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Sulaymaniyah or Slemani (; ), is a city in the east of the
Kurdistan Region Kurdistan Region (KRI) is a semi-autonomous Federal regions of Iraq, federal region of the Iraq, Republic of Iraq. It comprises four Kurds, Kurdish-majority governorates of Arabs, Arab-majority Iraq: Erbil Governorate, Sulaymaniyah Governorate ...
of
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
and is the capital of the
Sulaymaniyah Governorate Sulaymaniyah Governorate (; ; ) or Sulaymaniyah Province is a Governorates of Iraq, governorate in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Its largest city is Sulaymaniyah. Halabja Governorate was formerly the Halabja District, Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Hal ...
. It is surrounded by the Azmar (Ezmer), Goizha (Goyje) and Qaiwan (Qeywan) Mountains in the northeast, Baranan Mountain in the south and the Tasluja Hills in the west. The city has a semi-arid climate with very hot dry summers and cold wet winters. The modern city of Slemani was founded in 1784 by the Ottoman-Kurdish prince Ibrahim Pasha Baban in Collaboration with Azim Beg and Haji Aziz Bey Aghal Dwanze Swarey Meriwane Jawamer Agha Rangena, who named it after his father Sulayman Pasha. Slemani was the capital of the historic Kurdish principality of
Baban Baban () was a Kurdish emirate existing from the 16th century to 1850, centered on Sulaymaniyah. The Baban Principality played an active role in the Ottoman-Safavid conflict and gave significant military support to the Ottomans. They were in c ...
from 1784 to 1850.


