THE MOTHERLAND LEFT IN A STRANGE COUNTRY
Indeed, the Azerbaijan nations have an ancient history. It's an ii refutable truth. However, unfortunately, differently from the neighboring countries in various reasons the historical geography of Azerbaijan hasn't been entirely developed hitherto.
It's known that the historical geography as a science having a lot of directions has several aspects like definition of territories, boundary mat-ins, administrative and territorial division, settlement of inhabitants, their migration, the geography of agricultural production, industries, transport, lie. We're obliged to establish with a heavy heart that the destiny and history, the past, culture and artistic heritage of Azerbaijanis scattered all OUT the world (Southern Azerbaijan, Georgia, Northern Caucasus, Russia, Middle Asia, etc.) including the Azerbaijanis of Armenia have neither been a subject of separate investigations nor included into scienlific circulation. As it was mentioned above the Azerbaijanis living in Armenia couldn't find a place in the history of Armenia due to their national identity and weren't paid attention to in the works devoted to the history of Azerbaijan because of their living in the territory of Armenia. Sunultaneously, their fate, literature, culture and morality are inseparably linked with the fate of Azerbaijan over the time of centuries. It's strange that there're authors intending to introduce the Azerbaijanis being as in historical aboriginals of the territory subsequently called as Armenia its indigenous population as strangers. However, all historical monuments of Armenia as well as it toponymies earnestly prove that Azerbaijanis have been the main inhabitants of this territory.
These thoughts have been confirmed also by the modern Armenian investigators. Tor instance, in A. Yesayan wrote in 1965: "In the inter-national policy the term "Armenia" meant "Turkish Armenia" till 1917.
Only subsequently "Armenia" was exposed to geographical displacement and, its national and state essence was identified with our present Motherland, the nourishing and developing Soviet Armenia."
The reverberations of our past come from the monuments of material culture disappeared or stored underground as well as the various trade pearls of ancient Ohukhur Sad and Irevan, the present capital of Armenia.
The sad whisper sounded by these known and unknown monuments and thesaurus expressed as inscriptions or figures on rocks and headstones as well as the architectural samples covered with dust and unidentified meanings of toponymies are results of labors of our ancestors acting as gardeners, carpenters, painters, smiths, thinkers, literaries, poets, undo-ubtedly, need neither discussion nor comparison nor criticism nor interpretation but investigation and analysis and particularly, a great respect.
But we got aware of the sources feeding a significant layer of our history not from the books or works devoted to the past but from the travel notes, hypotheses and interpretations, descriptions and impressions made by foreign travelers and investigators. We gratefully value their works and efforts firstly because getting aware of our culture they astonishingly notified the world community regarding the monuments of material and spiritual culture reached and failed reaching till present days. It's a natural approach expressing our gratitude. But there's a bitter truth. The monuments constructed by our ancestors living and creating here during centuries and causing admiration of those seeing them failed to become thesaurus of the modern fund of our culture. The doors of this important source of our historical past still remain closed and the knowledge stored there isn't entirely learnt yet. Maybe, one of the reasons for it is the fact that the travelers and investigators weren't interested in a nation the creators of these monuments affiliate with and, they didn't know their names and the differences calling them either Persians or a general term of "Moslems" for simplicity.
The first volume of the works written by Jan Batiste Tavernien coming to Irevan in 1655 specifies that only Moslem people lived in the urban fortress. Another French traveler, Jan Sharden coming here eighteen years later specifies in the P' volume of own ten-volume works that the Irevan fortress may be considered as a small town. The fortress had eight- hundred houses settled only by "Persians".
The toponymies specified by Jan Sharden at the same time in the same records refute his assertions regarding Persians"The lands of the town are irrigated by the waters of the Gyrkhboulag River flowing from (he south to the west and the Zangy River flowing from the north to the west. A fortress tower called here "Kechi Galasy" ("A Goat Fortress") is located in distance of thousand steps." These assertions cause a question if the inhabitants owing the fortress arc Persians why they called the rivers as Gyrkhboulag and Zangy? If the fortress was established by the Persians inhabiting here why they called its tower as "Kechi Galasy"? What was happened to the Persians praising at that time the posy of own language that they used the words "gyrkh", "gala", "boulag" and "kechi" always existing in our vocabulary and said these words to the foreign travelers? Really Arabians, Ethiopians, Lezghins, Tajiks, Abkhazians and Adzha¬rians aren't Moslems? Why do their interpretations of these terms entirely differ? After Tavernien and Sharden a lot of other liuropcan travelers had i aptly described the glorious 1 in van Fortress with admiring architectural monuments as well as the Khan's Palace with the famous mirror saloon, I he decorated mosques in the fortress, pools and bath-houses, the underground marble staircase leading towards the Zangy River the palaces surrounding the fortress, the caravanserais and squares. Despite of describing them they failed to avoid the "principle" of naming them as Iranian lands subordinating to the Iranian governors and calling the inhabitants living in these areas as Iranian or Persian people.
