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.
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