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Zerzari or Zerzarok, Zarzariyya, Zirzariyya (, ), was a
Kurdish tribe Kurdish tribes are tribes of Kurds, Kurdish people, an ethnic group from the geo-cultural region of Kurdistan in West Asia, Western Asia. The tribes are socio-political and generally also a territorial unit based on descent and kinship, real or ...
during the Middle Ages. The Zarzariyya were most likely a branch of the Hadhbani tribe, they made a Military cavalry unit in the
Ayyubid Sultanate The Ayyubid dynasty (), also known as the Ayyubid Sultanate, was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultan of Egypt, Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate, Fatimid Caliphate of Egyp ...
.


Name

The name of the Tribe is a combination of Zēr (, ; ) and Zar or Zarok (, ; ), which means "Golden child".


Territory

The Zarzari tribe were an isolated Kurdish tribe, their original homeland was in Irbil region. They were present in
Ushnu In the Inca Empire the ushnu (other spelling ''usnu'', sometimes ''usñu'') was an altar for cults to the deities, a throne for the Sapa Inca (emperor), an elevated place for judgment and a reviewing stand of military command.Hyslop, John (1990) ...
and
Rawanduz Rawandiz () is a city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, located in the Erbil Governorate in Soran, Iraq, Soran district, close to the Iran–Iraq border, borders with Iran and Iraq–Turkey border, Turkey. It is only 7 km from the city center ...
. by 12th century, their territory also included
Sinjar Sinjar (; , ) is a town in the Sinjar District of the Nineveh Governorate in northern Iraq. It is located about five kilometers south of the Sinjar Mountains. Its population in 2013 was estimated at 88,023, and is predominantly Yazidi. History ...
and parts of Diyar Bakr. During the 14th century, it was recorded by
Al-Umari The al-Omari (also spelt Alomari or el-Umari or Omary) (Arabic: العمري) is an Arab clan belonging to the Quraysh tribe that is descended from Umar, the second caliph, or leader, of the Rashidun Caliphate The Rashidun Caliphate () is a t ...
that the Zerzari tribe were also present in Tel-Haftun, Rostak and Malazgart.


History


Description

The Zerzari corps of the Ayyubid Army were described by Imad ad-Din Isfahani:


Military History

The Zerzaris were recruited by the
Artuqids The Artuqid dynasty (alternatively Artukid, Ortoqid, or Ortokid; Old Anatolian Turkish: , , plural, pl. ; ; ) was established in 1102 as a Turkish people, Turkish Anatolian beyliks, Anatolian Beylik (Principality) of the Seljuk Empire. It formed a ...
of Diyar-Bakr and later by Atabagate of Mosul, and eventually by Ayyubid rulers. During the
Saladin Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub ( – 4 March 1193), commonly known as Saladin, was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Hailing from a Kurdish family, he was the first sultan of both Egypt and Syria. An important figure of the Third Crusade, h ...
era, there were many Zerzari Emirs serving in the Army. Most notably Shirkuh ibn Bakhel Al-Zarzari, who was one of the Ayyubid Army commanders during the Siege of Acre. And Nashirwan al-Zarzari, who swore his Allegiance to Al-Afdal after Saladin's death.


Sources

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References

{{Iranian Intermezzo History of Kurdistan Kurdish tribes