 The Badr Khans were successionists while the Sayyids of Nihiri were autonomists.The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 was followed in 1880 - 1881 by the attempt of Shaykh Ubayd Allah of Nihri to found an "independent Kurd principality" around Ottoman-Persian border (including the Van Vilayet) where Armenian population was significant.Shaykh Ubayd Allah of Nihri gathered 20,000 fighters.