Kurdish-Armenian relations

Armenian–Kurdish relations covers the historical relations between the Kurds and the Armenians.

Ancient Corduene, identified as Kurdistan in some sources was twice incorporated into the Kingdom of Armenia. The first period was in the first century as a vassal kingdom of Armenia. Corduene was then incorporated in the Roman Republic and remained in Roman hands for more than four centuries. In the late fourth century AD, it became a part of Armenia for the second time (in 384) and remained as such until 428 AD.

Its area was much smaller than what is now called Kurdistan and was mainly concentrated in the south of Lake Van and around Diyarbakir.

Armenians referred to the inhabitants of Corduene as Korduk'. The name found its way into Greek documents and Xenophon used the Hellenized form of the name, Karduchoi (Kαρδoύχoι). According to Strabo, the region of Corduene (Γορδυηνή, also Γoρδυαία όρη "Gordyaean Mts.") referred to the mountains between Diyarbakir and Mush. The term "Karduchoi" is a Greek term and derives from the words "kard-" (καρδιά = heart) and "-uchoi" (-ούχοι = owners). It symbolizes the heart that they had to face their enemies.

Both the Armenians and Kurds are considered to be the descendants of the Hurrites, Mitannis and Urartu.

Kurds and Armenians became increasingly distinct, both culturally and politically, as Armenians chose Christianity as their official religion, Kurds converted to Islam.

Although most Armenians stayed Christian, some converted to Islam because of the status given to Muslims under Turkish rule. The Armenians of Vaspurakan who converted to Islam gradually assimilated into Kurdish culture over time. That is likely to have occurred elsewhere as well, and probably accounts for the comparatively low census of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century, compared to the Middle Ages, alongside other factors, such as selective recording, extermination and migration.

Toward the 11th century, the nomadic Turkic tribes from Central Asia moved towards the Middle East and Anatolia and further altered the ethnic mix, at the expense of the local populations of Kurds, Armenians and other natives.

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