History

The region of Slemani was known as '' Zamwa'' prior to the foundation of the modern city in 1784. The capital of the Kurdish
Baban Baban () was a Kurdish emirate existing from the 16th century to 1850, centered on Sulaymaniyah. The Baban Principality played an active role in the Ottoman-Safavid conflict and gave significant military support to the Ottomans. They were in c ...
principality (1649–1850), before Slemani, was a territory named "Qelaçiwalan". At the time of the Babani's rule there were major conflicts between the
Safavid dynasty The Safavid dynasty (; , ) was one of Iran's most significant ruling dynasties reigning from Safavid Iran, 1501 to 1736. Their rule is often considered the beginning of History of Iran, modern Iranian history, as well as one of the gunpowder em ...
and the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
. Qelaçiwalan became a battleground for the two rivals. In 1783, Ibrahim Baban became ruler of the emirate and began the reconstruction of a city which once constructed by Ottoman Sultan Sulayman (the name of Sulaymaniyah came from his name) new city which would become its capital. In 1784 he finished erecting a number of palaces for trade called ''Qeyserîs'' and bazaars, which were also used as baths, and began inviting people from the surrounding villages and emirates to move to the newly established city. Soon Melkendî, which was originally intended to be the city itself, instead became one of its quarters. The new city of Slemani was named after Sulayman Baba, who was the first
Baban Baban () was a Kurdish emirate existing from the 16th century to 1850, centered on Sulaymaniyah. The Baban Principality played an active role in the Ottoman-Safavid conflict and gave significant military support to the Ottomans. They were in c ...
prince to gain control of the province of Şarezûr. Sulayman Baban invaded the neighboring Kurdish vassaldom of
Ardalan Ardalan also known as Ardalanids, house of Ardalan, Ardalind dynasty, () was a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary Kurds, Kurdish Emirate in western Iran from around the 14th century until 1865 or 1868 with Sanandaj as capital. The Ardalan state wa ...
, defeating their forces in 1694. Ottoman Sultan
Mustafa II Mustafa II (; ''Muṣṭafā-yi sānī''; 6 February 1664 – 29 December 1703) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1695 to 1703. Early life He was born at Edirne Palace on 6 February 1664. He was the son of Sultan Mehmed IV (1648–87 ...
assigned him the district of Baban. Haji Aziz Bey Aghal Dwanze Swarey Meriwane Jawamer Agha Rangena is not to be confused with the
royal Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or Royalty (disambiguation), royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Ill ...
and
aristocratic Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense economic, political, and social influence. In Western Christian co ...
Jwamer Agha, although they share family ties through marriage. He was the
billionaire A billionaire is a person with a net worth of at least 1,000,000,000, one billion units of a given currency, usually of a major currency such as the United States dollar, euro, or pound sterling. It is a sub-category of the concept of the ultr ...
Bey Bey, also spelled as Baig, Bayg, Beigh, Beig, Bek, Baeg, Begh, or Beg, is a Turkic title for a chieftain, and a royal, aristocratic title traditionally applied to people with special lineages to the leaders or rulers of variously sized areas in ...
of the noble and aristocratic Kurdish Noori-Aghal family, who founded the city of Slemani in collaboration with Ibrahim Pasha Baban and Azim Beg. Ibrahim Pasha Baban invited Haji to help build Slemani, and together, they founded the city of Sarkarez. Haji Aziz Bey Aghal was the first individual to establish a cemetery in Slemani, using his land, which had originally been designated for
sumac Sumac or sumach ( , )—not to be confused with poison sumac—is any of the roughly 35 species of flowering plants in the genus ''Rhus'' (and related genera) of the cashew and mango tree family, Anacardiaceae. However, it is '' Rhus coriaria ...
cultivation. Aghal asserted that he had no intention of generating profit, stating that his personal wealth was sufficient to support the impoverished. He further demonstrated his altruistic nature by opening the doors of his
palace A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...
, allowing the poor to take whatever they needed. He provided them with nuts,
chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...
,
rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
, and other food items that were typically consumed by the aristocracy of his era. Additionally, he constructed the first bridge in Slemani, testing its stability by riding his
horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...
across it. He expressed indifference to his own safety, stating that if he were to perish due to the bridge's collapse, it would serve as a testament to its inadequacy and raise awareness among the citizens. He also built the first
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
in Slemani, which is currently in poor condition, but has "Aghal" written on its walls. The house was later sold and converted into a car park by the buyer, a decision that drew criticism from many older Kurds who had known him and disapproved of the change. Despite his death, Haji Aziz Bey Aghal is still highly respected as a nobleman. Many peasants offered to convert to his religion for his actions, but he refused, stating that he did not need any recognition and was content with everything he had. He was also offered royal titles, but he turned them down. His wife, the noblewoman Princess Fatima
Khanum Khanum, Hanum, Hanım, Hanem, Khanom, or Khanoum (Uzbek language, Uzbek: Xonim/Хоним, , Mongolian language, Mongolian: Ханым, , , , , , , ) is a female royal family, royal and aristocracy, aristocratic title that was originally derived t ...
, sold all her
gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
including her belongings to support her husband in saving hundreds of thousands of peasants with his wealth during the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. For their acts of charity, they are buried together in a sacred private grave on the sumac farm. According to Jewish tradition, Sulaiman Baban emphasized the importance of a town having Jewish residents for its completeness. A mission was then sent to Qaradagh, a town with a thriving Jewish community, and surrounding villages. The Jews of Qaradagh responded by sending the first group of Jewish inhabitants to Sulaymaniyah. In the early 1800s refugees from Ardalan moved to Slemani, including Mastura Ardalan, the widow of Xosraw Xanî Erdalan, the ruler of the kingdom. Erdalan wrote an account of Kurdish history in Persian and was buried in Slemani when he died in 1848. From 1922 to 1924, Slemani was the capital of the Kingdom of Kurdistan, a short-lived
unrecognized state A sovereign state is a state that has the highest authority over a territory. It is commonly understood that a sovereign state is independent. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may also refer to a constituent country, or ...
declared by Iraqi Kurds following the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
.


Demographics

The early 1920s Iraqi Revolt against the British rule of the
Mandate for Mesopotamia The Mandate for Mesopotamia () was a proposed League of Nations mandate to cover Ottoman Iraq (Mesopotamia). It would have been entrusted to the United Kingdom but was superseded by the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty, an agreement between Britain and Ira ...
led by Shaikh Mahmud triggered a wave of Jewish emigration from Sulaymaniyah. According to Iraqi government documents, by 1947 the number of residents had increased to 23,475. In the same year, records documented the existence of three hundred Jewish families, comprising a total of 1,517 individuals. Notably, nearly the entire Jewish community, except one family, made
aliyah ''Aliyah'' (, ; ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine (region), Palestine region, which is today chiefly represented by the Israel ...
to the emerging
State of Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
in 1951–52. By 1998, the local population was estimated at 548,747, which grew in 2015 to an estimated 656,100. The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani estimated the number of inhabitants in 2016 at 800,000.


Geography and climate

The city is located in Northern Iraq. Of the main population centres in the country, it is characterized by its cooler summer temperatures and its rainier winters. Average temperatures range from . In the winters, there can be a significant amount of snow. Snow falls every year or two. The Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as
hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
(CSA).


