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The Concept of Iran in the Historiography of Sharaf Khan Badlisi: A Historical-Conceptual Approach (The Kurds in the Safavid Era)

Document Type : pajoheshi

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student in the History of Islamic Iran, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Prof., Department of History, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

10.30473/lhst.2026.75621.3013

Abstract

Sharafnameh by Bidlisi holds a special place as one of the significant sources of local Iranian historiography, focusing on the history of Kurdish emirs. This work is the first historiographical source that specifically addresses the Kurds and their connection to the history of Iran. Bidlisi, with his theoretical and practical experience in the bureaucracy of Safavid Iran, offers an objective and historical understanding of the concept of Iran. The main research question is: What is the concept of Iran in Bidlisi’s Sharafnameh, and how is it defined or represented? This research, employing the method of conceptual history, demonstrates that Bidlisi possessed a historical understanding of the land, ethnic groups, and people of Iran, and he perceives and narrates the Kurds within the framework of Iranian history. Despite his presence at the Ottoman court and minor criticisms of the Safavids, he consistently spoke from the perspective of historical understanding and the requirements of Iran. He narrated the history of the Kurdish emirs in relation to the grand narrative of Iran and the “centralized Iranian monarchy,” presenting a concept of Iran that was “trans-ethnic” and “trans-religious,” which is significant in examining the history of the “concept of Iran.”

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References
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Research Journal of Iran Local Histories
Volume 13, Issue 2 - Serial Number 26
April 2026
Pages 105-122
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