Marcos Dobelio, Christian Kurd in early modern Europe

Marcos Dobelio, one of his time's most fascinating personalities, was instrumental in the analysis and translation of some books to the audience in Europe. A thorough list of Marcos' translations into Latin is impossible due to the poor condition of the manuscripts in libraries. However, some of the titles have been discovered, including the brief history of humanity written by Abulfeda, the Kurdish ruler of Hama. 

Marcos Dobelio is an excellent textbook example of the average historical Kurdish literati. Christianity was going to pay for the bread and butter in Europe, so he did whatever he had to. The historical Kurdish literati excelled in blending into whichever environment they encountered, with the spiritual goal of maximizing profit. 

Source: https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789004250291/B9789004250291_013.xml

The Kurd-label and Mardi in the 10th-century

In premodern literature, the renowned founding father of the Kurds came in different versions. Using Iranian mythology, two of these legends, found in al Masudi's work from the 10th century, create a direct genealogical tree for all those who were given the Kurd appellation. The notion of a common founding parent appears in several traditions. Fereydun, the legendary ruler of the Pishdadian dynasty, is 'ultimately' linked to the founding father in the first narrative. According to the tale, there used to be a single nation on the Iranian plateau, which was then split up into several groups. The second legend combines Arab ancestry with Iranian mythology. It appears that al Masudi was unaware of the history of the first section of the family tree's legendary origin. 

For what reason does Kurd, the founding father, have a father named Mard? The Mard appellation has a legendary and historical origin. The Mardi tribe is the subject of the historical allusion. The attribution evolved into myths. What particular stories some 10th-century Kurds were thinking of is unknown.

Regarding the mythological aspects of the Mardi tribe that have been documented, some people began to view the tribe as one that produced powerful rulers. Nicolaus of Damascus is the most well-known ancient example of this viewpoint. He makes reference to the Mardi tribe in his account of Cyrus the Great's life. Since it is stated that Cyrus the Great was descended from the Mardi tribe. 

Al Masudi's writing: 

Kurdistan as a hub for music in the Ottoman period

Kurdistan, a historical center of music:

In this regard, Evliya Celebi characterizes Abdal Khan, the Kurdish ruler of Badlis, as a significant musician of his era:

He has a very high and melancholy voice, and when anyone hears him take the daire (frame-drum) into his hand and perform a taksîm to the couplets of Hafız, or sing a kâr, a savt, or a zecel, paying attention to the twenty-four rhythmic cycles while singing and beating the def, would leave off his business and stand totally amazed. 

Qara Qoyunlu against the Kurdish dynasties

Thomas, a 15th-century Armenian chronicler, recounts what transpired before the Kurdish rulers succumbed to the Qara Qoyunlu dynasty. The passage focuses on the Hakkari ruler Izz al-Din Shir (Ezdin):

Now after the death of Timur in 857 of the Armenian Era [1408], the Turkmen [Qara] Yusuf once again came to our land, first to the city of Bitlis. The son of emir Sharaf, Shams al-Din, went before him and greatly honored him with bread, donkeys, horses, weapons, and all military and battle preparations. Taking this, [Yusuf] went against the land of Rshtunik' and the monastery[-complex, vanakert] of Varag. Preparing their forces, [the people of Rshtunik'] came before him with more than 12,000 troops. The treacherous Mar (Mar = Medes, Armenians used the term to refer to Kurds) people cheated the goodly Melik' who was fond of and merciful toward Christians-they fled. Then [Qara Yusuf] destroyed the land with fire, robbing, killing, and polluting. Then emir Ezdin and his son Melik' submitted.