Education

The University of Slemani was opened in 1968 with instruction in Kurdish, Arabic, and English. It has faculties in engineering, agriculture, the arts, science, and medicine. It is the largest university in the Kurdistan Region. A second university, Sulaimani Polytechnic University was established in 2012, also teaching in Kurdish, English and Arabic. In 2007 The American University of Iraq – Sulaimani, (AUI-S) was a new addition to the American universities in the Middle East, graduating its fifth class in 2016. Instruction at this private, not-for-profit liberal arts university is in English only, featuring a US-accredited program in English as a Second Language (ESL). There are a number of other private universities.


Culture

Two independent newspapers '' Hawlati'' and '' Awena'' and two independent political magazines ''Lvin'' and ''Shock'', are published and distributed in Slemani city. Since 2016, there exists an International Film Festival in the city which is organized by the College of Fine Arts of the University of Sulaymanya. Slemani is the only city in South Kurdistan that regularly celebrates World Music Day or Fête de la Musique. In one trip to the city, a journalist working for the BBC wrote about Slemani's distinct culture:"Culture is hugely important to the Kurdish people, especially in Slemani, but there is a strong pull to the west—modernisation and consumerism—driven perhaps by the satellite televisions they have had access to since they started running their own affairs...And at the university, students mill around the campus, chattering with each other and doing some last-minute cramming for their exams. The war only stopped lectures for a few weeks. There are probably more women than men and they are happy to air their views to anyone who asks." Slemani was the home of poets such as
Nalî Nalî (, 1797/1800–1855/56), also known as Mela Khidrî Ehmedî Šaweysî Mikâʾîlî, was a prominent Kurdish poet, scholar, and linguist from the Sulaymaniyah region in present-day Kurdistan Region, Iraq. He is regarded as one of the most in ...
, Mahwi, and Piramerd.


Economy

Since 2003, Slemani has experienced a growing local economy. Its economy today relies on tourism, agriculture and a number of small factories, most of which are involved in the building trade. In 2004 the Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis in Iraq released an in-depth survey of the Slemani Governorate in which they surveyed each city. In this survey, one can see the economic boom of 2003 mentioned earlier.


Tourism

The city was visited by more than 60,000 tourists in 2009. Slemani attracted more than 15,000 Iranian tourists in the first quarter of 2010, many drawn by the fact it is not subject to strict laws faced at home. Newroz 2010 drew an exodus of Iranian tourists choosing to celebrate the event in the region.


Museums

* Sulaimani Museum: It is the second biggest museum after the
national museum A national museum can be a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In the United States, most nati ...
in Baghdad. It is home to many Mesopotamian, Kurdish and ancient Persian artifacts dating back to 1792–1750 BC. * Amna Suraka museum * Museum of Modern Art (''Mozehanai Hunari Howchah'') * Sulaimani Archeological Museum


Notable people

* Khâlid-i Baghdâdî (1779–1827), sufist and Islamic thinker * Salim (1800–1866), poet *
Nalî Nalî (, 1797/1800–1855/56), also known as Mela Khidrî Ehmedî Šaweysî Mikâʾîlî, was a prominent Kurdish poet, scholar, and linguist from the Sulaymaniyah region in present-day Kurdistan Region, Iraq. He is regarded as one of the most in ...
(1800–1873), poet * Saeb (1854–1910), poet * Mahwi (1830–1906), poet * Said Pasha Kurd, (1834–1907), Ottoman statesman * Şerif Pasha, (1865–1951), Ottoman diplomat, ambassador and statesman * Mustafa Yamulki (1866–1936), Minister of Education in the Kingdom of Kurdistan * Haji Mala Saeed Kirkukli Zada (1866–1937), Minister of Justice in the Kingdom of Kurdistan * Piramerd Tawfeq Mahmoud Hamza, (1867–1950), poet and journalist * Mevlanzade Rifat Bey, (1869–1930), journalist and politician * Muhamed Amin Zaki (1880–1948), historian, statesman and politician * Taufiq Wahby (1891–1984), linguist, politician and poet * Sheikh Nuri Sheikh Salih Sheikh Ghani Barzinji (1896–1958), journalist and poet * Ahmad Mukhtar Baban (1900–1976), prime Minister of Iraq 1958 * Abdulla Goran (1904–1962), founder of modern Kurdish poetry * Ibrahim Ahmad (1914–2000), novelist, poet and translator * Jamal Nebez (1933–2018),   Kurdish
linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), Morphology (linguistics), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds ...
, mathematician, politician, author, translator and writer. *
Nawshirwan Mustafa Nawshirwan Mustafa (22 December 1944 – 19 May 2017) () was an Iraqi Kurdish politician who served as the General Coordinator of the Movement for Change and the leader of the opposition in the Kurdistan Region from 1 April 2009 to his death on ...
(1944–2017), politician, historian and media proprietor * Barham Salih, 8th president of Iraq *
Ahmad Hardi Ahmad Hardi (; 1922 – 29 October 2006) was a prominent Kurdish language, Kurdish poet. He was born into an intellectual family in Sulaimaniya in Iraqi Kurdistan. He possessed a deep knowledge of classical Kurdish, Arabic and Persian poetry and h ...
(1922–2006), poet * Sherko Bekas (1940–2013), contemporary poet * Bachtyar Ali (born 1960), novelist * Muhamad Salih Dilan (1927–1990), musician and poet * Shahab Sheikh Nuri (1932–1976), politician * Dilshad Meriwani, (1947–1989), actor, poet, writer and journalist * Karzan Kardozi, (born 1983) Filmmaker and writer * Rizgar Mohammed Amin (born 1958), judge * Mahmoud Othman (born 1938), politician * Jalal Talabani (1933–2017), 6th president of Iraq * Mahir Hassan (born 1963), actor and playwright * Shwan Kamal (born 1967), artist * Sara Omar (born 1986), novelist * Simko Ahmed (born 1972), artist