In order to imagine fairly who were the people erecting these monuments and living in fortress and towns, let's look through the well- known facts related to the ancient history of Irevan. The name 'Irevan' firstly appeared in Armenian sources of seventh century A.l). "David Irevanski also took part at the meeting called by Abraham". (Collected Doc. "Girk thtotsi", p. 151). From the end of 14,h to 1 5lh century Irevan was known as an administrative center. During the government of Garagoyunlu (1410-1467) and Akkoyunlu dynasty (1467-1500) due to geographical location and local conditions its name obtained wide spread and it became the administrative center of Chuhur Sad province. There is .1 mausoleum in the village Jafarabad (Argavand) adjacent to the city, the monument of that period. The mausoleum was made from burnt brick and lour In the headstone there are names of Fmir Said and Pir Houssein, his пи I'M- I loussein was an emir of Chuhur Sad before Yagub bey. The head of Garagoyunlu dynasty commander Gara Yusif (1410 1420) is also mentioned on this headstone and it is indicated that his son Pir Budag was a great governor. Undoubtedly, this Mausoleum was raised in his honor by order about accession to the throne of Padishah in Tabriz, his son Pir Budag after the Azerbaijan lands owned by Timurids on the South of Kura, Georgia, Armenia, Arab Iraq passed into the hands of Gara Yusif. Saying about important commands given to Ravangulu khan in connec¬tion with the building of Irevan fortress, new buildings, improvement of the city and its fortification by Shakh Ismail (1502-1524) Yervand Shakhaziz found that there was no connection between names Irevan and Ravangulu because names of Irevan was known since 17'h century. Л Lake has been made (length 400. width 250 sazhens) and new channels have been built in the purpose of irrigation of urban lands during the period of Mohammed Khudabendi's government (1578-1587). This i.ake was rehabilitated during the Soviet period and named after S.Shaumyan but it's still named by local residents as 'Tohmag'. 'Tohmag' was the name of Mahmud khan, the governor of Irevan of that time. In 1605 alter Shakh Abbas conquered Irevan from ottomans he assigned Hmirgun Khan as a governor. Armenian historian Zakariyya wrote: "As soon as Iimirgun khan became the owner of Irevan he commenced there building works, built a fortress, erected a palace, planted a garden, created well-furnished place, made vegetable gardens and channels, improved water supply of the town.
The earthquake happening in Irevan on June 4, 1679 razed it to (he ground. Zakariyya arrived there not long before this earthquake in order to congratulate Zal Khan Aylisli the newly-appointed governor of Irevan described this event: "There was no stone left standing. Mosques, caravanserais, churches were ruined, the fortress razed to the ground, bridges fell, waters went into the earth, dead were more than alive. There were neither cats nor dogs around. Zal Khan, Abbasgulu Khan's son-in- law, sent messengers to notify about the terrible event. 800 men arrived from Gandzha. Mohammed khan brought a whole troop from Nakhichevan. There were so many people arriving from Barda, Zayam, Maku, Tabriz, from neighbor khanates and sultanates that there was no room to move. Mirza Ibrahim, the Vizier of Azerbaijan arriving from Tabriz, on July P' became the governor of Irevan. The fortress was erected again and fortified still more. Canals were made and bridges were raised. Mosques, caravanserais, churches were built again. The town was revived and its inhabitants were returning to reconstructed houses..."
Can these people who revived this razed to the ground town, who fortified the ruinous fortress, who raised even more beautiful and marvelous estates, people who came from Barda, Zayam. Tabriz, Maku, Nakhichevan be Persians? Is it really possible?
Then why the names of reconstructed canals, mosques and caravanserais, rebuilt squares, gardens and places are not in Persian but in language of our ancestors Azerbaijanis that were living at that time in Irevan?! Toponyms mentioned in works of aforesaid travelers as well as m works describing Irevan written by August ton Gakstrauzen, I. Shopen. (Jvarova and other travelers and explorers even today arc reminiscence of our historic past which is still unstudied for some reason.
Let's pay attention to the names of places: blocks - Shilyachv (dyers (if red cloth), Sabunchu (soap-boiler), Boyagchv (dyer), I okhmag (mallet), Tepebashy (top of a hill), Demirbulag (ferric spring), Bagchalar (small gardens), Yondzhalik (place overgrown with clover) and Bercliular (hatter); caravanserais - Gurdzhu ((Georgian), Dzlnilfa (textile-worker), lagly (arched), Sulu (water), Susuz (waterless), Hadzhi-AIi; springs - Demir Bulag (ferric spring), (.yrkh Bulag (forty springs), Dalme Bulag (pushed through spring), Sardar (commander); rivers - Kedar-chai (flowing river), Gyrkhbulag (forty springs), Zangi (sonorous); gardens - Dere bagy (garden in ravine), Dalme bagy (pushed through spring), Demirbulag (ferric spring), Derekend (village in ravine), Shekher (town), Abbas. Meschid Meydany (square with mosque), Goy Meschid (Blue Mosque), Zal khan Meydany (Zal khan's square), Fehle Meydanv (Worker square), Boyuk Meydan (Great square), Shekher Meydany (Town square), Gala Meschidi (Fortress Mosque), Iladzhi Beyim Meschidi (Had/hi Beyim's Mosque), Zal khan Meschidi (Zal khan's Mosque), Gunluklu Meschid (Day Mosque), Gunbezli Meschidi (Vaulted Mosque), Shekher Meschidi (Town Mosque), Novruz Ali Meschidi (Novruz Ali's Mosque), Ganly Tepe (Bloody hill), Uchtepe (Three hills), Gyzyl Tepe (Gold hill)...
Undoubtedly, each of these words native for us used by foreign travelers and explorers, contain historical information. And this information should be studied and put into the culture fund long ago. Even now Irevan blocks, springs, rivers, gardens, mountains and hills keep their names among people (as well as in some official documents). For instance, according to information given by I.Shopen there were three large blocks in Irevan in 18 century: Shekher, lepebashy, Demir Bulag still having the same names. According to the descriptions of travelers of !8lh century given for blocks of dyers of red cloth, soap-boilers, dyers of blue cloth these blocks had the names "Shilyachi", Sabunchu", "Boyagchi".
