Rowanduz
Encyclopedia
The town Rawandiz is a city of Iraq
, which located in the sub-district of Soran
, in the Arbil Governorate of Iraqi Kurdistan
, close to the Iran
ian border
.
The population in 2003 was 95,089. The majority of people are now Kurds, with Assyrian
, Shabak
and Arab
minorities.
.
Rawandiz was the capital of the Soran Emirate
, which is said to have lasted from 1399 to 1835.
The Assyrians relate that, in the 1830s, the governor of Rawandiz, nicknamed "Merkor", was known for his hatred of the Christian Assyrians. In 1833, he attacked the unarmed Assyrian towns of Tel Keppe
and Elqosh
and killed thousands of their inhabitants, kidnapping the women and children, and setting fire to the towns. This "Merkor" is almost certainly Mir Muhammad, then ruler of the Soran Emirate
.
In 1915, during the First World War, the town was occupied by the Russians and Assyrians.
The muslim population was massacred by the Russians and Assyrians, after Nikolai Baratov's Cossacks recaptured the town only 20 percent of the Kurdish population managed to survive.
In 1922 the town was occupied by the Turks, until they were driven out at the end of the year.
The British army occupied the town on 22 April 1923. The British decided to stay in place to await the arrival of a special commission to fix the border between Turkey and Iraq, believing that if they left the Turkish troops would return.
Between 1928 and 1932 the British built a strategic road from Arbil
, through Rawandiz, to the Iranian border near modern-day Piranshahr
. The construction of the road was directed by the New Zealand engineer A. M. Hamilton
.
In the past Rawandiz was known as a centre of Kurdish resistance against the Iraqi Government.
As of July 2007, Rawandiz was undergoing major reconstruction. The bazaar
was being relocated to make room for a new road.
In July 2011, in a response to a Turkishmilitary offensive, local artists decided to paint the debris from the raids.
The anthropologist Edmund Leach
went to Rawandiz in 1938, to study the Rawandiz Kurds, intending to make this the subject of his thesis. His field trip had to be aborted because of the Munich crisis, but he nevertheless published his monograph "Social and Economic Organization of the Rawandiz Kurds " two years later.
The Pank tourist Resort
, which was opened in 2007 by Hazem Kurda, a former refugee of Saddam Hussein
's regime, is the first such resort in Iraq. It includes a ferris wheel
and other rides, including a toboggan
. When complete it will include a five-star hotel, restaurants, swimming pools, saunas, tennis courts, helipads and mini golf.
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....
, which located in the sub-district of Soran
Soran
m²Soran may refer to:Places*Soran Emirate, a Kurdish principality*Soran District, a region within the Kurdish Autonomous Region in northern Iraq*Soran, Iraq, the seat of the district government, adjacent to DiyanaPeople*Soran clan, Kurdish clan...
, in the Arbil Governorate of 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...
, close to the 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...
ian border
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
.
The population in 2003 was 95,089. The majority of people are now Kurds, with Assyrian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
, Shabak
Shabak
Sherut haBitachon haKlali , officially known by the acronym Shabak , officially known in English as Israel Security Agency , and commonly known in English as the Shin Bet , is Israel's internal security service. Its motto is "Magen VeLo Yera'e"...
and Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
minorities.
Etymology
The name of the city derives from Rawend diz which means castle of Rawends. The name Rawend was spelled as Orontes in Hellenic sources.History
In the time of the Neo Assyrian Empire, from the 10th to the 7th centuries BC, the area laid on the trading route to NinevehNineveh
Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo Assyrian Empire. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq....
.
Rawandiz was the capital of the Soran Emirate
Soran Emirate
Soran was a Kurdish emirate that was established in 1816. It ruled over the northeastern part of Kurdistan until it was removed by Ottoman troops in 1835. Its capital for most of that time was the city of Rawanduz....
, which is said to have lasted from 1399 to 1835.
