Sheikh Mahmud Barzanji

Today marks the 64th death anniversary of Sheikh Mahmud Barzanji. He was the governor of Sulaymaniyah and the leader of many Kurdish uprisings against the British Mandate of Iraq following World War I.
After gaining more power, he revolted against the British and was therefore exiled to India till 1922. After the rebellion, Britain took direct control over the Kurdish region, which became hostile for Britain. Turkish threats had Britain worried about the security of the north and in an effort to stabilize the region, they brought Sheikh Mahmud back to rule the Kurdistan region.
However, Sheikh Mahmud declared himself the king of Kurdistan, rejecting Britain’s Anglo-Iraqi arrangement. In 1923, Britain withdrew the offer of an independent Kurdish state and any say in Iraqi government. Sheikh Mahmud was king until 1924, when he was once again arrested and exiled.
Sheikh Mahmud died October 9, 1956, remembered by Kurds as a leader who resisted the British Mandate in Iraq and fought for an independent Kurdish state.