The following facts prove once again that in Irevan as well as on the territory of the whole khanate only Azerbaijani had prevailing influence and wide spreading and not Persian, Arabian and Armenian languages. A letter from the fund of Matenedaran Archive was written by the priest Gukas in 1784. In this letter there was given a list of names of seeds sent to Georgia for Irakli II, Bayazid, Isak Pasha, their quantity and price. Strangely enough, but it is the fact that a clergyman Gukas the skilled expert on the Armenian language wrote the names of practically all seeds in Azerbaijani: bughda (wheat), garpyz (water-melon), gara garpyz (black water-melon), yondzha (clover), kliiyar (cucumber), ispanag (spinach), reyhan (basil), badynulzhan (egg-plant), gul (flower). In all works about the territory of the khanate and its bounds as well as in text¬books (he names of places are given in the following manner: from the Arpa river to the Gyzyl Kilsa village... from Korogly mountain along the Araz river to Nakhichevan, Sharur... Or let's pay attention to the names of mahals (villages) have being a part of khanate: Gyrkhbulag, Vedibasar, Sharur, Surmali, Saatly, Seidli, Sardarabad, Talin, Zangibasar, Abaran, Derechichek, Derekend, Garnibasar, Geidzha.
One more example. How could the fact that Armenian ashyg Ovsep who was delighted with capture of the Irevan fortress by Russians wrote the following lines not in Persian, not in Arabian, not in Armenian but in Azerbaijan language take place? And could this fact be considered as chance and causeless?
"May I be a sacrifice of the thrown and the crown of Nicholas Pavlovich.
May I be a sacrifice of a command under which he takes duly from each padishah.
May I be a sacrifice of treatment made by Caliph Nerses."
Monuments of material culture of that period contain explanation of the fact that not only in Irevan but in whole Armenia there was a large number of Azerbaijanis living, creating and leaving evidences that reached our present days. Headstones of 1503-1504, 1578, 1579, 1581 in Urud village of Sisian region prove that once again. There is an inscription on one of these monuments:
"This grave is abode of a delicate young man. fate razed his delicate body to the ground" And signature: "Written by Veli". Isn't it the thread connecting our past with modern life?
There are few data about the ancient history of Irevan. The cause is wars between Iran and Ottoman Empire lasting 366 years with intervals, the town being passed around and at last the earthquake of 1679 razed the town to the ground. I. Shopen gives for the first time relatively exact information about population and its national composition. According to his estimates there were 2400 families and 12 000 persons living in Irevan during the government of last governor. After Russians had captured the town a part of local aristocrats' families moved to Iran and Armenians came back from Iran and Turkey. At the end of the war (1828) the national composition of population was as following: Azerbaijanis 1807 families, 7331 persons; Armenians 567 families, 2379 persons.
Most part of information about architectural models and line arts patterns of Irevan failing reaching us related to the period after the earthquake. Quadrilateral buildings of caravanserais with arches made from bricks and stones with carving enraptured everyone by their originality and richness, by nice, sparkling water streams of fountains as well as by overall architectural appearance considering as the most beautiful and grand buildings in the town. In the "Ourdz.hu" caravanserai there were 78, in "Dzluilfa" and "Sardar" 39 in each, in "'fagly", "Sulu", "Susuz" 74 taken together, m the "Iladzhi All" caravanserai 40 benches. J.Charden called the caravanserai situated in 500 steps from khan's palace "the most beautiful building". He wrote: "The road 800 steps long leading inside was full of benches, there were three other buildings inside of building itself: beautiful mosque and two coffee houses."
The Irevan fortress added luster to architectural appearance of the town of that time. Representing a pattern of high architectural and art mastery of that time the fortress, the palace inside of it, the mirror salon like a bride in jewels, twin mosques, two- and three-storied buildings bath houses for men and women built tastefully, marble pool 15 sazhens long, 5 sazhens wide and 3 arshines deep, ornamented "Tabriz gapysy", ornamental motives, pictures of flowers, portraits, original architectural concepts, richness of design excited all above mentioned liuropean travelers and writer A.S.Griboyedov, artists V.Mashkov and G.Gagarin to amazement and admiration. According to evidences of Lynch impressed by beauty of the mirror salon in khan's Palace, the fortress mosque and the pool countless numbers of mirrors of domes with fillets were sparkling like brilliants. Salon's ceiling and walls had been ornated from top to bottom. Pictures of flowers and birds, portraits of Fatali khan, his son Abbas Mir/a, Huseyngulu khan, his brother Hasan khan, Rustam and Zokhrab in elegant frames painted in oil-paint on linen and stuck to walls were attracting attention as wonderful patterns of fine arts.
It's a pity that travelers, explorers and writers who were delighted by creations of our forefathers' high-class workmanship, patterns of fine arts and our ancient historical school of architecture related them to Iranian-Persian and Chinese architectures. According to Lynch's statement the khan's Palace with mirror salons "belongs to gorgeous monuments of Persian architecture." l.Shopen said that this Palace had been raised in style of Chinese architecture. A.S.Griboyedov who often visited the khan's Palace called ornaments of salon and ceiling "Japanese".