The Assyrians relate that, in the 1830s, the governor of Rawandiz, nicknamed "Merkor", was known for his hatred of the Christian Assyrians. In 1833, he attacked the unarmed Assyrian towns of Tel Keppe
Tel Keppe
Tel Keppe , is one of the largest formerly Assyrian towns in Iraq. It is located in the Ninawa Governorate, less than 8 miles North East of Mosul in northern Iraq.-Etymology:...
and Elqosh
Alqosh
Alqōsh or Alqūsh is one of the most famous Assyrian towns of the mainly East Syrian rite in Iraq. It is located north of Mosul. The name Alqosh is derived from an Akkadian name Eil-Kushtu, where "Eil" means God and "Kushtu" means righteousness or power...
and killed thousands of their inhabitants, kidnapping the women and children, and setting fire to the towns. This "Merkor" is almost certainly Mir Muhammad, then ruler of the Soran Emirate
Soran Emirate
Soran was a Kurdish emirate that was established in 1816. It ruled over the northeastern part of Kurdistan until it was removed by Ottoman troops in 1835. Its capital for most of that time was the city of Rawanduz....
.
In 1915, during the First World War, the town was occupied by the Russians and Assyrians.
The muslim population was massacred by the Russians and Assyrians, after Nikolai Baratov's Cossacks recaptured the town only 20 percent of the Kurdish population managed to survive.
In 1922 the town was occupied by the Turks, until they were driven out at the end of the year.
The British army occupied the town on 22 April 1923. The British decided to stay in place to await the arrival of a special commission to fix the border between Turkey and Iraq, believing that if they left the Turkish troops would return.
Between 1928 and 1932 the British built a strategic road from Arbil
Arbil
Arbil / Hewlêr is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul...
, through Rawandiz, to the Iranian border near modern-day Piranshahr
Piranshahr
Piranshahr is a city in and the capital of Piranshahr County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 57,692, in 12,184 families....
. The construction of the road was directed by the New Zealand engineer A. M. Hamilton
A. M. Hamilton
Archibald Milne Hamilton was a New Zealand-born civil engineer, notable for building the Hamilton Road through Kurdistan and designing the Callender-Hamilton bridge system. His name is also associated with the Callendar-Hamilton aeroplane shed of the late 1930s.- Early life, marriage and children...
.
In the past Rawandiz was known as a centre of Kurdish resistance against the Iraqi Government.
As of July 2007, Rawandiz was undergoing major reconstruction. The bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
was being relocated to make room for a new road.
In July 2011, in a response to a Turkishmilitary offensive, local artists decided to paint the debris from the raids.
Anthropology
Rawandiz was known for its blood-feuds. In 1930, A. M. Hamilton noted: "it has always been a place of grim deeds and bloody retributions. Its greater and its lesser rulers alike have nearly all met with violent deaths and even today this reputation is being well earned".The anthropologist Edmund Leach
Edmund Leach
Sir Edmund Ronald Leach was a British social anthropologist of whom it has been said:"It is no exaggeration to say that in sheer versatility, originality, and range of writing he was and still is difficult to match among the anthropologists of the English speaking world".-Personal and academic...
went to Rawandiz in 1938, to study the Rawandiz Kurds, intending to make this the subject of his thesis. His field trip had to be aborted because of the Munich crisis, but he nevertheless published his monograph "Social and Economic Organization of the Rawandiz Kurds " two years later.
Tourism
The striking scenery has been noted by a number of visitors to the region. A. M. Hamilton relates that the Rawandiz gorge was said to the be finest in Asia.The Pank tourist Resort
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
, which was opened in 2007 by Hazem Kurda, a former refugee of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's regime, is the first such resort in Iraq. It includes a ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
and other rides, including a toboggan
Toboggan
A toboggan is a simple sled which is a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. In modern times, it is used on snow to carry one or more people down a hill or other slope for recreation. Designs vary from simple, traditional models to modern engineered composites...
. When complete it will include a five-star hotel, restaurants, swimming pools, saunas, tennis courts, helipads and mini golf.