History

This encyclopedia entry traces the development of the Yazidi tradition from the 12th‑century reforms of Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir to the codification of the 72 divine emanations, or fermans, that structure contemporary Yazidi theology. It combines textual sources, oral tradition, and modern scholarship to present a nuanced historical narrative.

Yazidis began settling in the South Caucasus during the 19th‑century upheavals that followed the Russo‑Ottoman wars. Over subsequent decades they established enduring communities in present‑day Armenia and Georgia, shaped by imperial policies, Soviet re‑organisation, and contemporary diaspora dynamics.

During the Ba’athist era (1968‑2003), the Iraqi state pursued an Arabization programme that reshaped Yazidi settlement patterns by creating collective towns (komel). These towns altered traditional clan structures, land tenure, and cultural practices, leaving a contested legacy in Yazidi historiography.

During the Ottoman period (1516–1918) Yazidis faced a distinctive fiscal regime, sporadic forced conscription, and violent reprisals that culminated in 19th‑century massacres. Scholarly research draws on tax registers, missionary reports, and oral testimonies to reconstruct these experiences.

A ferman is a Yazidi legal decree commemorating the tradition of 72 historic persecutions, recorded in oral and written sources. It functions as a ritual reminder of collective suffering and resilience.

Yazidis.info documents the evolving legal status of Yazidis in Iraq, detailing how citizenship, census practices, and state classification have changed from the Ottoman era to the post‑2003 constitution. The article analyses official statistics, minority‑rights legislation, and scholarly debates surrounding Yazidi identity in the Iraqi state.

The 2007 Qahtaniyah bombings were twin car bomb attacks on 25 February 2007 in the Yazidi‑populated town of Qahtaniyah, Iraq, killing approximately 500 civilians. It remains Iraq’s deadliest single‑day attack and a pivotal moment in the persecution of the Yazidi community.

Yazidis.info compiles scholarly estimates of Yazidi demography from Ottoman tax registers to 21st‑century censuses. The article traces fluctuations caused by migration, conflict, and state policies, presenting a timeline and data table for comparative analysis.

Bedirxan, a prominent Kurdish noble family, orchestrated the 19th‑century massacres of Yazidis in the Sinjar and Sheikhan districts, killing thousands and reshaping Yazidi communal memory. The events are documented in Ottoman archival records, British consular reports, and Yazidi oral tradition, and remain a focal point of scholarly debate.

Yazidis and the Sayfo examines the experience of the Yazidi community during the Ottoman Empire’s collapse and the 1915‑1918 genocide, known as the Sayfo. The article outlines demographic impacts, regional variations, and scholarly debates, drawing on primary Ottoman records and modern research.