'Kurdistan and the Kurds' [‎39v] (78/122)

76
first and third points strongly predisposed the Kurds in our favour, whereas
the second gave a serious set-back to British prestige.
Turkish policy vacillated between extreme highhandedness and weak
efforts at conciliation; and since the reformation of the constitution
disorder had increased owing to the overbearing attitude of the Committee
of Union and Progress on the one hand and the awakening of vague
national yearnings on the other.! \ The Ottoman Government had succeeded
in raising the hatred of the Hamawand and the Jaff, the two most powerful
tribes on the frontier. I The former were alienated in 1909 by the murder
of their chief, Sayyid Qara Daghli, a notorious and turbulent tyrant, who
enjoyed at the same time a far-reaching reputation for holiness; in conse
quence of this, the tribe rose to exact vengeance for his death and remained
in open revolt till Nazim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the Governor of Baghdad, patched up a
half-hearted peace in January, 1910; this state of affairs only lasted a
short time, and the Hamawand were in part still unsubdued at the out
break of the European war. The Jaff were driven to rebel in the same
year by an endeavour to extract from them a tribute which had not been
paid for many years. A governor, Mahmud Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , was appointed at Mosul
to control them, but he was recalled in less than a year, during which
time he had effected nothing. Another Kurd,'Mustafa Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Bajlan, a
chief of the Bajlan, who lived on the Turco-Persian frontier, maintained a
state of permanent semi-hostility to the Government, and was detained in
1912 for a while as a political suspect, probably because of his leaning
toward the British.
The tribes suffered considerably during the war from the Turkish
Army-command, which subjected them them to heavy requisitions and
otherwise humiliated their religious leaders. I They provided a certain
number of troops to the Turkish army and fought well against us at
Shu‘aibah ; they were, however, so badly treated by the Turks after this
that they deserted almost to a man. The way was thus prepared for us
and our Russian allies to receive a warm welcome from the Kurds;, but the
chance was thrown away by the behaviour of the latter.
Before the war, the Kurds had regarded the Russians with dislike,
but the misrule of the Turks had for some time been driving them into
their arms. For example, the Sheikh of Berzan and other chiefs from
the district of Mosul had sought refuge in Russian territory early in 1914,
when it was rumoured that the Hamawand, the Jaff, and the Dizai were
f There were several risings on the part of the Kurds during the last
century, indicating perhaps rather a strong dislike for the Turkish Government than
any yearning for national independence :—(i.) Under Mohammed Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. in 1834; (ii.)
Under Ahmed Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , of Snleimaniyah, who attacked the Turkish Governor of Baghdad
about 1843 ; (iii.) In 1847 under Bedr Khan Bey, who first fell upon the Nestorians and
then on the Turkish Army sent against him under ‘Omar Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . Other disturbances
among the Kurds were ‘Obeidullah’s attack on Persia in 1886, the rising of the
Hakkiari against the Turks in 1895 and the insurrection at Bitlis in 1914, which was
suppressed with ruthless cruelty.