Archaeologist Uvarova who arrived to Irevan in 1X80 and knew about it from descriptions of l) Dubua-de Monpero related to 1X43 when the town had been transformed into governor's residence and then in 1878 had been abandoned due to absolute lack of care exclaimed at the sight of "condition" of mosque and ruined Irevan fortress: "Oh, how much did they try to raze these palaces lo the ground over the centuries?" Uvarova compared the salon which was the only reminder of the ruined khan's Palace greatness with a fancy tea box. The archaeologist wrote with admiration about the dome and minaret of the Blue Mosque attracting attention from a distance: "The dome towering proudly above the mosque as if it wants to demonstrate its importance and solemnity for the Moslem world." It's strange that after all that Uvarova told about the Palace mosque as about a pattern of fine arts worthy of Veroshagan's brush in Persian architecture."
Yervand Shakhaziz describing the greatness of the Blue Mosque built in 1760, concluded that Huseynali khan sparing no expenses wanted to leave a monument worthy of his khanate which would be built in style of the best Persian mosques: Shakh Abbas's Mosque in Gandzha and Blue Mosque in Tabriz. Then the author told about skilled workmanship, excellent Eastern style and eminent master of Persian architecture.
These deserving attention arguments bring us echo of another significant opinion. In 1501 Shakh Ismail I won over Elvend Mirza, the king of Akkoyunlu dynasty, in Sharur region. Akkoyunlu state collapsed. Sefevies' state began lo border on the Uzbek state ol'Sheybani khan in the east and on Ottoman Turkey in the west. As K. Marx noted "the whole military power of ottomans" was pointed toward (he large territory lying from Amu Darya to Karat and being under the Sefevies' domination. Shakh Ismail fortified Irevan in order to protect it from this danger. During the government of blind Mohammed Khudabendi, a brother of Shakh Ismail If in 1578 a beautiful garden was planted and khan palace was built at the place of the Irevan Fortress.
Farkhad Pasha raised a fortress at the same place in 1583. During the government of Shakh Abbas I, a son of Khudabendi, after Emirgun khan was appointed as the Irevan governor, the fortress was extended, rebuilt and fortified. A document kept in Matenadaran (Fund of Persian manuscripts, No.233) provides exact and detailed information about that.
Huseynali khan called Mirza Dzhafar, a chief architect of Akhmed khan, from Khoy to Irevan in order to make this fortress more fortified and grand. The mirror salon and summer palace were created under the command of Mohammed khan, a son of Housseinali khan in 1791...
The Blue Mosque raised by Khatun Dzhanbcyim in memory of her husband Dzhakhan Shakh in Tabriz is the peak of the Azerbaijan architecture of 15"' century. It wasn't accidental that Tavernien called it turquoise of Islam. And it wasn't accidental also that Azerbaijan architect Neymatulla built it in 1465. Iladzhi Ali Khafiz who have built the famous madrasah in Gerat, Akhmed Shamistan constructing the Medzhnun Shakh's Mosque in Meshkhcd, Azerbaijan architects and masters who have gained reputation by their participation in building of Bibi khanum's Mosque in Samarkand were famous not only in Azerbaijan but in the whole East. Is it possible that Shakh Abbas's Mosque in Gandzha and Blue Mosque in Irevan arc not the patterns of this architectural school?!
A master who restored the pictures in the khan's Palace, its rooms, subject compositions on the walls of the mirror salon, who repainted in oil-paint portraits ofFatali khan, Abbas Mirza, Houseyngulu khan, Hasan khan on linen in 50-es of last century was our countryman Mirza Gadim Irevani (1825-1875). Mirza Gadim, the fine expert of folk art, the master of portrait and ornament, whose creations became a part of the gold fund of our classic art and opened a new stage of development of our fine arts has never leave Irevan and Tiflis. We know Mirza Gadim Irevani not as Persian, Chinese or Japanese but as a son of Mohammed kishy, an Irevan carpenter and wood-carver, as a telegrapher Mirza Gadim, as a phenomenon of our fine arts school.
The Azerbaijan is who lived in Armenia were famous and won the recognition not only in architecture and line arts but also in agriculture. 'Caucasus" Newspaper (November 27, 1851, №90) wrote that Abdurza Marham (probably Maherram) from Sharur region of Irevan province have taken part in London exhibition and have been awarded to a high award for the cloth manufactured from cotton cultivated from local growth. Isa Sultan Nadzhaf oglu Shakhtantinski was born in Irevan in 1871. He entered the Institute of Agriculture in St. Petersburg, and in 1875 defended a thesis on agriculture and forestry in Switzerland. In 1877 lie published "Caucasian Almanac" in Tiflis in Mihelson's printing house and was a head of the Political issues Department in editorial office of "Tiflis bulletin" newspaper. His brother Abulfat (1855-1913) was studying in the St. Petersburg University at the same time with G.V.Plehanov and graduated from Heidelberg University in 1883 with bachelor's degree. He first translated Goethe's "Sufferings of young Verter".
Thousands graves of our forefathers-shaheeds who died during the endless battles against governors-tyrants and invaders-robbers lie from antiquity till our days at the same place near the foot of Irevan Mountain in Armenia. This country's dastan causes double feeling, it excites deep unforgettable sorrow in the heart and at the same time excites pride for our fore fathers-farmers and builders. Their toil and sweat are in beauty of each adornment and ornament created with their hands. Traces of their valor and persistence are in sounds of steps of every traveller walking on green mountainsides, in canals' melodies, in majestic walls of old and new palaces. Nobody, never and in no way can deny this because, let alone the past, during the period when Armenia was a part of Russia more than seven thousands from ten thousands of Irevan population made Azerbaijanis. The Erivan province took the third place after Baku and Yelizavetpol (Gandzha) provinces for number of Azerbaijanis living there in the end of 19lh century.
Source: Historical geography of Western Azerbaijan. (ammended and revised publication in english language) Baku, "Nijat-K" Publishing House, 2006, 624 p.THE MOTHERLAND LEFT IN A STRANGE COUNTRY
Indeed, the Azerbaijan nations have an ancient history. It's an ii refutable truth. However, unfortunately, differently from the neighboring countries in various reasons the historical geography of Azerbaijan hasn't been entirely developed hitherto.
It's known that the historical geography as a science having a lot of directions has several aspects like definition of territories, boundary mat-ins, administrative and territorial division, settlement of inhabitants, their migration, the geography of agricultural production, industries, transport, lie. We're obliged to establish with a heavy heart that the destiny and history, the past, culture and artistic heritage of Azerbaijanis scattered all OUT the world (Southern Azerbaijan, Georgia, Northern Caucasus, Russia, Middle Asia, etc.) including the Azerbaijanis of Armenia have neither been a subject of separate investigations nor included into scienlific circulation. As it was mentioned above the Azerbaijanis living in Armenia couldn't find a place in the history of Armenia due to their national identity and weren't paid attention to in the works devoted to the history of Azerbaijan because of their living in the territory of Armenia. Sunultaneously, their fate, literature, culture and morality are inseparably linked with the fate of Azerbaijan over the time of centuries. It's strange that there're authors intending to introduce the Azerbaijanis being as in historical aboriginals of the territory subsequently called as Armenia its indigenous population as strangers. However, all historical monuments of Armenia as well as it toponymies earnestly prove that Azerbaijanis have been the main inhabitants of this territory.
These thoughts have been confirmed also by the modern Armenian investigators. Tor instance, in A. Yesayan wrote in 1965: "In the inter-national policy the term "Armenia" meant "Turkish Armenia" till 1917.
Only subsequently "Armenia" was exposed to geographical displacement and, its national and state essence was identified with our present Motherland, the nourishing and developing Soviet Armenia."
The reverberations of our past come from the monuments of material culture disappeared or stored underground as well as the various trade pearls of ancient Ohukhur Sad and Irevan, the present capital of Armenia.
The sad whisper sounded by these known and unknown monuments and thesaurus expressed as inscriptions or figures on rocks and headstones as well as the architectural samples covered with dust and unidentified meanings of toponymies are results of labors of our ancestors acting as gardeners, carpenters, painters, smiths, thinkers, literaries, poets, undo-ubtedly, need neither discussion nor comparison nor criticism nor interpretation but investigation and analysis and particularly, a great respect.
But we got aware of the sources feeding a significant layer of our history not from the books or works devoted to the past but from the travel notes, hypotheses and interpretations, descriptions and impressions made by foreign travelers and investigators. We gratefully value their works and efforts firstly because getting aware of our culture they astonishingly notified the world community regarding the monuments of material and spiritual culture reached and failed reaching till present days. It's a natural approach expressing our gratitude. But there's a bitter truth. The monuments constructed by our ancestors living and creating here during centuries and causing admiration of those seeing them failed to become thesaurus of the modern fund of our culture. The doors of this important source of our historical past still remain closed and the knowledge stored there isn't entirely learnt yet. Maybe, one of the reasons for it is the fact that the travelers and investigators weren't interested in a nation the creators of these monuments affiliate with and, they didn't know their names and the differences calling them either Persians or a general term of "Moslems" for simplicity.
The first volume of the works written by Jan Batiste Tavernien coming to Irevan in 1655 specifies that only Moslem people lived in the urban fortress. Another French traveler, Jan Sharden coming here eighteen years later specifies in the P' volume of own ten-volume works that the Irevan fortress may be considered as a small town. The fortress had eight- hundred houses settled only by "Persians".
The toponymies specified by Jan Sharden at the same time in the same records refute his assertions regarding Persians"The lands of the town are irrigated by the waters of the Gyrkhboulag River flowing from (he south to the west and the Zangy River flowing from the north to the west. A fortress tower called here "Kechi Galasy" ("A Goat Fortress") is located in distance of thousand steps." These assertions cause a question if the inhabitants owing the fortress arc Persians why they called the rivers as Gyrkhboulag and Zangy? If the fortress was established by the Persians inhabiting here why they called its tower as "Kechi Galasy"? What was happened to the Persians praising at that time the posy of own language that they used the words "gyrkh", "gala", "boulag" and "kechi" always existing in our vocabulary and said these words to the foreign travelers? Really Arabians, Ethiopians, Lezghins, Tajiks, Abkhazians and Adzha¬rians aren't Moslems? Why do their interpretations of these terms entirely differ? After Tavernien and Sharden a lot of other liuropcan travelers had i aptly described the glorious 1 in van Fortress with admiring architectural monuments as well as the Khan's Palace with the famous mirror saloon, I he decorated mosques in the fortress, pools and bath-houses, the underground marble staircase leading towards the Zangy River the palaces surrounding the fortress, the caravanserais and squares. Despite of describing them they failed to avoid the "principle" of naming them as Iranian lands subordinating to the Iranian governors and calling the inhabitants living in these areas as Iranian or Persian people.
In order to imagine fairly who were the people erecting these monuments and living in fortress and towns, let's look through the well- known facts related to the ancient history of Irevan. The name 'Irevan' firstly appeared in Armenian sources of seventh century A.l). "David Irevanski also took part at the meeting called by Abraham". (Collected Doc. "Girk thtotsi", p. 151). From the end of 14,h to 1 5lh century Irevan was known as an administrative center. During the government of Garagoyunlu (1410-1467) and Akkoyunlu dynasty (1467-1500) due to geographical location and local conditions its name obtained wide spread and it became the administrative center of Chuhur Sad province. There is .1 mausoleum in the village Jafarabad (Argavand) adjacent to the city, the monument of that period. The mausoleum was made from burnt brick and lour In the headstone there are names of Fmir Said and Pir Houssein, his пи I'M- I loussein was an emir of Chuhur Sad before Yagub bey. The head of Garagoyunlu dynasty commander Gara Yusif (1410 1420) is also mentioned on this headstone and it is indicated that his son Pir Budag was a great governor. Undoubtedly, this Mausoleum was raised in his honor by order about accession to the throne of Padishah in Tabriz, his son Pir Budag after the Azerbaijan lands owned by Timurids on the South of Kura, Georgia, Armenia, Arab Iraq passed into the hands of Gara Yusif. Saying about important commands given to Ravangulu khan in connec¬tion with the building of Irevan fortress, new buildings, improvement of the city and its fortification by Shakh Ismail (1502-1524) Yervand Shakhaziz found that there was no connection between names Irevan and Ravangulu because names of Irevan was known since 17'h century. Л Lake has been made (length 400. width 250 sazhens) and new channels have been built in the purpose of irrigation of urban lands during the period of Mohammed Khudabendi's government (1578-1587). This i.ake was rehabilitated during the Soviet period and named after S.Shaumyan but it's still named by local residents as 'Tohmag'. 'Tohmag' was the name of Mahmud khan, the governor of Irevan of that time. In 1605 alter Shakh Abbas conquered Irevan from ottomans he assigned Hmirgun Khan as a governor. Armenian historian Zakariyya wrote: "As soon as Iimirgun khan became the owner of Irevan he commenced there building works, built a fortress, erected a palace, planted a garden, created well-furnished place, made vegetable gardens and channels, improved water supply of the town.
The earthquake happening in Irevan on June 4, 1679 razed it to (he ground. Zakariyya arrived there not long before this earthquake in order to congratulate Zal Khan Aylisli the newly-appointed governor of Irevan described this event: "There was no stone left standing. Mosques, caravanserais, churches were ruined, the fortress razed to the ground, bridges fell, waters went into the earth, dead were more than alive. There were neither cats nor dogs around. Zal Khan, Abbasgulu Khan's son-in- law, sent messengers to notify about the terrible event. 800 men arrived from Gandzha. Mohammed khan brought a whole troop from Nakhichevan. There were so many people arriving from Barda, Zayam, Maku, Tabriz, from neighbor khanates and sultanates that there was no room to move. Mirza Ibrahim, the Vizier of Azerbaijan arriving from Tabriz, on July P' became the governor of Irevan. The fortress was erected again and fortified still more. Canals were made and bridges were raised. Mosques, caravanserais, churches were built again. The town was revived and its inhabitants were returning to reconstructed houses..."
Can these people who revived this razed to the ground town, who fortified the ruinous fortress, who raised even more beautiful and marvelous estates, people who came from Barda, Zayam. Tabriz, Maku, Nakhichevan be Persians? Is it really possible?
Then why the names of reconstructed canals, mosques and caravanserais, rebuilt squares, gardens and places are not in Persian but in language of our ancestors Azerbaijanis that were living at that time in Irevan?! Toponyms mentioned in works of aforesaid travelers as well as m works describing Irevan written by August ton Gakstrauzen, I. Shopen. (Jvarova and other travelers and explorers even today arc reminiscence of our historic past which is still unstudied for some reason.
Let's pay attention to the names of places: blocks - Shilyachv (dyers (if red cloth), Sabunchu (soap-boiler), Boyagchv (dyer), I okhmag (mallet), Tepebashy (top of a hill), Demirbulag (ferric spring), Bagchalar (small gardens), Yondzhalik (place overgrown with clover) and Bercliular (hatter); caravanserais - Gurdzhu ((Georgian), Dzlnilfa (textile-worker), lagly (arched), Sulu (water), Susuz (waterless), Hadzhi-AIi; springs - Demir Bulag (ferric spring), (.yrkh Bulag (forty springs), Dalme Bulag (pushed through spring), Sardar (commander); rivers - Kedar-chai (flowing river), Gyrkhbulag (forty springs), Zangi (sonorous); gardens - Dere bagy (garden in ravine), Dalme bagy (pushed through spring), Demirbulag (ferric spring), Derekend (village in ravine), Shekher (town), Abbas. Meschid Meydany (square with mosque), Goy Meschid (Blue Mosque), Zal khan Meydany (Zal khan's square), Fehle Meydanv (Worker square), Boyuk Meydan (Great square), Shekher Meydany (Town square), Gala Meschidi (Fortress Mosque), Iladzhi Beyim Meschidi (Had/hi Beyim's Mosque), Zal khan Meschidi (Zal khan's Mosque), Gunluklu Meschid (Day Mosque), Gunbezli Meschidi (Vaulted Mosque), Shekher Meschidi (Town Mosque), Novruz Ali Meschidi (Novruz Ali's Mosque), Ganly Tepe (Bloody hill), Uchtepe (Three hills), Gyzyl Tepe (Gold hill)...
Undoubtedly, each of these words native for us used by foreign travelers and explorers, contain historical information. And this information should be studied and put into the culture fund long ago. Even now Irevan blocks, springs, rivers, gardens, mountains and hills keep their names among people (as well as in some official documents). For instance, according to information given by I.Shopen there were three large blocks in Irevan in 18 century: Shekher, lepebashy, Demir Bulag still having the same names. According to the descriptions of travelers of !8lh century given for blocks of dyers of red cloth, soap-boilers, dyers of blue cloth these blocks had the names "Shilyachi", Sabunchu", "Boyagchi".
