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Kurds are descendants of the Medes who are mentioned ten times in the Bible.
In 700-550 BCE, the Medes created one of the mightiest empires, the Medean Empire. They were able to establish a new civilization in the region by creating the “Federation of Tribes.” Centuries later, Medes’ Federation of Tribes became a model for the proud Western societies, and was transformed into the “Federation of States.” The Medes were first to coin money and used it in transactions. They were more advanced than others in the Iron Industry in the region. The Medes used their craft to improve weaponry and improve their army. They also used iron for making vessels, bowls, pots, pitchers, ewers, and basins.
In 550 BCE, the Medean Empire became the Medo-Persian Empire and Cyrus (the Persian), who was the grandson of the last Medean Emperor (his mother was the daughter of the Medes’ Emperor) inherited the throne. As this transformation took place, the entire Medean culture, language, military strategies, and style of governance became the Persian tradition and remained intact in the hybrid empire. For centuries the Medes remained in power and position in the Medo-Persian Empire. However, the Empire gradually was transformed into the “Persian Empire.” And the history and culture of the Medes became the pride of Persians.
It was not until the arrival of Islamic influence in the region was the Medes’ identity weakened (of course, this is not to blame Islam for the disappearance of the Medes’ identity, but the Medes themselves). Yet, with the arrival of Islamic rule in the region, and the complete demise of the Sassanid Dynasty in Iran in 644 CE, all the native civilizations were affected. Islam superseded Zoroastrian religion, which was the main religion of the Kurds after their former religion Mithraism, was replaced by Zoroastrianism a few centuries before. Nevertheless, in the wake of this drastic regional transformation, slowly the word Medes disappeared and the word Kurds became a common reference to address them.
Division of Kurdistan between the Turkish and Iranian empires
As a result of the Chalderan War between the Ottoman Empire (Turks) and the Safavi Empire (Persians) in 1514-1639, for the first time Kurdistan was divided between the two empires. Although, this division did not affect normal Kurdish daily life, the political dogma of the two empires favored the disappearance of the word Medes, because, it allowed the Persians to not only claim the entire history and culture of the Medes, but also to show the descendants of the Medes, the Kurds, as one of their subjugated groups. As for the Turks, it became easier for them to shatter the Medes’ history by denying the Medean Empire ever existed.
Iran is home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 4000 BC. The Medes unified Iran as a nation and empire in 625 BC. The Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BC) was the first of the Iranian empires to rule from the Balkans to North Africa and also Central Asia. They were succeeded by the Seleucid Empire, Parthians and Sassanids which governed Iran for almost 1,000 years.
Originally posted by pez1975
reply to post by mideast
Iraq persecuted the kurds even gassed them Iran has held them down and Turkey persecutes them i dont think they want unity they want there own country and i think it will happen if the rest of the middle east likes it or not and i think the US is very smart supporting them for A future allie
Originally posted by Flavian
reply to post by pez1975
I do not think Iran will be destroyed to be honest. I have long thought that internal change is inevitable in Iran but it will come from within rather than without. Like many "new", growing countries the time and demographics count against the hardline clerics in Iran.
Simply put, the population of Iran is now dominated by those under 30 (over half the population). They see living conditions, ways of life in other countries and then see repression in their own country. Sooner or later, something will give.
Or, in other words, for places like Iran, there is no need for the USA or others to get involved. Just be patient and they will get the outcomes they always wanted.