Administrative Transformations and Historical Geography of Kurdistan and Fars: A Comparative Analysis of Persian and Arabic Historiographical and Geographical Texts

Abstract

This study presents a comparative academic investigation into the historical geography and administrative transformations of Kurdistan and the Fars province across the Sasanian, Seljuk, and Ilkhanid eras, drawing upon a valuable collection of primary Arabic and Persian sources. The core research problem focuses on tracing the conceptual, semantic, and administrative evolution of the term "Kurd" and the designation "Kurdistan." It examines how these terms shifted from representing a socio-economic lifestyle (pastoralism and nomadism) and a Sasanian division based on Kurdish tribal districts (rumum) in Fars, to establishing an independent administrative, territorial, and financial province with defined borders during the Seljuk and Ilkhanid periods. Utilizing a comparative historical-analytical methodology, the study balances and traces developments within geographic, historical, and literary texts.

The findings reveal that Kurdistan’s geographic and administrative identity was the product of long-term historical, demographic, and political accumulations, rather than an isolated or unilateral political decision. Furthermore, Ghazan Khan’s financial and territorial reforms, along with demographic shifts following the Mongol invasion, played a crucial role in reconstructing the region’s administrative framework, material resources, and financial realities. The study also conducts a comparative analysis of works such as Farsnameh and Nuzhat al-Qulub alongside Sharafnameh to elucidate ethnic, historical, and administrative dimensions, while scientifically identifying lost geographic sites of the Ilkhanid era that suffered from textual corruption. The paper concludes by highlighting the significance of comparative readings of primary sources to comprehend the spatial identity of Kurdistan and Fars in Islamic history.