .Demographics
Although today Kurds are present at almost every region of
West Azarbaijan province of Iran, and form a substantial portion of the population of the province, there are only a few small enclaves of Kurds left inEast Azarbaijan province. Some of ancient cities inhabited by Kurds, which later became subject to Turkification areBonab , whose name in Kurdish Binaw (Under water) points to the city being subject to tidewater ofLake Urmia ,Maragha ,Tabriz whose Kurdish name "Tawrêz" literally means "respected sun", (all in East Azarbaijan province),Khoy (meaning "salt" in Kurdish, referring to salt mines in the region) andMiandoab (both In West Azaraijan province). The city ofUrmia although during beginning of 20th century for a period was to some degrees turkified, but today has reabsorbed a sizeable Kurdish population from predominantly Kurdish surrounding villages.Religion
Today almost all of the Kurds in Azarbaijan are Shafiite
Sunni Muslims; a very small group are also followers ofYarsan . Numerousfire temple s, in the area, points to the fact that onceZoroastrianism and other Aryan religions were practiced by the locals.References
* [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v3f3/v3f2a88b.html Iranica]
ee also
*
Iranian Kurdistan
*Azerbaijani people
*Talysh people External links
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/06/iran_maps/html/2.stm Azerbaijani Kurds]
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