Karabakh Khanate

The Karabakh khanate (Qarabağ xanlığı in Azeri), initially founded under nominal Persian suzeiranty and by 1748 an independent feudal state, existed in 1747–1822 in Karabakh and adjacent areas .

History

Khanate was founded as a feudal mulk (landholding) given to Qajar-related Ziyadoglu family in 1606. The founder of the independent khanate was Panah-Ali khan from the clan of Javanshir (1693-1761). Following the death of Nadir shah Afshar in 1747, the central government in Iran collapsed and the Iranian state has split into numerous small independent khanates.

Panah Khan took advantage of the enmity between the five Armenian meliks (princes) of the region, who were referred to as Khamsa (five in Arabic), and subordinated them. The capital of the khanate was first the castle of Bayat in 1748, followed by the newly build town of Panahabad in 1750-1752. It was established to control Karabakh's meliks with the support of Melik Shah-Nazar of Varanda, who was the first to accept suzerainty of Ali Panah khan. Panahabad during Ibrahim-Khalil khan's reign, son of Panah Ali khan, became a large town and was renamed Shusha, apparently after the name of the nearest village of Shüshükent. Panah Ali khan expanded the territory of Karabakh khanate subjugating territory of Karabakh, Meghri, Tatev, Sisian, Kapan in Zangezur, and Nakchivan Khanate.

In less than a year after Shusha was founded, the Karabakh khanate was attacked by Muhammed Hassan khan Qajar, one of the major claimants to the Iranian throne. During the Safavid rule Karabakh was for almost two centuries ruled by the Turkic-speaking clan of Qajar, as rulers of Ganja khanate Ziyadoglu Qajars extended their power to Karabakh, and therefore, Muhammed Hassan khan considered Karabakh his hereditary estate.

Muhammed Hassan khan besieged Panahabad, but soon had to retreat because of the attack on his khanate by one of his major opponents to the Iranian throne, Karim Khan Zand. His retreat was so hasty that he even left his cannons under the walls of Shusha fortress. Panah Ali khan counterattacked the retreating troops of Muhammad Hassan khan and even briefly took Ardabil across the Aras River in the Iranian region of Azerbaijan.

In 1759 Shusha and Karabakh khanate underwent a new attack from Fatali khan Afshar, ruler of Urmia. With his 30,000-strong army Fatali khan also managed to gain support from the meliks (feudal vassals) of Jraberd and Talysh (Gulistan), however melik Shah Nazar of Varan continued to support Panah Ali Khan. The siege of Shusha lasted for six months and Fatali khan eventually had to retreat.

After Panah Ali khan's death, his son Ibrahim-Khalil khan Javanshir became ruler of khanate. Under him, Karabakh khanate became one of the strongest state formations of the South Caucasus and Shusha turned into a big town. According to travellers who visited Shusha at the end of 18th-early 19th centuries the town had about 2,000 houses and an approximate population of 10,000, which was mostly Muslim.

In the summer of 1795, Shusha underwent a major attack by Aga Muhammad khan Qajar, son of Muhammad Hassan khan who attacked Shusha in 1752. Aga Muhammad Khan Qajar's goal was to end with the feudal fragmentation and to restore the old Safavid State in Iran. For this purpose he also wanted to proclaim himself shah (king) of Iran. However, according to Safavid tradition, the shah had to control the South Caucasus before his coronation. Therefore, Karabakh khanate and its fortified capital Shusha were the first and major obstacle to achieve these ends.

Aga Muhammad khan Qajar besieged Shusha with his 80,000 strong army. Ibrahim Khalil Panah khan mobilized the population for a long-term defense. The number of militia in Shusha reached 15,000 and women fought alongside the men. The Armenian population of Karabakh also actively participated in this struggle against the invaders and fought side by side with Muslim population jointly organizing ambushes in the mountains and forests.

The siege lasted for 33 days. Not being able to capture Shusha, Agha Muhammad khan ceased the siege and advanced to Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi), which, despite desperate resistance, was occupied and exposed to unprecedented destruction.

In 1797, Agha Muhammad shah Qajar, who by that time had already managed to declare himself Shah (albeit he did not succeed in conquering the Caucasus as the tradition required) decided to carry out a second attack on Karabakh.

To avenge the previous humiliating defeat, he devastated the surrounding villages near Shusha. The population could not recover from the previous 1795 attack and also suffered from a serious drought which lasted for three years. The artillery of the enemy also caused serious losses to the city defenders. Thus, in 1797 Aga Muhammed shah succeeded in seizing Shusha and Ibrahim Khalil Khan was forced to flee to Dagestan.

However, several days after seizure of Shusha, Aga Muhammed shah was killed in enigmatic circumstances by his bodyguards. The Iranian troops left and Ibrahim Khalil khan returned to Shusha and restored his authority as khan of Karabakh.

During the rule of Ibrahim-Khalil khan, the Karabakh khanate grew in importance and established ties with other neighbouring khanates as well as with Iran, Ottoman and Russian empires. In 1805, the Kurekchay Treaty was signed between the Karabakh khanate and the Russian Empire. According to the Kurekchay Treaty, the Karabakh khan recognized supremacy and dominance of the Russian Empire, gave up his right to carry out independent foreign policy and took obligation to pay the Russian Treasury 8 thousand gold roubles a year. In its turn, the Czarist government took obligation not to infringe upon the right of the legitimate successors of the Karabakh khan to administer the internal affairs of their possessions.

However in the same year, Russians reneged on the treaty, apparently acting on suspicion that Ibrahim-Khalil Panah Khan was a traitor. He was killed near Shusha together with some members of his family by Major Lisanevich.

The Russian Empire consolidated its power in Karabakh with the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813 and Treaty of Turkmenchay of 1828 after defeating Iran in the Russo-Persian Wars.

In 1822 Russian Empire abolished the khanate, along with the other khanates that it ahd subdued by the early 19th century. A Karabakh province was created in its place, administered by Russian officials.

The Panah Khan descendants subsequently scattered around the Persian Kingdom with some remaining. Abdul Wakil Panah Khan became the Emir of Khorasan.

Rulers

1 Khans - Ziyad oghlu Qajar dynasty -

1722-1728 Davud Khan

1728-1730 Makhitar

1730-1738 Ughurlu Khan

Javanshir dynasty

1747-1761 Panah Khan Ali Bey

1761-1806 Ibrahim Khalil Panah Khan

1806-1822 Mehdi Qulu Khan Muzaffar

1822- khanate abolished

See also

• Khanates of the Caucasus

Sources

• Abbasqulu Bakihanov, Gulistan-i-Iram, 1841 (Baku, Elm, 1991)

• Mirza Karabaghi, Karabakh-name

External links

• Kurekchay Treaty between the Karabakh khanate and the Russian Empire