The relationship between Assyrians and Yezidis — a thread:

A Christian chronicle at the beginning of the 19th century mentions how the Yezidi princes traditionally paid a solemn annual visit to the Assyrians in Alqosh and brought several mules loaded with gifts for their monastery.

Claudius James Rich, who visited the Yezidis in Sheikhan in 1820, mentioned the Yezidis‘ good relationship with Christians. The Assyrians in the monastery Rabban Hormuzd in Alqosh were under the protection of the Yezidis.

Rich mentions, for example, an incident in which Kurds attacked the monastery and were immediately driven out by the Yezidis who came to help of the Assyrians.

In the writings of the Christians from the Rabban Hormuzd monastery, they describe how in times of need they could always hope for the support and help of the neighbouring Yezidis.

As an example, a large amount of grain was given to the monastery in case their supply was no longer sufficient, and any Assyrian who fled to a Yezidi village could enjoy protection.

During the invasion of the Kurdish prince of Soran most of the Kurdish tribes in Bahdinan joined him in 1832. The Kurds led the most devastating campaign against the Yezidis to date, in which tens of thousands of Yezidis were murdered and enslaved.

Assyrians in Alqosh and Hakkari also fell victim to the Kurds. They joined the forces of the Yezidi Prince of Sheikhan and Assyrians & Yezidis defended themselves together against the Kurds.

After the Kurds massacred several thousand Assyrians in 1843, the Assyrians fled to the Yezidis. They found refuge in Lalish and the Yezidis protected them.

James P. Fletcher: „And when the massacre of the Assyrians drove many hundreds of unhappy fugitives to Mosul, they received shelter and protection at the tomb of Sheikh Adi. [...] They spoke in high terms of the kindness which they had always experienced from the Yezidis.“

Hamo Shero, a Yezidi tribal leader in Shingal sheltered many Christians, including Assyrians, during the genocide of 1915. He refused to bow to Ottoman soldiers who chased them. When the Ottomans sent their envoys to ask him to give them up, he sent the Ottoman envoys back naked.