Great Return

Great Return

48, SUMMER 2021


By Anar KARIMOV,
Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani
culture complete
with the
liberation of Karabakh


The Khudaferin bridge is a masterpiece of medieval architecture of Azerbaijan. It was badly damaged during the years of Armenian occupation


Imaret is the palace of Panahali Khan of Karabakh in Aghdam. 18th century. During the occupation of Aghdam by the Armenians, it was used as a cattle corral

A
significant part of the abundant historical and cultural heritage created and cherished by the Azerbaijani people for millennia, preserved to
date and passed on from one generation to another, is linked to Karabakh. This historical cradle of our nation has been known around the world for centuries for its ancient monuments and unmatched art. The extensive history of Azerbaijan’s national culture has taken hold in this land. Culture, music (Mugham art), literature, as well as architecture and various types of folk art, covered a long path of development in this area particularly fol- lowing the establishment of the Karabakh Khanate in the 18th century.
The land of Karabakh emerged in the present-day Azerbaijani territory in the 4th century BCE. Beginning with Caucasian Albania, which existed until the 8th cen- tury CE, it was part of states headed by rulers of Azer- baijani descent in different periods of history. The Kara- bakh Khanate was one of the Azerbaijani khanates that emerged in lieu of the collapsed empire established by Azerbaijani Nadir Shah Afshar in 1747.
The founder of the Karabakh Khanate was Panah-Ali Khan (ruled in 1747-1763). It was later ruled by his son, Ibrahim Khalil Khan (in 1763-1806). The khanate was in- tegrated into the Russian Empire under the Kurakchay treaty signed on May 14, 1805 by Ibrahim Khalil Khan
and the Caucasus troops commander of the Tsardom of Russia, Gen. Pavel Tsitsianov. In 1822, the khanate was abolished.
It is worth mentioning that the Karabakh khan re- tained his special status after the signing of the Kurak- chay treaty and it was further passed on to Mehdigulu Khan Javanshir, a son of Ibrahim Khalil Khan. Mehdigulu Khan (died in 1845), who was granted the military rank of Major-General in accordance with an order of Russian Tsar Nicholas I, went down in history as the last Kara- bakh khan.
The Karabakh khanate covered vast territory stretch- ing from the Araz river to Lake Goyche and encom- passed the Karabakh plain and the mountainous area, as well as Zangazur, Bargushadi, etc. Initially, the Bayat Castle (Kabirli area) was the administrative center of the khanate, but it was later transferred to the area where Shahbulag Castle (a fortress in the present-day Aghdam district) built by Panah-Ali Khan (in 1751) is lo- cated. However, local wars ongoing in the region were prompting Panah-Ali Khan to construct a new and more reliable fortress city that would be unapproachable for an enemy attack. Thus, the city of Shusha that was sur- rounded by mountains and precipitous rocky areas from three sides providing natural fortification was founded in 1752 at the most strategic point of Karabakh.