Kara Fatma’s kurdish name was Fatma Seher Erden also known in Kurdish as Fatê Reş (1888-1955). She was a Kurdish woman known for her bravery and leadership in eastern Anatolia during the late Ottoman period, around the 19th and early 20th centuries. Sources differ on her place of origin, One of them is Erzurum and in different ways it is connected to the variously associating her with Malatya, Elazığ (Harput), and the Bitlis region, where Kurdish communities faced war, foreign invasions, and instability.
During times of conflict, especially when Russian forces advanced into the region, Fatê Reş helped organize local resistance. She led a small group of fighters and took part in defending her community. At a time when women were rarely allowed to fight or lead, her role was unusual and remarkable.
Most information about Fatê Reş comes from oral history and local stories, not official records. Because of this, many details of her life are unclear. However, she is remembered as a strong and fearless woman who challenged traditional gender roles and showed that Kurdish women could take part in resistance and leadership.
Today, Kara Fatma (Fatê Reş) is remembered as a symbol of courage, resistance, and women’s strength in Kurdish history.
