Sharaf Khan Bidlisi

Quick Facts

• Region: Bitlis and the Safavid-Ottoman frontier
• Born: 1543, Karahrud (Iran)
• Died: 1603, Bitlis
• Known for: “Sharafnama” (1597)

Overview

Sharaf Khan Bidlisi was a Kurdish emir and historian best known for writing the “Sharafnama,” a major history of Kurdish dynasties. The work remains one of the most important historical sources on Kurdish principalities.

As a political leader and scholar, he moved between the Safavid and Ottoman spheres and documented the dynastic history of the region.

Life and Work

In 1597 he completed the Sharafnama in Persian, detailing the origins and rulers of Kurdish dynasties. His writing combines political history with biographical sketches and genealogies.

Legacy

Sharaf Khan’s history continues to shape modern understandings of Kurdish political and cultural history.