Şeref Han

Emir of Bitlis, historian (B. February 25^th, 1543, Keruhrud / Kam / Iran –D. 1603/04, Bitlis). His real name was Şerafeddin and his full name was Şeref Han bin Şemseddin. He was the grandson of the Bitlis Governor Şeref Han, who was killed by Ulama Han in 1533, and the son of Şemseddin Bey, who took refuge in Safavid Empire after Bitlis was given to the rule of Ulama Han. He received his first education from the kadis (T. N. Islamic judge) of Keruhrud. He was sent to the palace of Shah Tahmasp I in Kazvin when he was nine years old and there he studied religious sciences. In 1560, he was tasked with the administration of Rojeki tribe by the Shah. For seven years he stayed in Gilan, to where he was sent in order to suppress the uprising that broke out in 1568. Afterwards, he was tasked with the administration of Sirvan and its vicinity. Shah İsmail II, who succeeded the throne after Shah Tahmasp’s death, gave him the title “Emirü’l Ümera” and called him to the center. After a while, Shah İsmail II sent him to govern Nakhcevan as he lost confidence in Şeref Han because a rumor spread saying that Şeref Han opposed the Shah in internal disorders that broke out.

Şeref Han, who gradually fell out with the center, took refuge in the Ottoman Empire (December 3^rd, 1578) with his four hundred men as the Emirate of Bitlis was granted to him by Murad III through the agency of Van Governor Husrev Pasha. He took part in Ottoman-Persian wars and in Georgia, Sirvan, Kevan and Azerbaijan campaigns. Because of his services, the administration of Muş and its vicinity was granted to him as well along with the administration of Bitlis.

In 1582, he went to Istanbul and came into the presence of Sultan Murad III. He was granted the district governorship of Bitlis, Adilcevaz, Van and Muş and was granted the use of big amount of money and revenue with the heritage statue. In 1597, by handing over the administration of Bitlis and its vicinity to his son Şemseddin Bey, he wrote his famous work Sharafnama, in which he tells about the Kurdish history. The tomb of Şeref Han, who passed away in Bitlis and had a madrasah built there in Gökmeydanı, is in the mausoleum in the courtyard of Şerefiye Külliyesi in Bitlis.

Şeref Han, who showed an interest in poetry and literature and was known as a just, pious and philanthropist person, dedicated his famous work called Sharafnama, which he wrote in Persian, to Mehmed III. In this famous work, which also contains his own biography, he described the political history, tribal structures and intertribal relations of the Kurdish tribes. In this respect his work is a very significant source on political, social, religious and cultural history of Eastern Anatolia and Western Iran of 16^th century. Sharafnama has been translated to Turkish as well as to other languages such as English, French and Russian. The latest publication of Sharafnama was in 2009; it was published in under the name “Şerefname Author: Şerafeddin Han (Governor of Bitlis in Erzurum Province)” with the Turkish translation of Celal Kabadayı and Celal Katı from the translation of Francois Bernard Charmy from Persian to French. The previous two-volume translation by Süleyman Savcı is in Diyarbakır City Public Library. Şeref Han Mausoleum that was built by Emir Şemseddin in 1533, the son of Emir Şeref, is in Bitlis.