Mastoureh Ardalan
Encyclopedia
Mah Sharaf Khanom Mastoureh Ardalan or Mastura Ardalan(1805 –1848) was a Kurdish
poet and writer. She was born in Sanandaj
in north-western Iran
and deceased in Sulaymaniyah
in present-day north-eastern Iraq
. She was a member of the feudal aristocracy in the court of the Ardalan
principality centered in Senna. She studied Kurdish
, Arabic and Persian
under the supervision of her father, Abolhasan Beig Qadiri. Her husband, Khasraw Khani Ardalan was the ruler of the principality. Her husband's death leaves the principality vulnerable to outside interference. When the Qajar state conquered the Ardalan territory in 19th century, she and her family left for the Baban principality centered in Sulaymaniyah
. Her son, Reza Qulikhan, the successor to Khasraw Khan, was imprisoned by the Qajars.
dialect of Kurdish
and in Persian
. She was a poet and said to be the only woman historiographer of the Middle East until the end of the nineteenth century. She wrote a book about the history of the Kurdish Ardalan
dynasty. She also had a collection of poems, which has been published in recent years. Her 200th birthday, was celebrated recently in a festival in Hewler (Erbil
), in the Iraqi Kurdistan
region, where her statue was unveiled in a ceremony. Moreover a conference was held on the works of Mastoureh in Irbil from December 11 to 15, 2005. Over one hundred scientific and cultural figures from across the world attended the congress in Iraqi Kurdistan, in which thirty articles in Kurdish
, Persian
, English
, and Arabic were presented about the life and works of Mastoureh Ardalan. In addition, several works by Mah Sharaf Khanum were published by the organizers in Persian and Kurdish during the congress.
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
poet and writer. She was born in Sanandaj
Sanandaj
Sanandaj , also Romanized as Senneh and Sinneh) is a city in and the capital of Kurdistan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 311,446, in 81,380 families....
in north-western Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and deceased in Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah is a city in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq. It is the capital of Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Sulaymaniyah is surrounded by the Azmar Range, Goizja Range and the Qaiwan Range in the north east, Baranan Mountain in the south and the Tasluje Hills in the west. The city has a semi-arid climate with...
in present-day north-eastern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. She was a member of the feudal aristocracy in the court of the Ardalan
Ardalan
Ardalan or was the name of a vassaldom in north-western Persia during Qajar period.Ardalan vassaldom was established in an area encompassing present day Iranian province of Kurdistan from medieval period up to mid 19th century. Ardalan is also the name of the ruling family of that vassaldom...
principality centered in Senna. She studied Kurdish
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
, Arabic and Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
under the supervision of her father, Abolhasan Beig Qadiri. Her husband, Khasraw Khani Ardalan was the ruler of the principality. Her husband's death leaves the principality vulnerable to outside interference. When the Qajar state conquered the Ardalan territory in 19th century, she and her family left for the Baban principality centered in Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah is a city in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq. It is the capital of Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Sulaymaniyah is surrounded by the Azmar Range, Goizja Range and the Qaiwan Range in the north east, Baranan Mountain in the south and the Tasluje Hills in the west. The city has a semi-arid climate with...
. Her son, Reza Qulikhan, the successor to Khasraw Khan, was imprisoned by the Qajars.
Works
She wrote several books of poetry, history and literature. She mainly wrote in the Hawrami or GoraniGorani
Gorani may refer to:In culture:* Gorani people, a Balkan ethnic groupIn geography:* Gorani, a village in Uda Commune, Argeş County, Romania* Gorani, a village in Odăile Commune, Buzău County, Romania...
dialect of Kurdish
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
and in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
. She was a poet and said to be the only woman historiographer of the Middle East until the end of the nineteenth century. She wrote a book about the history of the Kurdish Ardalan
Ardalan
Ardalan or was the name of a vassaldom in north-western Persia during Qajar period.Ardalan vassaldom was established in an area encompassing present day Iranian province of Kurdistan from medieval period up to mid 19th century. Ardalan is also the name of the ruling family of that vassaldom...
dynasty. She also had a collection of poems, which has been published in recent years. Her 200th birthday, was celebrated recently in a festival in Hewler (Erbil
Arbil
Arbil / Hewlêr is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul...
), in the Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
region, where her statue was unveiled in a ceremony. Moreover a conference was held on the works of Mastoureh in Irbil from December 11 to 15, 2005. Over one hundred scientific and cultural figures from across the world attended the congress in Iraqi Kurdistan, in which thirty articles in Kurdish
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and Arabic were presented about the life and works of Mastoureh Ardalan. In addition, several works by Mah Sharaf Khanum were published by the organizers in Persian and Kurdish during the congress.
Books
- Khronika Doma Ardalan: Ta'rikh-I Ardalan by Mah Sharaf Khanum Kurdistani and E. I. Vasileva, ISBN 5-02-016559-X / 502016559X
- Divan-i Masturah Kurdistani, Collection of poems, 238 pp., 1998, ISBN 964-6528-02-3.