The following facts prove once again that in Irevan as well as on the territory of the whole khanate only Azerbaijani had prevailing influence and wide spreading and not Persian, Arabian and Armenian languages. A letter from the fund of Matenedaran Archive was written by the priest Gukas in 1784. In this letter there was given a list of names of seeds sent to Georgia for Irakli II, Bayazid, Isak Pasha, their quantity and price. Strangely enough, but it is the fact that a clergyman Gukas the skilled expert on the Armenian language wrote the names of practically all seeds in Azerbaijani: bughda (wheat), garpyz (water-melon), gara garpyz (black water-melon), yondzha (clover), kliiyar (cucumber), ispanag (spinach), reyhan (basil), badynulzhan (egg-plant), gul (flower). In all works about the territory of the khanate and its bounds as well as in text¬books (he names of places are given in the following manner: from the Arpa river to the Gyzyl Kilsa village... from Korogly mountain along the Araz river to Nakhichevan, Sharur... Or let's pay attention to the names of mahals (villages) have being a part of khanate: Gyrkhbulag, Vedibasar, Sharur, Surmali, Saatly, Seidli, Sardarabad, Talin, Zangibasar, Abaran, Derechichek, Derekend, Garnibasar, Geidzha.
One more example. How could the fact that Armenian ashyg Ovsep who was delighted with capture of the Irevan fortress by Russians wrote the following lines not in Persian, not in Arabian, not in Armenian but in Azerbaijan language take place? And could this fact be considered as chance and causeless?
"May I be a sacrifice of the thrown and the crown of Nicholas Pavlovich.
May I be a sacrifice of a command under which he takes duly from each padishah.
May I be a sacrifice of treatment made by Caliph Nerses."
Monuments of material culture of that period contain explanation of the fact that not only in Irevan but in whole Armenia there was a large number of Azerbaijanis living, creating and leaving evidences that reached our present days. Headstones of 1503-1504, 1578, 1579, 1581 in Urud village of Sisian region prove that once again. There is an inscription on one of these monuments:
"This grave is abode of a delicate young man. fate razed his delicate body to the ground" And signature: "Written by Veli". Isn't it the thread connecting our past with modern life?
There are few data about the ancient history of Irevan. The cause is wars between Iran and Ottoman Empire lasting 366 years with intervals, the town being passed around and at last the earthquake of 1679 razed the town to the ground. I. Shopen gives for the first time relatively exact information about population and its national composition. According to his estimates there were 2400 families and 12 000 persons living in Irevan during the government of last governor. After Russians had captured the town a part of local aristocrats' families moved to Iran and Armenians came back from Iran and Turkey. At the end of the war (1828) the national composition of population was as following: Azerbaijanis 1807 families, 7331 persons; Armenians 567 families, 2379 persons.
Most part of information about architectural models and line arts patterns of Irevan failing reaching us related to the period after the earthquake. Quadrilateral buildings of caravanserais with arches made from bricks and stones with carving enraptured everyone by their originality and richness, by nice, sparkling water streams of fountains as well as by overall architectural appearance considering as the most beautiful and grand buildings in the town. In the "Ourdz.hu" caravanserai there were 78, in "Dzluilfa" and "Sardar" 39 in each, in "'fagly", "Sulu", "Susuz" 74 taken together, m the "Iladzhi All" caravanserai 40 benches. J.Charden called the caravanserai situated in 500 steps from khan's palace "the most beautiful building". He wrote: "The road 800 steps long leading inside was full of benches, there were three other buildings inside of building itself: beautiful mosque and two coffee houses."
The Irevan fortress added luster to architectural appearance of the town of that time. Representing a pattern of high architectural and art mastery of that time the fortress, the palace inside of it, the mirror salon like a bride in jewels, twin mosques, two- and three-storied buildings bath houses for men and women built tastefully, marble pool 15 sazhens long, 5 sazhens wide and 3 arshines deep, ornamented "Tabriz gapysy", ornamental motives, pictures of flowers, portraits, original architectural concepts, richness of design excited all above mentioned liuropean travelers and writer A.S.Griboyedov, artists V.Mashkov and G.Gagarin to amazement and admiration. According to evidences of Lynch impressed by beauty of the mirror salon in khan's Palace, the fortress mosque and the pool countless numbers of mirrors of domes with fillets were sparkling like brilliants. Salon's ceiling and walls had been ornated from top to bottom. Pictures of flowers and birds, portraits of Fatali khan, his son Abbas Mir/a, Huseyngulu khan, his brother Hasan khan, Rustam and Zokhrab in elegant frames painted in oil-paint on linen and stuck to walls were attracting attention as wonderful patterns of fine arts.
It's a pity that travelers, explorers and writers who were delighted by creations of our forefathers' high-class workmanship, patterns of fine arts and our ancient historical school of architecture related them to Iranian-Persian and Chinese architectures. According to Lynch's statement the khan's Palace with mirror salons "belongs to gorgeous monuments of Persian architecture." l.Shopen said that this Palace had been raised in style of Chinese architecture. A.S.Griboyedov who often visited the khan's Palace called ornaments of salon and ceiling "Japanese".
