Стр. 12 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

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Of particular note for this period, the masterpiece of Azerbaijani and Turkish literature, “Book of Dede Korkut,”
spread over all Azerbaijani lands.
In the eleventh century, Seljuk Turks seized these lands. A new government, Atabeyler (Eldenizler), was estab-
lished (1136-1225) after the Seljuk government weakened. Western Azerbaijan was part of this government (Map 2).
During Mongol rule (mid-13th-14th centuries) and the beginning of the fifteenth century, the western Azerbai-
jani territories were administrative parts of Arran province and Sherur district.
The Garagoyunlu government founded at the beginning of the fifteenth century (1410-1468) brought certain
changes in administrative divisions. The northwest portion of western Azerbaijan became part of Karabakh and
the southwest part was included in the newly established Chukhursed Province. The rulers of Chukhursed and
later the Iravan Khanate can be identified as Turkish-Muslims until the invasion by the Russian Empire. During
the Garagoyunlu period, the province was ruled by clear succession: Emir Saad (end of 14th century-1410), his
son Pir Huseyn (1410-1420), Pir Huseyn’s sons Pir Yagub (1420-1430) and Ebdul (1430s), Yagub bey (1440s), and
finally, Hasan Ali Garagoyunlu (after 1460).
During the reign of the Garagoyunlu, a decision destined to bring extremely grievous results in the later history
of Azerbaijan was adopted. Javanshah (1437-1467) gave consent to move an Armenian-Gregorian church to Uch-
kilse-Echmiadzin in the territory of western Azerbaijan in 1441. The moving of the Armenian-Gregorian church
to western Azerbaijan weakened the position of the Azerbaijani-Albanian church in the Iravan district and had a
negative effect on the historical destiny of its Muslim population.
The area of western Azerbaijan is ancient Turkish territory. Hurri, Kimmer, Scyth, Sak, Hun, and other numer-
ous Oghuz and Gipchag Turks lived in this region, specifically around Goyche Lake, leaving behind a rich his-
torical and cultural heritage. After the Armenian government was established in western Azerbaijan (the former
territory of Iravan Khanate) in 1918, the name of Goyche
Lake was changed to “Sevan” in 1930.
Several important historical events described in the hero-
ic Azerbaijani epic, “The Book of Dede Korkut,” occurred
specifically in the territory of western Azerbaijan.
It is noted in the “Oghuzname,” Ebu Bekr el-Tehrani’s
“Kitabi-Diyarbekriyye” written at the request of the great
Azerbaijani Ruler Uzun Hasan (1468-1478), that Oghuz
Khaqan lived, died, and was buried in the lands around
Goyche Lake.
Bayandur Khakan and many other Oghuz-Turk com-
manders worked, died, and were buried in this ancestral
land.
Excluding the ruling periods of various hostile empires,
the territory of western Azerbaijan has always been sub-
ject to Azerbaijani government. These lands belonged to a
region where Azerbaijani-Turkic tribes lived together very
closely.
It should be noted that until Armenian Catholicism was
moved to Iravan (Chukhursed) district in 1441, there was
no village or area belonging to Armenia. Even the top-
onym of Uchkilse-Valarshabad, where Armenian Catholi-
cism was located, is related to Sanatruk’s son Valar shah
(194-216) who was from the Arshakiler Dynasty. During
long historical periods, Valarshabad was misrepresented
inArmenian literature as “Vagarshabad.” Valarshabad (the
foundation of which was laid by Valar Shah) village was
taken piece by piece from Azerbaijani Turks beginning in
1443. During the Akkoyunlu Government (1468-1501) and
following the Safavid government (1501-1736), the divi-
sion of Chukhursed’s administrative territory division was
retained (Map 3). Bayandur’s grandson Hasan bey (1475)
ruled Chukursed during the Akkoyunlular period. During
the Safavid period, the Chukursed beylerbeylik (province)
was ruled by theAzerbaijani Div Sultan Rumlu (after 1515),
Huseynkhan Sultan (until 1550), Shahgulu Sultan Ustajli
(1550-1575), Mahmud khan “Tokhmag” (1576-1583), Emir
Guna-Khan Qajar (1605-1625), his son Tehmezgulu (1635),
Kelbeli-khan (1636-1639), Memmedkhan “Jagata Gotuk”
(1639-1648), Khosrov Khan (1648-1652), Mehemmedgulu
khan (1652-1656), Nejefgulu khan (1656-1663), Emir Gu-
na’s son Abbasgulu khan (1663-1666), and others.
Source: Эфендиев О.А. Территория и границы
азербайджанских государств в XV-XVI вв. //
Историческая география Азербайджана. Баку,
1987, с.116
Map 3
Azerbaijan In The 16th Century