The Zakatal okrug[a] was a special administrative district (okrug) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, part of the Tiflis Governorate from 1893 to 1905. The administrative centre of the district was Zakataly (present-day Zaqatala), and it corresponded to most of the contemporary districts of Balakan, Zaqatala and Qax of Azerbaijan. The Zakatal okrug was established from the territories of the erstwhile Free Jamaats of Jar-Balakan, bordering the Tiflis Governorate to the west, the Elizavetpol Governorate to the south and the Dagestan Oblast to the north. The district was the smallest independent (not part of any province or region) administrative unit of the Russian Empire, similarly to the Sukhumi okrug.

Zakatal okrug
Закатальский округ
Coat of arms of Zakatal okrug
Location in the Caucasus Viceroyalty
Location in the Caucasus Viceroyalty
CountryRussian Empire
ViceroyaltyCaucasus
Established1859
Abolished1918
CapitalZakataly
(present-day Zaqatala)
Area
 • Total3,985.77 km2 (1,538.91 sq mi)
Population
 (1916)
 • Total92,608
 • Density23/km2 (60/sq mi)
 • Urban
4.86%
 • Rural
95.14%

History

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The district was originally established under the name Belokan in 1842, within the Georgia-Imeretia Governorate, two years after it was renamed to Jaro-Belokan. The autonomous status of the district was confirmed in 1846, leading to its renaming to Zakataly in 1860 and its placement into the temporary administration of Dagestan during which its administration was organised into a military council, of which the chief was the head of the district, concurrently with Dagestan.[1] In 1881, an independent administration was introduced. The Zakatal okrug was incorporated into the 'civilian' administration of the Tiflis Governorate from 1893 until 1905 when was removed and placed directly under the Viceroy of the Caucasus.[2]

The social structure of the Zakatal okrug was multi-layered in its patriarchal-clans which were involved in "mountain feudalism", which became muddled by growing ethno-nationalism and the social differences they bore. The Free Jamaats (Society) peoples were the collective owners of the lands in which the Ingiloys and Tatars (later Azerbaijanis) lived, for which the latter paid tax to them. In 1863, a rumor circulated that the administration of Zakataly was planning to emancipate the Georgians and Tatars from their financial obligations to the Free Jamaats peoples, leading to an anti-Russian uprising of its Dagestani inhabitants. The uprising became elevated by the declaration of jihad (holy war) until its suppression by local troops assisted by Tatar volunteers.[3]

Following the Russian Revolution, most of the district was incorporated into the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic[1][4][5][6] and transformed into the Zaqatala Governorate, despite also being claimed by the neighboring Democratic Republic of Georgia. On account of the dispute, the authorities of both states agreed to resolve the territorial dispute over Zakatal strictly by peaceful means.[5] A few hundred Armenians remained in the district by 1919 and were harassed by outlaws.[7]

Despite the Russian SFSR initially recognising the Zakatal okrug as part of Georgia in the Treaty of Moscow,[8][9] a mixed commission consisting of Georgians and Azerbaijanis was formed to arbitrate the dispute following the region's sovietisation.[10] During the administrative-territorial reforms of the 1920s, the Zakataly district was separated into the raions of Balakan, Zagatala, and Gakh.

Economy

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The main occupations of the predominantly Sunni population included cattle breeding, agriculture, viticulture, picking fruits (mainly walnuts), handicrafts and silkworm breeding.[3]

Administrative divisions

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The prefectures (участки, uchastki) of the Zakatal okrug were:[11][12]

Name Administrative centre 1912 population Area
Aliabadskiy prefecture (Алиабадский участок) Aliabad 14,254 430.45 square versts (489.88 km2; 189.14 sq mi)
Dzharo-Mukhakhskiy prefecture (Джаро-Мухахский участок) Zakataly (Zaqatala) 38,879 1,737.01 square versts (1,976.83 km2; 763.26 sq mi)
Kakhskiy prefecture (Кахский участок) Kakh (Qax) 17,595 1,334.78 square versts (1,519.06 km2; 586.51 sq mi)
Almalinskiy rayon (Алмалинский район) Almalo (Almalı)
Belokanskiy rayon (Белоканский район) Belokany (Balakən)
Mukhakhskiy rayon (Мухахский район) Mukhakh (Muxax)

