Sharaf Khan Bidlisi

Sharaf Khan Bidlisi Şerefxanê Bedlîsî شەرەفخانی بەدلیسی
Emir, Mir and Khan
A portrait of Sharaf Khan Bidlisi
Reign	Emirate of Bitlis
Successor	Shamsaddin Bag Abu Alma'ali
Born	February 25, 1543
Died	1603 (60 years)
Full name Sharaf Khan Bidlisi
Dynasty	Bitlisi dynasty
Father	Shamsaddin Batlisi
Religion	Islam

Sharaf Khan Bidlisi or Sharaf al-Din Bitlisi (Kurdish: شەرەفخانی بەدلیسی, Şerefxanê Bedlîsî; Persian: شرف‌خان بدلیسی‎‎) (949-1012/1543-1603-04) was a medieval Kurdish emir and a politician from the Emirate of Bitlis.

But he is more known as a historian, writer and poet. He wrote exclusively in Persian. Born in the Garmrood village, in central Iran, between Arak and Qom, at a young age he was sent to the Safavid's court and obtained his education there.

He is the author of one of the most important works on medieval Kurdish history, written in 1597, Sharafnama. He created a good picture of Kurdish life and Kurdish dynasties in the 16th century in his works. Outside Iran and Kurdish-speaking countries, Sharaf Khan Bidlisi has influenced Kurdish literature and societies through the translation of his works by other scholars.

He was also a gifted artist, and a well-educated man excelling as much in mathematics and military strategy, as he did in history.

Sharaf Khan Bidlisi was born on February 25, 1543, in the Markazi province, Iran in the Garmrood village, during the exile of his father. The Rojaki dynasty, which had ruled intermittently as an independent emirate from their capital of Bitlis since at least the 9th century, and therefore, he never took up the common tribal title of "Khan", preferring instead the royal title of emir or mir, "prince." He was most commonly known as, Mir Sharaf (Prince Sharaf). Later his family was taken under protection of the Safavid dynasty. He was schooled at Tahmasb's court, and wrote in 1596: