Difference between revisions of "Atabegs of Azerbaijan" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:Europe Location Azerbaijan.svg|thumb|Azerbaijan in the South [[Caucasus Mountains]].]] The '''Atabegs of [[Azerbaijan]]''' rose from the ashes of the vast [[Seljuq dynasty|Seljuk Empire]] in the beginning of the twelth th century. The ''atabeg'' (literally ''father lord'' in [[Turkish]]) was the title referred to the guardians appointed for minor princes of the Seljukid line who were nominally set over garrisons in provinces. Atabegs, usually Turkic slave-officers, were tutors and vice-regents to their princes, but in the political circumstances of the time, they were the actual rulers. In 1136, Sultan Masud appointed Shams ad-Din Eldegiz (ca. 1135-36 - 1175) to be an atabeg of Arslan-shah, the juvenile successor of the throne and transferred Azerbaijan to his possession as [[iqta]]. Eldegiz chose [[Barda, Azerbaijan|Barda]] as his residence, and attracted the local emirs to his camp. From 1161, the Seljukid princes at [[Hamadan]] fell under the control of the Atabeg of Azerbaijan. Under the Atabegs, Azerbaijan became a significant [[culture|cultural]] center of the Turkic people. The Atabek State fell in 1225 when it was included into the Great Mongol Empire created by Genghis Khan. | [[Image:Europe Location Azerbaijan.svg|thumb|Azerbaijan in the South [[Caucasus Mountains]].]] The '''Atabegs of [[Azerbaijan]]''' rose from the ashes of the vast [[Seljuq dynasty|Seljuk Empire]] in the beginning of the twelth th century. The ''atabeg'' (literally ''father lord'' in [[Turkish]]) was the title referred to the guardians appointed for minor princes of the Seljukid line who were nominally set over garrisons in provinces. Atabegs, usually Turkic slave-officers, were tutors and vice-regents to their princes, but in the political circumstances of the time, they were the actual rulers. In 1136, Sultan Masud appointed Shams ad-Din Eldegiz (ca. 1135-36 - 1175) to be an atabeg of Arslan-shah, the juvenile successor of the throne and transferred Azerbaijan to his possession as [[iqta]]. Eldegiz chose [[Barda, Azerbaijan|Barda]] as his residence, and attracted the local emirs to his camp. From 1161, the Seljukid princes at [[Hamadan]] fell under the control of the Atabeg of Azerbaijan. Under the Atabegs, Azerbaijan became a significant [[culture|cultural]] center of the Turkic people. The Atabek State fell in 1225 when it was included into the Great Mongol Empire created by Genghis Khan. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Apart from a brief period immediately after the end of imperial [[Russia]], Azerbaijan was in the main part of lager entities from the end of the Atabeg State until the founding of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1991. It was contested terrotory between the [[Persia|Iranian]] and Russian spaces, with former dominating the South and the latter the North. | ||
| + | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
| − | The area known as Azerbaijan, partly in East [[Europe]], partly in [[Asia]] was conquered by [[Alexander the Great]]. Under the [[Sassanids]] Azerbaijan was an autonomous kingdom. In the seventh century, the [[Umayyads]] conquered Azerbaijan, which was subsequently part of the [[Abbasid|Abbasid caliphate]]. It then fell to the [[Ghaznavid Empire|Ghaznavids]] followed by the Seljuks, who were nominally loyal to the Abbasid caliph. Towards the end of the Seljuk empire, the Atabegs were ''de facto'' rulers. | + | The area known as Azerbaijan, partly in East [[Europe]], partly in [[Asia]] was conquered by [[Alexander the Great]]. Under the [[Sassanids]] Azerbaijan was an autonomous kingdom. In the seventh century, the [[Umayyads]] conquered Azerbaijan, which was subsequently part of the [[Abbasid|Abbasid caliphate]]. It then fell to the [[Ghaznavid Empire|Ghaznavids]] followed by the Seljuks, who were nominally loyal to the Abbasid caliph. Towards the end of the Seljuk empire, the Atabegs were ''de facto'' rulers. Originally, the Atabeg was the guardian and regent for a ruler not old enough to govern. The Slejuks appointed young princes (maliks) as governors of a province, with the atabeg exercsing responsibility for its administration. Increasingly, the Atageb became "the actual governor of the province, and the malik was only sent with him as a matter of form." <ref>Fisher, et al. page 240.</ref> |
