Husam al Din, the Kurdish shaykh of the Mevlevi order in Anatolia

In the introduction to Rumi's couplets, a Kurdish lineage is mentioned in relation to a disciple, Husam al-Din, who was Rumi's inspiration, scribe, and editor. His family was one of many that rose to prominence and repute among Anatolia's Turkic groups:

According to Aflaki, Husam al Din's father had traveled to Anatolia before Rumi and obtained his title as a result of his prestige among the Turks of "Rum". Husam al Din played a key part in establishing the Mawlawiyah's institutional strength, making it one of the most well-known orders:

Apart from the introduction, Husam al Din is mentioned frequently in Rumi's couplets. Rumi referring to his couplets as "Hosami-nama" is one of the most flattering compliments. Husam al Din succeeded Rumi and became the order's shaykh due to his prominence:

15th-century Armenian text on Kurds = Medes, with details on court life

 

In terms of historicity of specifics, martyr narratives in Armenian literature are worthless, as they contain too many inflated details or incidents that are entirely made up. However, certain features are likely historical, such as the presence of Armenian singers at the Kurdish court of Badlis, as well as Kurdish women working as singers and dancers. Another important detail of the text is the author making it explicit that Armenians of the time used to refer to Kurds as Medes.

The text:

This honourable martyr Yohannes worthy of boasting was [martyred] as the offspring of pious parents from the city of Xlat' in the district of Bznunik' in the year 886 of the Armenian era [= 1437 CE]. He had been trained in the musical art of bardic songs and had such a sweet voice and sang so attractively that he was a marvel to those who saw and heard him. He was also beloved in the eyes of all, especially the amir Sefedin and [hence] frequently found himself in his presence.

There was also a woman who sang and danced before the same amir. That foul woman was worsted by the youth before the public as the youth Yohannēs would include in his performance the song 'Glory in the Highest' with a beautiful melody as well as the sweet sound of other hymns and amaze everyone.

Still, the deceitful nation of the Medes, who are also [called] Kurds, provoked the amir to put him to death.

So one day the amir summoned him to an audience at the castle and said, "I've ascertained that you once had illicit relations with the female Muslim singer, and therefore you must now accept Islam and marry her or die an excruciating death."

However, the servant of God Yohannēs boldly replied and said, "That act befits you and your leaders, but is far from us Christians, as being servants of Christ; for Christ is pure and loves the pure."

Then the infidel was filled with wrath and ordered four men to cast him down from the castle, but they were unable, because the saint overcame them through God's invisible help. Instead, they beat him harshly and severely with bastinado, bound him hand and foot, and put him in prison. Meanwhile, by night they cajoled him, promising him status so as to relax his grip on his faith. And so he said, "Tomorrow let your will be done," afraid that they would stealth-ily finish him off by night.

In the morning they took him out to the amir and forced him to mount a horse and paraded him around the whole city. As he was a youth of twenty and easily swayed in everything, the same day he regretted the impure laws, which the infidels had forcibly foisted on him, and repenting in his mind, he conceived the idea of dying for Christ's name. So he sent one of the Christians to the priests with the message "Give me communion in Christ's body so tomorrow I can undergo martyrdom for His name."

However, they did not take it seriously, calling him an unbeliever and apostate. But he wore and wasted away internally and out of the bitterness of his heart composed a lament to turn one to tears on his account and went about the city with his girdle untied in a simple shift, calling woe and alas on him-self and saying, "Woe to you, apostate Yohannēs. You have sorried the priests and made your parents sit in mourning and embittered your dear brothers and companions. You have forgotten the font that bore you as a son of God, you abandoned the Gospel that illumined you with preaching. You departed from Christ's eyes and your guardian angel departed from you. And now what reply will you give to Christ your God on the day of judgement, on which he says in the holy Gospel, 'He who will deny me before men, I will deny him before my Father in heaven.'"

Kurdish families in 17th-century Lebanon and switching religious identity

Fakhr al Din and his family may be the most well-known Kurdish power-holders in 17th-century Lebanon, but there were many other Kurdish families who relocated to Lebanon during the early modern period. Reading Stefan Winter's books provides an excellent introduction to their migratory stories. Winter's research has the distinction of being based on Ottoman documents. 

What else can be said about these Lebanon-based families? They appear to represent the epitome of Kurdish historical elites in terms of their approach to religious identity. Families that could achieve material aims by switching ostensibly from their previous (nominal) religions did just that. Modern religious readers usually make the mistake of conflating their own approach to religion with that of elite historical figures. It appears to be an incorrect view in too many instances, because these families, who changed religions as easily as one changes underwear, were representative of historical Kurdish political elites in terms of profile. 

Source: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/shiites-of-lebanon-under-ottoman-rule-15161788/AE36D2DCD50C489E5AE95B4C55D99468

Mawlana Ali Kurdi and the decline of Kurdish ethnogenesis in Iran

At the time of the Safavids' ascendancy, many of the most important figures in Iran's numerous Sufi orders were Kurds or of Kurdish descent. However, their impact on population ethnogenesis was minimal after the Safavids. The fate of Mawlana Kurdi provides a partial explanation. 

The partial fall of personalities with a strong Kurdish identity across Iran made it difficult for the Kurd-label to penetrate into the public sphere in many regions and for the masses to embrace the identity.  

Source: https://referenceworks.brill.com/display/db/ei3o