An analysis of the role of Abd al-Rahman Pashababan in the interactions between Iran and Ottoman during the Kingdom of Fath Ali Shah (1797-1813 AD)

After the vicissitudinous relations between Iran and Ottoman during the Safavid and Afshar dynasties, such relations continued even during the Qajar dynasty. Meanwhile, the factors affecting the relations between the two countries, from the beginning of the formation of the Safavid government to the extinction of Qajar, were more or less the same: 1. the importance of holy shrines. 2. Pilgrims and 3. Kurds who have been referred to, in some texts, as frontier nomads are the three most important factors. In the areas of modern Iraq where Kurds inhabit, Babanemirate was located and at the beginning of the Qajar dynasty, Abd al-Rahman Pasha governed there. For about three decades, he ruled over one of the most significant regions between the two countries, as an Ottoman emir, but with an Iran-oriented approach. During his kingdom, he came as a refugee to Iran several times and was supported by Fath Ali Shah to get back to power again. Correspondences between authoritative Iranian and Ottoman statesmen in order to support him, campaigns and fights for and against him, and the actions done in Iran in respect of him all emphasize his important status and reputation in Iran. Abd al-Rahman Pasha`s interest in, from one side, and Iran`s supportive activities towards him, from the other side, are of critical importance because of several reasons: he ruled over some parts of Ottoman territory and Baban as a frontier region, he used to pay tax to Iran for a short period of time and his interest in Iran was considered ungracious and unforgivable to Ottomans. For all these reasons, the relations between the two countries (obedience and disobedience of the Pasha of Baban) are valuable issues.