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[[Ildeniz|Shams ad-Din Ildeniz]] became the ruler of the remainder of the north Iran and South Caucasus of the Seljuk empire. He was taking every measure to consolidate the power of his own anointed, but powerless sultan. The word “Azam” (Azam stands for Great) was added to the title of Azerbaijani Atabeg's. All of the State’s subsequent rulers used to hold this title. During his reign, Ildeniz subdued a spacious territory between the Caucasus and the Persian Gulf. | [[Ildeniz|Shams ad-Din Ildeniz]] became the ruler of the remainder of the north Iran and South Caucasus of the Seljuk empire. He was taking every measure to consolidate the power of his own anointed, but powerless sultan. The word “Azam” (Azam stands for Great) was added to the title of Azerbaijani Atabeg's. All of the State’s subsequent rulers used to hold this title. During his reign, Ildeniz subdued a spacious territory between the Caucasus and the Persian Gulf. | ||
| − | Georgia, whose army was strengthened by 40,000 [[Kipchaks in Georgia|Kipchak Turkic warriors]] , was the strongest antagonist of the Shamseddin Eldeniz. In 1138 [[Georgia|Georgian]] king [[Demetre I]], attacked Ganja. While leaving the city his troops carried off the well-known iron gate of Ganja as their trophy, which up-to-date remains on display in the city of [[Gori, Georgia|Gori]]. From 1161 onwards they began to make plundering raids on Ani, Dvin, Ganja, Nakhchivan and other regions controlled by Atabegs. Eldeniz formed a union with other Seljukids in the beginning of 1160s to fight against the Georgians, and in 1163 the allies inflicted a defeat on king [[George III of Georgia]]. In response to this defeat the czar of Georgia occupied Ganja in 1165. Georgians took several fields in Azerbaijan and they could reach such faraway cities as Nakhchivan and Beylakan. As a rule, Georgians used to be paid their tribute and then they left. In 1173, Atabeg Shamseddin Eldeniz began his big campaign against Georgia but he was defeated. Atabeg’s troops retreated and Shamseddin Eldeniz died in 1174 in Nakhchivan. | + | Georgia, whose army was strengthened by 40,000 [[Kipchaks in Georgia|Kipchak Turkic warriors]], was the strongest antagonist of the Shamseddin Eldeniz. In 1138 [[Georgia|Georgian]] king [[Demetre I]], attacked Ganja. While leaving the city his troops carried off the well-known iron gate of Ganja as their trophy, which up-to-date remains on display in the city of [[Gori, Georgia|Gori]]. From 1161 onwards they began to make plundering raids on Ani, Dvin, Ganja, Nakhchivan and other regions controlled by Atabegs. Eldeniz formed a union with other Seljukids in the beginning of 1160s to fight against the Georgians, and in 1163 the allies inflicted a defeat on king [[George III of Georgia]]. In response to this defeat the czar of Georgia occupied Ganja in 1165. Georgians took several fields in Azerbaijan and they could reach such faraway cities as Nakhchivan and Beylakan. As a rule, Georgians used to be paid their tribute and then they left. In 1173, Atabeg Shamseddin Eldeniz began his big campaign against Georgia but he was defeated. Atabeg’s troops retreated and Shamseddin Eldeniz died in 1174 in Nakhchivan. |
== Muhammad Jahan Pehlevan == | == Muhammad Jahan Pehlevan == | ||
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== Uzbek == | == Uzbek == | ||
| − | This process was speeded up during the reign of Atabek Uzbek (1210-1225) who was enthroned after Abu Bakr’s death. That’s when Hassan Djalal Mikhranid (1215-1262) began his separatist activities. This had shaken the fundamentals of the weakened State, and it could be invaded by the troops of Georgian czarina Tamara. The troops occupied several Azerbaijani towns but they had to return to Georgia. The Atabek State fell in 1225 when it was included into the Great Mongol Empire created by Genghis Khan. After the decline of the Mongol empire, the region was subject to [[Safavid Dynasty|Safavid]] rule and the population, previously [[Sunni]] became majority [[Shi'a]]. | + | This process was speeded up during the reign of Atabek Uzbek (1210-1225) who was enthroned after Abu Bakr’s death. That’s when Hassan Djalal Mikhranid (1215-1262) began his separatist activities. This had shaken the fundamentals of the weakened State, and it could be invaded by the troops of Georgian czarina Tamara. The troops occupied several Azerbaijani towns but they had to return to Georgia. The Atabek State fell in 1225 when it was included into the Great Mongol Empire created by Genghis Khan. After the decline of the Mongol empire, the region was subject to [[Safavid Dynasty|Safavid]] rule and the population, previously [[Sunni]] became majority [[Shi'a]]. The first state to use the name "Azerbaijan" was established by Shah Ismail I, founder of Safavids who later extended his rule throughout Persia. By the late eighteenth century, Azerbaijan had splintered into smaller states, each with their own khan. [[Russia]] had moved into the region in the early eighteenth century. After a brief period of independence after the collapse of imperial Russia, Azerbaijan became a Soviet republic until 1991 when the [[soverignty|sovereign]] Republic of Azerbaijan was born. |
==Culture== | ==Culture== | ||
[[Image::Nizami Mausoleum.jpg|thumb|Nizami Mausoleum.]] | [[Image::Nizami Mausoleum.jpg|thumb|Nizami Mausoleum.]] | ||
| − | [[Literature]] flourished in the Atabeg state. Among [[poetry|poets]] of distinction were Khanum Mehseti Ganjavi, Khagani Shirvani and Nizami Ganjavi. Mehseti is renowned for refusing to wear a veil; Nizami's famous works include an ode to Alexander the Great<ref>Mason, Herbert, Herbert Mason, Niẓāmī Ganjavī, and Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī. 1986. ''A legend of Alexander ; and, The merchant and the parrot: dramatic poems.'' Notre Dame, Ind: University of Notre Dame Press. ISBN 9780268012816.</ref> and the work of epic poetry, the ''Storehouse of Mysteries'' which contains [[morality|moral]] and [[religion|religious]] maxims.<ref>Niẓāmī Ganjavī, and Gholam Hossein Darab Khan. 1945. ''Makhzanol Asrār = The treasury of mysteries.'' London: A. Probsthain. {{OCLC|7446999}}.</ref> He is remembered as one of the earliest romantic poets in Persian. | + | [[Literature]] flourished in the Atabeg state. Among [[poetry|poets]] of distinction were Khanum Mehseti Ganjavi, Khagani Shirvani and Nizami Ganjavi. Mehseti is renowned for refusing to wear a veil; Nizami's famous works include an ode to Alexander the Great<ref>Mason, Herbert, Herbert Mason, Niẓāmī Ganjavī, and Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī. 1986. ''A legend of Alexander ; and, The merchant and the parrot: dramatic poems.'' Notre Dame, Ind: University of Notre Dame Press. ISBN 9780268012816.</ref> and the work of epic poetry, the ''Storehouse of Mysteries'' which contains [[morality|moral]] and [[religion|religious]] maxims.<ref>Niẓāmī Ganjavī, and Gholam Hossein Darab Khan. 1945. ''Makhzanol Asrār = The treasury of mysteries.'' London: A. Probsthain. {{OCLC|7446999}}.</ref> He is remembered as one of the earliest romantic poets in Persian. The themes of [[toleration]] and benevolence characterize his work, which also explores the inner struggle between our best and worst selves. |
| + | |||
| + | ==Legacy== | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
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* Bosworth, Clifford Edmund. 2004. ''The new Islamic dynasties: a chronological and genealogical manual.'' New Edinburgh Islamic surveys. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748621378. | * Bosworth, Clifford Edmund. 2004. ''The new Islamic dynasties: a chronological and genealogical manual.'' New Edinburgh Islamic surveys. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748621378. | ||
* Constant, Antoine. 2002. ''L' Azerbaïdjan.'' Méridiens. Paris: Karthala. ISBN 9782845861442. | * Constant, Antoine. 2002. ''L' Azerbaïdjan.'' Méridiens. Paris: Karthala. ISBN 9782845861442. | ||
| + | * Fisher, W. B., Ilya Gershevitch, Ehsan Yarshater, R. N. Frye, J. A. Boyle, Peter Jackson, Laurence Lockhart, Peter Avery, Gavin Hambly, and Charles Melville. 1968. ''The Cambridge history of Iran.'' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521069359. | ||
* Hodgson, Marshall G. S. 1974. ''The venture of Islam: conscience and history in a world civilization.'' Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226346779. | * Hodgson, Marshall G. S. 1974. ''The venture of Islam: conscience and history in a world civilization.'' Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226346779. | ||
* Houtsma, M. Th. 1987. ''E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936.'' Leiden: E.J. Brill. ISBN 9789004082656 | * Houtsma, M. Th. 1987. ''E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936.'' Leiden: E.J. Brill. ISBN 9789004082656 | ||
Revision as of 04:16, 23 January 2009
The Atabegs of Azerbaijan rose from the ashes of the vast Seljuk Empire in the beginning of the twelth th century. The atabeg (literally father lord in Turkish) was the title referred to the guardians appointed for minor princes of the Seljukid line who were nominally set over garrisons in provinces. Atabegs, usually Turkic slave-officers, were tutors and vice-regents to their princes, but in the political circumstances of the time, they were the actual rulers. In 1136, Sultan Masud appointed Shams ad-Din Eldegiz (ca. 1135-36 - 1175) to be an atabeg of Arslan-shah, the juvenile successor of the throne and transferred Azerbaijan to his possession as iqta. Eldegiz chose Barda as his residence, and attracted the local emirs to his camp. From 1161, the Seljukid princes at Hamadan fell under the control of the Atabeg of Azerbaijan. Under the Atabegs, Azerbaijan became a significant cultural center of the Turkic people. The Atabek State fell in 1225 when it was included into the Great Mongol Empire created by Genghis Khan.
Apart from a brief period immediately after the end of imperial Russia, Azerbaijan was in the main part of lager entities from the end of the Atabeg State until the founding of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1991. It was contested terrotory between the Iranian and Russian spaces, with former dominating the South and the latter the North.
Background
The area known as Azerbaijan, partly in East Europe, partly in Asia was conquered by Alexander the Great. Under the Sassanids Azerbaijan was an autonomous kingdom. In the seventh century, the Umayyads conquered Azerbaijan, which was subsequently part of the Abbasid caliphate. It then fell to the Ghaznavids followed by the Seljuks, who were nominally loyal to the Abbasid caliph. Towards the end of the Seljuk empire, the Atabegs were de facto rulers. Originally, the Atabeg was the guardian and regent for a ruler not old enough to govern. The Slejuks appointed young princes (maliks) as governors of a province, with the atabeg exercsing responsibility for its administration. Increasingly, the Atageb became "the actual governor of the province, and the malik was only sent with him as a matter of form." [1]
Shams ad-Din Ildeniz (Eldeniz)
Shams ad-Din Ildeniz became the ruler of the remainder of the north Iran and South Caucasus of the Seljuk empire. He was taking every measure to consolidate the power of his own anointed, but powerless sultan. The word “Azam” (Azam stands for Great) was added to the title of Azerbaijani Atabeg's. All of the State’s subsequent rulers used to hold this title. During his reign, Ildeniz subdued a spacious territory between the Caucasus and the Persian Gulf.
Georgia, whose army was strengthened by 40,000 Kipchak Turkic warriors, was the strongest antagonist of the Shamseddin Eldeniz. In 1138 Georgian king Demetre I, attacked Ganja. While leaving the city his troops carried off the well-known iron gate of Ganja as their trophy, which up-to-date remains on display in the city of Gori. From 1161 onwards they began to make plundering raids on Ani, Dvin, Ganja, Nakhchivan and other regions controlled by Atabegs. Eldeniz formed a union with other Seljukids in the beginning of 1160s to fight against the Georgians, and in 1163 the allies inflicted a defeat on king George III of Georgia. In response to this defeat the czar of Georgia occupied Ganja in 1165. Georgians took several fields in Azerbaijan and they could reach such faraway cities as Nakhchivan and Beylakan. As a rule, Georgians used to be paid their tribute and then they left. In 1173, Atabeg Shamseddin Eldeniz began his big campaign against Georgia but he was defeated. Atabeg’s troops retreated and Shamseddin Eldeniz died in 1174 in Nakhchivan.
Muhammad Jahan Pehlevan
After the death of Shams ad-Din Eldeniz, in 1175, the Seljuk Sultan Arslan Shah tried to escape from the yoke of Grand Atabeg of Azerbaijan but failed, and was poisoned to death by Shams ad-Din's son, the new Grand Atabeg Mohammed Jahan Pahlavan (1174-1186)[2]. Pahlavan transferred his capital from Nakhchivan to Hamadan in western Iran, and made his younger brother, Qizil Arslan Othman (1186-1191), the ruler of Azerbaijan. In 1174, Qizil Arslan captured Tabriz, which subsequently became his capital[3].
Jahan Pahlavan suppressed all rebellious emirs and appointed faithful mamluks to key positions. He apportioned each of them any region or town as iqta. Twelve years of his rule are considered the most peaceful period of the State’s existence. Under his reign the central power was strengthened and no foreign enemy invaded the territory belonging to Atabegs. Friendly relations with Khorezmshakhs, the rulers of Central Asia, were founded. All those facts had positive influence on the development of science, handicraft, trade and arts.
Qizil Arslan
After Muhammed Djakhan Pekhlevan’s death his brother Qizil Arslan (1186-1191) ascended the throne. He continued successful struggle against the Seljuk rulers. At the same time central power began to get weaker as mamluks who had strengthened their power in their allotments did not want to obey the Sultan. Even Shirvanshakh Akhsitan who used to be Atabeks’ liegeman decided to benefit from the weakening of the Atabek’s power and invaded his territories in 1186. But he was defeated. His troops had to flee in pursuit of Atabek’s army. They reached Baku. At the same time Qizil Arslan occupied all the land of Shirvan lying between Shamakha and Derbent. In 1191 Togrul III, the last Selchuk ruler was overthrown by Qizil Arslan. Then, by Khalif’s leave, he proclaimed himself a Sultan. Same year Qizil Arslan who had become the individual ruler of the Great Selchuk Empire was assassinated. The power was divided among his three sons: Abu Bakr, Qutluq Inandj and Amir Amiran. Abu Bakr governed Azerbaijan and Arran, and his brothers were the rulers of Khorasan and several neighboring regions. Soon, these three successors began to fight for the throne. And Abu Bakr was the one to win this war. However, the State’s defense capability was stricken. Khorezmshakhs’ and Georgians’ non-stopping forays aggravated the situation in the country and speeded up its decay.
Uzbek
This process was speeded up during the reign of Atabek Uzbek (1210-1225) who was enthroned after Abu Bakr’s death. That’s when Hassan Djalal Mikhranid (1215-1262) began his separatist activities. This had shaken the fundamentals of the weakened State, and it could be invaded by the troops of Georgian czarina Tamara. The troops occupied several Azerbaijani towns but they had to return to Georgia. The Atabek State fell in 1225 when it was included into the Great Mongol Empire created by Genghis Khan. After the decline of the Mongol empire, the region was subject to Safavid rule and the population, previously Sunni became majority Shi'a. The first state to use the name "Azerbaijan" was established by Shah Ismail I, founder of Safavids who later extended his rule throughout Persia. By the late eighteenth century, Azerbaijan had splintered into smaller states, each with their own khan. Russia had moved into the region in the early eighteenth century. After a brief period of independence after the collapse of imperial Russia, Azerbaijan became a Soviet republic until 1991 when the sovereign Republic of Azerbaijan was born.
Culture
[[Image::Nizami Mausoleum.jpg|thumb|Nizami Mausoleum.]]
Literature flourished in the Atabeg state. Among poets of distinction were Khanum Mehseti Ganjavi, Khagani Shirvani and Nizami Ganjavi. Mehseti is renowned for refusing to wear a veil; Nizami's famous works include an ode to Alexander the Great[4] and the work of epic poetry, the Storehouse of Mysteries which contains moral and religious maxims.[5] He is remembered as one of the earliest romantic poets in Persian. The themes of toleration and benevolence characterize his work, which also explores the inner struggle between our best and worst selves.
Legacy
Notes
- ↑ Fisher, et al. page 240.
- ↑ Constant, page 96
- ↑ Houtsma, page 1053.
- ↑ Mason, Herbert, Herbert Mason, Niẓāmī Ganjavī, and Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī. 1986. A legend of Alexander ; and, The merchant and the parrot: dramatic poems. Notre Dame, Ind: University of Notre Dame Press. ISBN 9780268012816.
- ↑ Niẓāmī Ganjavī, and Gholam Hossein Darab Khan. 1945. Makhzanol Asrār = The treasury of mysteries. London: A. Probsthain. OCLC 7446999.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Bosworth, Clifford Edmund. 2004. The new Islamic dynasties: a chronological and genealogical manual. New Edinburgh Islamic surveys. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748621378.
- Constant, Antoine. 2002. L' Azerbaïdjan. Méridiens. Paris: Karthala. ISBN 9782845861442.
- Fisher, W. B., Ilya Gershevitch, Ehsan Yarshater, R. N. Frye, J. A. Boyle, Peter Jackson, Laurence Lockhart, Peter Avery, Gavin Hambly, and Charles Melville. 1968. The Cambridge history of Iran. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521069359.
- Hodgson, Marshall G. S. 1974. The venture of Islam: conscience and history in a world civilization. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226346779.
- Houtsma, M. Th. 1987. E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936. Leiden: E.J. Brill. ISBN 9789004082656
- Kafesoğlu, Ibrahim. 1994. A short history of Turkish-Islamic states (excluding the Ottoman state). Ankara: Turkish Historical Society Printing House. ISBN 9789751605719.
- Leeuw, Charles van der. 2000. Azerbaijan: a quest for identity, a short history. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9780312219031,
- Minorsky, Vladimir. 1978. The Turks, Iran and the Caucasus in the Middle Ages. London: Variorum Reprints. ISBN 9780860780281.
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