Rawandiz
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Rawandiz ڕەواندز Rewandiz Rawanduz, Rowanduz, Rwandz |
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View on Rawandiz
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 Rawandiz
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| Coordinates: 36°36′43″N 44°31′29″E / 36.61194°N 44.52472°ECoordinates: 36°36′43″N 44°31′29″E / 36.61194°N 44.52472°E | |
| Country |
 Iraq
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| Autonomous region |
 Kurdistan
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| Governorate | Erbil Governorate |
| District | Rawandiz District |
| Elevation | 658 m (2,159 ft) |
| Population (2003) | |
| • Total | 95,089 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 |
Rawandiz (Kurdish: ڕەواندز, Rewandiz; Arabic: رواندوز), also spelled Rawanduz, Rowanduz, or Rwandz, is a city of Iraqi Kurdistan, located in Erbil Governorate, Iraq, close to the borders with Iran and Turkey,it is located 10 km to the east from Bekhal Waterfall. Rawandiz was the capital of the historical Soran Emirate. The majority of its inhabitants are Kurds. In the past Rawanduz was known as a centre of Kurdish resistance against the Iraqi Government.
The name of the city derives from Rewandiz which means "castle of Rewands". The name "Rewand" was spelled as Orontes in ancient Greek sources.
In the time of the Neo Assyrian Empire, from the 10th to the 7th centuries BC, the area lay on the trading route to Nineveh. Rawandiz was the capital of the Soran Emirate, which is said to have lasted from 1399 to 1835.
The Assyrians relate that, in the 1830s, the governor of Rawandiz, nicknamed "Merkor", was known for his hatred of the Christian Assyrians. In 1833, he attempted to attack them but did not have enough manpower in his army. Merkor needed the soldiers in order to protect the Soran Emirate, thus he requested the Reshagha that he will make the Reshagha his prime minister if he killed Ali Beg, head of Yezidis. Reshagha accepted Merkor's offer and killed Ali Beg. Amir Muhammad then killed the Reshagha because he feared that the Reshagha would usurp his position. Amir Muhammad then used his enlarged army and attacked the unarmed Assyrian towns of Tel Keppe and Alqosh and killed thousands of their inhabitants, kidnapping the women and children. Merkor is usually attributed as Amir Muhammad, the then ruler of the Soran Emirate.
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