a rule fought to preserve the independence of the Khanates. Their struggle became
particularly fierce when a danger began to threaten them from Russia. This power,
after having impaired the integrity of Persia and Turkey by perpetual warfare, and
having annexed the Georgians who thought they would find security in a union with
Moscow, wanted to conquer the Caucasus and to subdue all its nations.
Their downfall
The history of Azerbaijan is full of heroic episodes in which the small
Khanates, taking up arms, marched eagerly against the Russian troops and bravely
defended their liberty, reddening their native soil with the blood of their sons. They
defended this liberty successfully until the beginning and even the end of the first
quarter of the XIX century. At that period, however, the strength of the Khanates
gradually, waned and they were finally annexed by main force to Russia: the
Khanates of Karabakh, Gandja Shaki, Shirvan, Derbent, Kuba, Baku and Talish in
1813 ; those of Erivan and Nakhitchevan in 1828.
After the loss of their independence, and with the growth of the Russian
power and the evident tendencies of that government towards the russianizing of the
annexed countries, the ties which united the Khanates to the other parts of the
“Country of everlasting fires “ began to loosen. The very name of Azerbaijan is
henceforward given only to the non-Russian district, namely that of Persia with the
city of Tabriz as its chief-town.
Arbitrarily dividing the annexed territory, changing the old names of the
cities and districts, (such as, for instance, the town of Gandja, a great centre, which
was renamed in honour of a Russian Empress : Elizabethpol) - cutting the territory to
pieces, suppressing every sign of recent political liberty, the Russian government did
not even abstain from changing the names of the inhabitants of the annexed khanates.
In spite of the ethnography, language and literature of the country, they were given
the names of Caucasian Tartars, Mussulmans of the Caucasus, Caucasian
Mussulmans or simply Mussulmans.
Ethnography
Of course the said population still remained a nation of Turkish origin;
however on account of the lack of development and the total absence of literature
concerning the history and ethnography of the Caucasus, especially of Azerbaijan,
then unknown to the scientific world, the false opinion of the Russian government
about the ethnographic composition of that population was officially accepted. The
inhabitants of the ancient Turko-Mussulman Khanates are at present known by the
name of Caucasian Tartars, in spite of their origin, the best proof of which is the
analogy of languages, names, customs, believs and traditions. This analogy has been
proved by French historian, M. Leon Cahun, as well as by the well known Hungarian
scientist, H.Vambery.
“Relating the deeds of the famous conquerors of Asia Tamerlane (Temir
Liang, which means Timour the Lame) in Azerbaijan, M. Cahun says: “Azerbaijan, a
country, which for centuries had been Turkish, submitted voluntarily to Tamerlane.”
M. H. Vambery, speaking of the ethnology of Azerbaijan says it would be
difficult to prove at what epoch the Iranian element was driven out of Azerbaijan.
This question is still unanswered. We shall however, quote a few facts :
In the Persian part of Azerbaijan, as well as in the Caucasus or rather in
Transcaucasia, the population is composed of Turks speaking a dialect called
Azerbaijanian, possessing its literature, national poetry, traditions and myths. The two
principal doctrines of Islam are professed there.
From the point of view of intellectual culture, Azerbaijan, especially the
Persian part of it, was deeply influenced by the old Persian literature, the chief authors
of which are Ferdussi, Hafiz and Saadi, whom the Azerbaijanians even now
frequently quote. Nevertheless, in time, in proportion as the power of Persia waned
and her social culture declined on one hand, and Russian culture spread on the other,
and the consciousness of the national character grew more general, Azerbaijan saw
the bonds, which attached it to Persia disappear.
Let us now cast a glance on that part of Azerbaijan, which it is correct to call
Caucasian Azerbaijan. We will not touch upon Persian Azerbaijan to which, we,
Caucasians, send our best wishes for its prosperity, its social and political progress,
founded on political and individual liberty under the protection of a formerly
powerful and cultured Iran.
THE NATIVE POPULATION OF AZERBAIJAN - ITS
RELATION TO THE LATE RUSSIAN EMPIRE
Russian Rule
During the Russian rule in the Caucasus the native
Azerbaijanians were more exposed to persecutions than the other
people o f the region. Whilst their neighbours, the Georgians and Arme-
nians, had their national schools, their churches, property, press in their
national languages, various benevolent societies, etc., all that was
prohibited for the Azerbaijanians. In the very rare cases when an
authorisation was granted, it was worded in such repellent terms, that it
lost all moral sense.
Let it be enough to say that the mother tongue was practically
forbidden in the schools, that the Mahommedan clergy was treated in
almost as severe a manner. Showing exaggerated respect for the
Russian Church and its priests, the Russian Government showed
contempt for the Moslem Clergy, whose high dignitaries - such as the
Mufti or the Sheyk-ul-Islam, were chosen by the government from
among the most ignorant, frequently illiterate priests, who were
miserably paid. - The property o f the mosques was submitted to the
jurisdiction o f Russian Functionaries. It was strictly forbidden to erect
any mosque without the assent o f the orthodox clergy. In short, whilst
the Russians accused the Mohammedans o f being fanatics, they showed
themselves far more fanatical than the Moslems. As to public
organisations, we shall only say this : It was not before 1906 that the
Russian Government allowed the foundation o f the Moslem Benevolent
Society at Baku. The periodical press, books, theatres were persecuted
and exposed to the ill-will o f Russian functionaries.
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