Стр. 24 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

24
The Russian Empire allocated a large role to Armenians to carry out and strengthen their in-
vasion plans in the east and in Azerbaijan. Armenians wanted to achieve certain political aims
by using Russia. Armenian Russianism and Russian Armenianism, which were developing in
this period, complemented each other in achieving these political goals and in targeting the
destruction of Turkish-Muslim existence. In the anonymous Armenian poem, “I Saw the Tsa-
rina” written at the end of the fifteenth century, the wedding of Russian Duke Ivan III (1462-
1505) and Byzantine princess Sophia Paleologue is described. In the poem, Sophia denies gifts
presented to her by Ivan III and demands instead that Istanbul be seized. Ivan III tells Sophia
that he will liberate the Guds and reach Echmiadzin. Armenians’ aspirations for Russia con-
tinued later as well, especially in the works and documents circulated in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries.
Russian-Armenian relations broadened during the invasion of the Kazan khanate (1552),
Heshterkhan khanate (1556), and during the wars with the Ottoman Empire (1635-1639, 1711,
1768-1774, 1787-1791). These relations became stronger following the policy of Russia to in-
vade lands on the shore of the Caspian Sea. As these events occurred, the act of resettling Ar-
menians in Russia and creating Armenian colonies there began. The November 10, 1724 decree
of Peter I (1682-1725) to the Armenian people played a significant role in this matter. According
to the decree, locations were allocated for Armenians to settle in the lands invaded by Russia.
The political policy of Peter I was maintained by Catherine II (1762-1796). The Armenians’ role
was reflected in the plans of Russia seen in the manifestos of 1801. Russia brought Armenians
living in different places to newly invaded lands, created conditions for them to enter the Rus-
sian army, and involved them in the operations against local rulers.
We can divide the tsarist resettlement of Armenians in the territory of northern Azerbaijan
during the early nineteenth century into two stages: the period prior to the Turkmenchay Trea-
ty (1801-1828) and the years following.
The resettlement by Russia of Armenians in northern Azerbaijan during 1801-1828 was paral-
lel to the invasion process. The Armenians resettled in this period were predominantly from
the territories of northern Azerbaijan previously settled but not yet invaded by Russia. In ad-
dition, attempts were made to involve Armenian citizens of the Ottoman and Persian Empires
in the resettlement.
In 1804, the Russian Empire invaded the Ganja khanate with the assistance of Armenians.
The Kurekchay treaty to bring khanates under the protection of Russia was signed on May 14,
1805 with the Karabakh khanate and on May 21 with the Sheki khanate. In December, a similar
treaty was signed with the Shirvan khanate. In 1806, the Derbent, Guba, and Baku khanates
were annexed followed by the Lankaran (Talysh) khanate in 1813. The Russian Empire was en-
gaged in a war with the Persian Empire at the same time (1804-1813). Via the Gulustan Treaty
signed at the end of the war, northern Azerbaijani lands, excluding the Nakhchivan and Iravan
khanates, were seized by Russia. The Russian Empire lent great importance to the invasion of
the Iravan khanate. Armenians living in the territory of the khanate were used for this purpose.
On the other hand, they hurt the khanate by moving them to the areas seized by Russia. Gen-
eral P.D. Sisianov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army in the Caucasus, was trying to
move Iravan Armenians to Ganja (the name of the city was changed to Elizavetpol following
the Russian invasion). The Armenianization of Karabakh, Sheki, Shirvan, and other northern
Azerbaijani lands continued vigorously. These cases increased further after the Sheki, Shirvan,
and Karabakh khanates were eliminated in 1819, 1820, and 1822, respectively.
Even the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813 and the Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812 did not
discourage Russia’s plans for invasion. In 1826, Russia began another Russo-Persian War
(1826-1828). Although the first period of the war was successful for the Persians, Russia gained
power later. In June 1827, Nakhchivan was taken and in October, Iravan was seized. Conse-
quently, the granting of Russian citizenship to Armenians who were earlier moved to northern
Azerbaijan ended. The Persian and Ottoman Empires were now the major new geographical
sources of Armenian resettlement.
The Armenian Catholic Nerses Ashtaraketsi prepared a plan regarding resettlement. Rus-
sian writer and diplomat Griboyedov (1795-1829) participated in the preparation and execu-
tion of this plan. Nerses wrote to St. Petersburg native Yegiazar Lazaryan who was invited to
lead the resettlement of Armenians in 1827 and who was in Tabriz at that time: “I asked A.S.
Griboyedov, loyal protector of our Armenian people, not to forget my request regarding cap-
tive Christians and asked him to accept them anywhere under the powerful flag of the Rus-
Armenianization of Iravan District:
Resettlement of Armenians by the
Russian Tsar in the Iravan District
Armenians’ Armed Conflicts against Azerbaijanis