of Shah in 1822. An archbishop named Joseph had two suffragan bishops, and served until his death in 1846. In 1850, the Church of the East diocese of Gazarta had 23 villages, 23 churches, 16 priests, and 220 families, whereas the Chaldean diocese of Gazarta had 7 villages, 6 churches, 5 priests, and 179 families. The Chaldean Catholic Church expanded considerably in the second half of the 19th century, and consequently its diocese of Gazarta grew to 20 villages, 15 priests, and 7,000 adherents in 1867. The Chaldean diocese decreased to 5200 adherents, with 17 churches and 14 priests, in 1896, but recovered by 1913 to 6400 adherents in 17 villages, with 11 churches and 17 priests. West Syriac Syriac Orthodox The Syriac Orthodox diocese of Gazarta was established in 864, and supplanted the diocese of Bezabde. It is first mentioned under the authority of the maphrian in the tenure of Dionysius I Moses (). There were 19 villages in the Syriac Orthodox diocese of Azakh and Gazarta in 1915. The following is a list of incumbents of the see: Iwanis (1040) Basil (1173) John Wahb (1265–1280), ordained by maphrian Gregory bar Hebraeus. Dioscorus Gabriel of Bartella (1284–1300), ordained by maphrian Gregory bar Hebraeus. 'Abd Allah of Bartella (1326) Iyawannis of Basibrina (1329–1335) Iyawannis Barsoum (1415–1457) Dioscorus Simon of Ayn Ward (1483–1501) Dioscorus George (1677–1684), ordained by maphrian Baselios Yeldo. Dioscorus Shukr Allah (1687–1691), ordained by maphrian Basil Isaac. Dioscorus Saliba (1691–1698), ordained by Patriarch Ignatius George II at the church of the Virgin Mary at Aleppo. Dioscorus Murad (1698–1716), ordained by maphrian Basil Isaac. Dioscorus Aho (1718–?), ordained by Patriarch Ignatius Isaac II. Dioscorus Shukr Allah (1743/1745–c. 1785), ordained by Patriarch Ignatius Shukrallah II. Athanasius Stephan (d. 1869) Julius Behnam of Aqrah (1871–1927), ordained by Patriarch Ignatius Peter IV at the church of Umm al-Zunnar at Homs. In 1916, he was represented by Iyawannis Shakir, archbishop of Mosul, at the synod held at the monastery of Saint Ananias to elect a new patriarch. Syriac Catholic The Syriac Catholic diocese of Gazarta was established in 1863, and endured until its suppression in 1957. The following is a list of incumbents of the see: Flavianus Pietro Matah (1863 – death 1874) Giacomo Matteo Ahmndahño (1888.10.10 – death 1908) Blessed Flavianus Michael Malke (1912.09.14 – 1915.08.29) Government Mayors Seyyit Haşim Haşimi was RP mayor of Cizre in 1989–1994. Haşimi was detained by