Sites

* Tomb of king
Cyaxares Cyaxares was the third king of the Medes. He ascended to the throne in 625 BC, after his father Phraortes lost his life in a battle against the Assyrians, probably Ashurbanipal. Assyrian allies, the Scythians then ruled Media for 28 years befo ...
of
Media Media may refer to: Communication * Means of communication, tools and channels used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Interactive media, media that is inter ...
, Qyzqapan


Politics

In recent years, many people in Sulaymaniyah have distanced themselves from
Kurdish nationalism Kurdish nationalism () is a nationalist political movement which asserts that Kurds are a nation and espouses the creation of an independent Kurdistan from Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Early Kurdish nationalism had its roots in the Ottoman ...
as the
Kurdistan Workers Party The Kurdistan Workers' Party, or the PKK, isDespite the PKK's 12th Congress announcing plans for total organisational dissolution, the PKK has not yet been dissolved de facto or de jure. a Kurdish militant political organization and armed gu ...
is experiencing a surge.


Twin towns – sister cities

*
Tucson, Arizona Tucson (; ; ) is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and its county seat. It is the second-most populous city in Arizona, behind Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, with a population of 542,630 in the 2020 United States census. The Tucson ...


Transportation

The city is served by Sulaimaniyah International Airport, with service on many commercial airlines, including Iraqi,
Qatar Airways Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. (, ''al-Qaṭariyya''), operating as Qatar Airways, is the flag carrier of Qatar. Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, the airline operates a hub-and-spoke network, flying to over 170 internatio ...
,
Royal Jordanian Royal Jordanian Airlines (formerly known as Alia Royal Jordanian Airlines) is the flag carrier of Jordan with its head office in the capital, Amman. The airline operates scheduled international services over four continents from its main base at ...
and
Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Türk Hava Yolları''), or legally Türk Hava Yolları Anonim Ortaklığı, is the flag carrier of Turkey. , it operates scheduled services to 352 destinations (including cargo) in Europe, Asia, Oce ...
.


See also

*
List of largest cities of Iraq This article shows a list of largest cities and towns in Iraq. List This list includes the 80 most populous cities, towns, and sub-districts of Iraq, as of the most recent population estimate in 2018. Largest cities Ancient cities and to ...
* 2011 Kurdish protests in Iraq * Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Kirkuk-Sulaimaniya (former Eastern Catholic diocese) * Duhok *
Dohuk Governorate Duhok Governorate (, , ) is a Governorates of Iraq, governorate in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Its capital is the city of Duhok. It includes Zakho, near the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing with Şırnak Province, Turkey. It borders ...
*
Erbil Erbil (, ; , ), also called Hawler (, ), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The city is the capital of the Erbil Governorate. Human settlement at Erbil may be dated back to the 5th millennium BC. At the h ...
*
Erbil Governorate Erbil Governorate (; ) is a governorate of Iraq in the Kurdistan Region. It is the capital and economic hub of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordere ...
*
Kurdistan Kurdistan (, ; ), or Greater Kurdistan, is a roughly defined geo- cultural region in West Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, languages, and national identity have historically been based. G ...
*
Kurds Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...
* Ranya * Saray Azadi * Slemani Governorate * Sulaymaniyah Museum


References


External links

* {{Authority control Cities in Iraqi Kurdistan District capitals of Iraq Populated places in Sulaymaniyah Province Populated places established in 1784 Kurdish settlements in Iraq