Archaeologist Uvarova who arrived to Irevan in 1X80 and knew about it from descriptions of l) Dubua-de Monpero related to 1X43 when the town had been transformed into governor's residence and then in 1878 had been abandoned due to absolute lack of care exclaimed at the sight of "condition" of mosque and ruined Irevan fortress: "Oh, how much did they try to raze these palaces lo the ground over the centuries?" Uvarova compared the salon which was the only reminder of the ruined khan's Palace greatness with a fancy tea box. The archaeologist wrote with admiration about the dome and minaret of the Blue Mosque attracting attention from a distance: "The dome towering proudly above the mosque as if it wants to demonstrate its importance and solemnity for the Moslem world." It's strange that after all that Uvarova told about the Palace mosque as about a pattern of fine arts worthy of Veroshagan's brush in Persian architecture."
Yervand Shakhaziz describing the greatness of the Blue Mosque built in 1760, concluded that Huseynali khan sparing no expenses wanted to leave a monument worthy of his khanate which would be built in style of the best Persian mosques: Shakh Abbas's Mosque in Gandzha and Blue Mosque in Tabriz. Then the author told about skilled workmanship, excellent Eastern style and eminent master of Persian architecture.
These deserving attention arguments bring us echo of another significant opinion. In 1501 Shakh Ismail I won over Elvend Mirza, the king of Akkoyunlu dynasty, in Sharur region. Akkoyunlu state collapsed. Sefevies' state began lo border on the Uzbek state ol'Sheybani khan in the east and on Ottoman Turkey in the west. As K. Marx noted "the whole military power of ottomans" was pointed toward (he large territory lying from Amu Darya to Karat and being under the Sefevies' domination. Shakh Ismail fortified Irevan in order to protect it from this danger. During the government of blind Mohammed Khudabendi, a brother of Shakh Ismail If in 1578 a beautiful garden was planted and khan palace was built at the place of the Irevan Fortress.
Farkhad Pasha raised a fortress at the same place in 1583. During the government of Shakh Abbas I, a son of Khudabendi, after Emirgun khan was appointed as the Irevan governor, the fortress was extended, rebuilt and fortified. A document kept in Matenadaran (Fund of Persian manuscripts, No.233) provides exact and detailed information about that.
Huseynali khan called Mirza Dzhafar, a chief architect of Akhmed khan, from Khoy to Irevan in order to make this fortress more fortified and grand. The mirror salon and summer palace were created under the command of Mohammed khan, a son of Housseinali khan in 1791...
The Blue Mosque raised by Khatun Dzhanbcyim in memory of her husband Dzhakhan Shakh in Tabriz is the peak of the Azerbaijan architecture of 15"' century. It wasn't accidental that Tavernien called it turquoise of Islam. And it wasn't accidental also that Azerbaijan architect Neymatulla built it in 1465. Iladzhi Ali Khafiz who have built the famous madrasah in Gerat, Akhmed Shamistan constructing the Medzhnun Shakh's Mosque in Meshkhcd, Azerbaijan architects and masters who have gained reputation by their participation in building of Bibi khanum's Mosque in Samarkand were famous not only in Azerbaijan but in the whole East. Is it possible that Shakh Abbas's Mosque in Gandzha and Blue Mosque in Irevan arc not the patterns of this architectural school?!
A master who restored the pictures in the khan's Palace, its rooms, subject compositions on the walls of the mirror salon, who repainted in oil-paint portraits ofFatali khan, Abbas Mirza, Houseyngulu khan, Hasan khan on linen in 50-es of last century was our countryman Mirza Gadim Irevani (1825-1875). Mirza Gadim, the fine expert of folk art, the master of portrait and ornament, whose creations became a part of the gold fund of our classic art and opened a new stage of development of our fine arts has never leave Irevan and Tiflis. We know Mirza Gadim Irevani not as Persian, Chinese or Japanese but as a son of Mohammed kishy, an Irevan carpenter and wood-carver, as a telegrapher Mirza Gadim, as a phenomenon of our fine arts school.
The Azerbaijan is who lived in Armenia were famous and won the recognition not only in architecture and line arts but also in agriculture. 'Caucasus" Newspaper (November 27, 1851, №90) wrote that Abdurza Marham (probably Maherram) from Sharur region of Irevan province have taken part in London exhibition and have been awarded to a high award for the cloth manufactured from cotton cultivated from local growth. Isa Sultan Nadzhaf oglu Shakhtantinski was born in Irevan in 1871. He entered the Institute of Agriculture in St. Petersburg, and in 1875 defended a thesis on agriculture and forestry in Switzerland. In 1877 lie published "Caucasian Almanac" in Tiflis in Mihelson's printing house and was a head of the Political issues Department in editorial office of "Tiflis bulletin" newspaper. His brother Abulfat (1855-1913) was studying in the St. Petersburg University at the same time with G.V.Plehanov and graduated from Heidelberg University in 1883 with bachelor's degree. He first translated Goethe's "Sufferings of young Verter".
Thousands graves of our forefathers-shaheeds who died during the endless battles against governors-tyrants and invaders-robbers lie from antiquity till our days at the same place near the foot of Irevan Mountain in Armenia. This country's dastan causes double feeling, it excites deep unforgettable sorrow in the heart and at the same time excites pride for our fore fathers-farmers and builders. Their toil and sweat are in beauty of each adornment and ornament created with their hands. Traces of their valor and persistence are in sounds of steps of every traveller walking on green mountainsides, in canals' melodies, in majestic walls of old and new palaces. Nobody, never and in no way can deny this because, let alone the past, during the period when Armenia was a part of Russia more than seven thousands from ten thousands of Irevan population made Azerbaijanis. The Erivan province took the third place after Baku and Yelizavetpol (Gandzha) provinces for number of Azerbaijanis living there in the end of 19lh century.
Source: Historical geography of Western Azerbaijan. (ammended and revised publication in english language) Baku, "Nijat-K" Publishing House, 2006, 624 p.
