Muhammad Pasha of Rawanduz

Mir Muhammad (Kurdish: Mîr Mihemed, ; also known as Mirê Kor, the "blind prince". Born in Rawandiz; 1783–1838) was the Kurdish Mir of the Soran Emirate (1813–1838) centered in Soran. He campaigned against the Emirate of Bohtan in 1834 and brought its ruler under his authority.

Mir Kor had the title of Mir-i miran "Mir of mirs". Under Emir Kor, the Soran emirate developed a powerful army. It consisted of between 30 and 50,000 tribal musketeers who were given regular salaries, having the appearance of a national army. Kor himself ate each evening with 100-200 soldiers from different tribes. Mr Brant, who was consul of England in Erzurum, stated similar expression in his report dated 1836 and said: If all the Kurds were subjugated from Angora to the country of the Bey of Ravendooz they certainly could furnish much above 100.000 men.

Mir Muhammad was responsible for the genocidal campaign against the Yazidis. It is considered the bloodiest event in recorded Yazidi history. Estimates suggest that between 70,000 to 135,000 Yazidis were killed. He frequently persecuted Jews. He would go on to conquer Cizre. In another attempt he and his troops occupied over 300 Yazidi villages. The emir kidnapped over 10,000 Yazidis and sent them to Rawandiz and gave them the ultimatum of either converting to Islam or being killed. Most of the Yazidis converted to Islam and those who refused to convert to Islam were killed.

Mohammed Pasha acted with great brutality against the Yazidis and massacred thousands of them. Some of the surviving Yazidis fled towards Tur Abdin and Mosul. After "avenging" the tribal leader, he took over the town of Akre. After the conquer of Akre, the capital of the Bahdinan Principality, Amedi fell and Prince Said Pasha fled. With the fall of Amedi, the entire principality fell complietly under Mohammed Pasha‘s power. At this time he controlled the area from the Little Zab to the Khabur River.

Later, Mohammed Pasha marched north and conquered Cizre.

Persecution of Jews Under the rule of Mir Muhammad the Jewish population was affected by violence and looting notably during the Siege of Amadiya. They “were treated with merciless cruelty and oppression." Many were forced to migrate and some fled the city after its fall. Similar reports are mentioned for other towns under his control, including Ranya, Khoy, Erbil, Aqra, and Zakho. After the Kurds sacked Mosul during the Yazidi campaign, they also killed the local Jews and Christians.

Dr. Lobdell, an American Christian missionary, visited Mir Muhammad, he wrote: “The Pasha of Ravendooz told me that when he was first appointed to that district, three years since, Jews were bought and sold by the Koords as commonly as donkeys.”

Following the defeat of Mir Muhammad, Amadiya came under the rule of the Ottoman governor of Mosul. The situation of the Jewish community improved slightly.

Reception by Christians “The Christians evidently thought me their friend; for they brought me apples, plums, apricots, figs, walnuts, almonds, mulberries and eggs, refusing all com- pensation, which a Koord would never do.” — (Mir Muhammad stated during a interaction with an American missionary)

Legacy There were traits of Kurdish awareness by the Soran Emirate including the desire to unite all Kurdish areas under one rule and the use of Kurdish uniforms for his army. On this, Emir Kor's brother Rasul told British writer and traveller Frederick Milingen:

Moreover, researcher Ghalib writes: