AZERBAIJAN HISTORY

A classic era of Azeri culture bloomed in the 12th century. The cities of (old) Qəbələ, Bərdə and Naxçivan were thriving. Şamaxı bloomed as the vibrant capital of Şirvan. Gəncəs pre-eminence was symbolised by the classical national poet Nizami Gəncəvi. However, from the 13th century these cities were pummelled into dust by the Mongols, Timur (Tamerlane) and assorted earthquakes. It took two centuries and an improving caravan trade to get Şirvan blossoming again. In battle its rulers, the Shirvanshahs, scored a home victory against Arbadil (southern Azerbaijan, now in Iran) in 1462 only to lose in the 1501 rematch. Converted to Shia Islam as a result of that defeat, Şirvan bonded with (south) Azerbaijan, sharing its glory as the Azeri Safavid shahs came to rule the whole Persian Empire. Greater Azerbaijan thereafter suffered in tussles between Persia and the Ottoman Empires. As Persian power declined in the early 18th century, a collection of autonomous Muslim khanates emerged across Azerbaijan. However, Persia rebounded and several of these khanates united, hoping to preserve their independence. They asked Russia for assistance but got more than they bargained for. The Russian Empire swiftly annexed many northerly khanates. Then Persias bungled attempts to grab them back ended with the humiliating Gulistan Treaty (1813) in which it lost Şirvan, Karabakh and all navigational rights to the Caspian. A second war was even worse for the Persians, who were forced to additionally sign away the former khanates of Naxçıvan, Talysh and Yerevan in the 1828 treaty of Turkmenchay.