There once existed a Gornye magaly (lit.'mountain quarters') district "along the headwaters of the Samur", however, it was dissolved in 1860.[13] There was also a Belokanskiy prefecture (Белоканский участок) prior to 1912.[14]

Demographics

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Russian Empire Census

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According to the Russian Empire Census, the Zakatal okrug—then part of the Tiflis Governorate—had a population of 84,224 on 28 January [O.S. 15 January] 1897, including 45,418 men and 38,806 women. The plurality of the population indicated Avar-Andean to be their mother tongue, with significant Tatar,[b] Georgian, and Dargin speaking minorities.[17]

Linguistic composition of the Zakatal okrug in 1897[17]
Language Native speakers %
Avar-Andean 31,670 37.60
Tatar[b] 28,950 34.37
Georgian 12,389 14.71
Dargin 7,441 8.83
Armenian 2,100 2.49
Kyurin 975 1.16
Russian 315 0.37
Ukrainian 118 0.14
Polish 115 0.14
Kazi-Kumukh 61 0.07
German 11 0.01
Jewish 11 0.01
Persian 7 0.01
Ossetian 6 0.01
Mingrelian 3 0.00
Turkish 3 0.00
Greek 2 0.00
Imeretian 2 0.00
Belarusian 1 0.00
Kist 1 0.00
Other 43 0.05
TOTAL 84,224 100.00

Kavkazskiy kalendar

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According to the 1917 publication of Kavkazskiy kalendar, the Zakatal okrug had a population of 92,608 on 14 January [O.S. 1 January] 1916, including 48,323 men and 44,285 women, 86,128 of whom were the permanent population, and 6,480 were temporary residents:[18]

Nationality Urban Rural TOTAL
Number % Number % Number %
Sunni Muslims[c] 288 6.39 42,491 48.23 42,779 46.19
North Caucasians 1,068 23.71 40,712 46.21 41,780 45.11
Georgians 204 4.53 4,370 4.96 4,574 4.94
Armenians 2,165 48.06 365 0.41 2,530 2.73
Shia Muslims[d] 486 10.79 91 0.10 577 0.62
Russians 270 5.99 56 0.06 326 0.35
Other Europeans 21 0.47 2 0.00 23 0.02
Asiatic Christians 0 0.00 16 0.02 16 0.02
Jews 3 0.07 0 0.00 3 0.00
TOTAL 4,505 100.00 88,103 100.00 92,608 100.00

Notes

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  1. ^
  2. ^ a b Before 1918, Azerbaijanis were generally known as "Tatars". This term, employed by the Russians, referred to Turkic-speaking Muslims of the South Caucasus. After 1918, with the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and "especially during the Soviet era", the Tatar group identified itself as "Azerbaijani".[15][16]
  3. ^ Primarily Turco-Tatars.[19]
  4. ^ Primarily Tatars.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b Janeliże 2018, pp. 52–53.
  2. ^ Tsutsiev 2014, pp. 172–174.
  3. ^ a b "ЗАКАТАЛЬСКИЙ ОКРУГ • Большая российская энциклопедия - электронная версия". bigenc.ru. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  4. ^ Daushvili 2012, p. 41.
  5. ^ a b Yilmaz 2009.
  6. ^ Javakhishvili 2011, p. 235.
  7. ^ Hovannisian 1982, pp. 186–187.
  8. ^ Wright, Goldenberg & Schofield 1996, p. 136.
  9. ^ Hovannisian 1996a, p. 205.
  10. ^ Kazemzadeh 1951, p. 299.
  11. ^ Кавказский календарь на 1917 год, pp. 134–136.
  12. ^ Кавказский календарь на 1913 год, pp. 156–159.
  13. ^ Tsutsiev 2014.
  14. ^ Кавказский календарь на 1910 год, p. 202.
  15. ^ Bournoutian 2018, p. 35 (note 25).
  16. ^ Tsutsiev 2014, p. 50.
  17. ^ a b "Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей". Demoscope.ru. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  18. ^ Кавказский календарь на 1917 год, pp. 357–358.
  19. ^ a b Hovannisian 1971, p. 67.

Bibliography

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41°38′01″N 46°38′36″E / 41.63361°N 46.64333°E / 41.63361; 46.64333