The powerful Kurdish families of 19th century Damascus

The principal 'profession' of Damascus' powerful families in the nineteenth century was classified into three categories: heads of local armed factions, governors/the administrative class, and the literati. The prominent Kurdish families of this era were overrepresented in all categories. The main Kurdish families were the Shamdinis, Yusufis, Muradis, Buzuis, and Aghribuzis. Abdul Rahman, the grand figure of Damascus, descended from the Yusufis and Shamdinis, and was the amir of Hajj. 

Abdul Rahman's life extends well into the twentieth century, there is one exquisite anecdote associated with his life that deserves to be told. Electricity was brought to Damascus in the early twentieth century. The first private property to be illuminated was Abdul Rahman's house in Damascus, an event that appears to have been planned and calculated by Abdul Rahman, as the house was lit up on the night of his daughter's wedding.

The Muradis were the most influential of the literati families' in the nineteenth century. The Muradi dynasty was founded by a Sufi who settled in Damascus in the seventeenth century. The sufi element, as well as the founder's extensive travels before settling in Damascus has resulted in inaccuracies about the Muradis' origins and identities. Fortunately for us, the source given here was based on an extensive list of primary references... and the approval of a contemporary Muradi professor.

The Buzu and Agribuz families were among the local military factions, along with the Yusufis and Shamdinis. Four of the eleven most important families in this group were Kurds in Damascus throughout the nineteenth century. 

The Kurdish district of Damascus had existed since the Middle Ages. It would have been tempting to believe that the powerful families would have been from a much earlier period. That is not the pattern here. All of these families were relative newcomers. These families' founding fathers faced a harsh environment. Damascus already had well-established households, and we know they were not pleased with sharing a piece of the pie. The secret to their success was that they made the best use of the resources they had at the time. The literati told a mythical story with a Sufi aura, which compelled families to offer them visible respect. The families of the administrative and military class, who were key political and economic forces, created themselves by adapting to the changing dynamics of the region, becoming local military commanders, and expanding their networks from there.

Source with further reading on all the families: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/urban-notables-and-arab-nationalism/CD609DB2B8130749689823131AC00BC2

Ibn Khaldun on the Kurdish inhabited regions

Parts of Fars Province and the areas surrounding Isfahan are still considered Kurdish regions based on Ibn Khaldun's description of the Kurdish mountains and Kurdish-inhabited territories: 

The southernmost part of the sixth section contains the desert plains of the Arab Bedouins, (which are) located to the north of the Najd and the Yamimah in the area between the Mountain of al-'Arj and as-Sammin and extending to alBahrayn and Hajar at the Persian Gulf. In the northernmost part of the sixth section, to the north of the desert plains, lie al-Hirah, al-Qidisiyah, and the swampy lowlands of the Euphrates. Beyond that to the east is the city of al-Basrah. In the northeastern part of the sixth section, the Persian Gulf ends, at 'Abbidan and al-Ubullah. The mouth of the Tigris is at 'Abbidan. The Tigris divides into many branches and takes in other branches from the Euphrates. All of them come together at 'Abbidan and flow into the Persian Gulf. This portion of the Persian Gulf is wide in the southernmost part (of the section). It narrows toward its eastern boundary, and where it ends in the north it (also) is narrow. On the western coast lie the northernmost portion of al-Bahrayn, Hajar, and al-Ahsa'. To the west of this portion of the Persian Gulf, lie al-Khatt, as-Sammin, and the remainder of the land of the Yamimah.

The eastern coast comprises the shores of Fars. In their southernmost part, at the eastern end of the sixth section, along a line stretching from the Persian Gulf eastward and beyond it to the south, are the mountains of al-Qufs which are in Kirman. North of Hurmuz on the coast of the Persian Gulf, are Sirif and Najiram. In the east, toward the end of the sixth section and north of Hurmuz, is the country of Firs, comprising, for instance, Sibur, Darabjird, Fasi, Istakhr, ash-Shihijin, and Shiriz, the principal city. North of the country of Firs, at the end of the Persian Gulf, lies the country of Khuzistin which includes al-Ahwiz, Tustar, Jundishibur, Susa (as-Sus), Rimhurmuz, and other cities. Arrajin is on the boundary between Fars and Khuzistin. To the east of the country of Khuzistin are the Kurdish Mountains, which extend to the region of Isfahin. The Kurds live there. They roam beyond the mountains into the country of Fars. They are called az-zumum. When the Tigris leaves the fifth section for the sixth section, it flows due east, opposite the Chain Mountain which connects with the Mountain of al-'Iraq on its course due west, and passes north of Jazirat Ibn 'Umar. Then it passes Mosul in the same way, and Takrit. It reaches al-Hadithah, turns south, leaving al-Hadithah to the east of it, and likewise the Greater and the Lesser Zab. It flows directly south and to the west of al-Qadisiyah. Eventually it reaches Baghdad and joins with the Euphrates. Then it flows south, to the west of Jarjaraya, and eventually leaves the section and enters the third zone. There it divides into many branches. They unite again and there flow into the Persian Gulf at 'Abbidin. The region between the Tigris and the Euphrates, before they have come together at Baghdad, is the Jazirah. Below Baghdad, another river joins the Tigris. It comes from northeast of (the Tigris). It reaches an-Nahrawin opposite Baghdad to the east. Then it turns south and joins with the Tigris before entering the third zone. For the region between this river and the mountains of al-'Iriq and Kurdistan, there remains Jaluli' and, east of it at the mountain, Hulwin and Saymarah.

The western portion of the section contains a mountain that starts from the Kurdish mountains and runs east toward the end of the section. It is called the Mountain of Shahrazur. It divides the (western portion) into two subdivisions. The southern subdivision contains Khunajin, northwest of Isfahan. This section is called the country of al-Bahlus. In the middle of the southern subdivision is Nahiwand, and, in the north, Shahrazur, west of the point where the two mountain ranges meet, and ad-Dinawar (is) on the east, at the boundary of the section. The other subdivision contains part of Armenia, including its principal place, al-Marighah. The portion of the Mountain of al-'Iraq that faces it is called the Mountain of Birimma. It is inhabited by Kurds. The Greater Zab and the Lesser Zib at the Tigris are behind it. At the eastern end of this section lies Azerbaijan, which includes Tabriz and al-Baylagan. In the northeast corner of the section is a small portion of [the Black Sea,] the Caspian (Sea of the Khazars).