Page 15 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

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The period starting from the Russian invasion and lasting until the
1917 October Revolution is the most difficult period of Nakhchivan’s
history. Russia succeeded in establishing an intolerable colonial regime
in Nakhchivan, as well as the rest of Azerbaijan. The historically formed
local and traditional administrative-territorial division of Nakhchivan
was purposefully changed. The massive movement of Armenians from
Iran and their settlement in ancient Azerbaijani lands, including the
territory of the former Nakhchivan khanate, commenced. The land of
Nakhchivan became a provider of raw materials for Russian industry.
After the Azerbaijani states of Nakhchivan and Irevan were annexed
to Russia in 1828, the tsarist regime inflicted the crudest act of hostil-
ity against the Azerbaijani people: on March 21, 1828 (the day of the
holiday of Novruz) the “Armenian District” was created on the lands of
both Azerbaijani khanates. The Armenians from Iranian and Ottoman
territories were settled in these original Azerbaijani lands.
By resettling Armenians into Azerbaijan, tsarist Russia laid the foun-
dation for today’s Armenian state in the southern Caucasus in the lands
of Azerbaijan.
Until 1874, Nakhchivani territories were repeatedly subjected to ad-
ministrative territorial modification by tsarist Russia and a large por-
tion of the former lands of the khanate was included in the Nakhchivan
uyezd (administrative subdivision).27 At the same time, the policy of
purposeful Armenianization of Nakhchivani territory was implement-
ed. Armenians from Iran and Turkey were moved into the ancient lands
of Azerbaijan, including Nakhchivan, leading to an intentional change
of the population’s ethnic composition. However, the Turkish-Muslim
population of Nakhchivan determinedly struggled against this ruthless
policy, not allowing the Armenians to strengthen their position on the
native motherland of Azerbaijanis. According to archival data, due to
the resettlement policy of the Russian Empire, the ethnic composition
of the population in the different districts of the Nakhchivan adminis-
trative okrug in 1830 was as follows: 400 Azerbaijani families settled
in the Alinja district, the Armenians resettled before 1830 consisted of
120 families, and the Armenians resettled after 1830 also consisted of
120 families. These figures were 1283 Azerbaijanis, 58 pre-1830 Arme-
nians, and 731 post-1830 Armenians in Daralayaz; 1884 Azerbaijanis,
309 pre-1830 Armenians, and 1207 post-1830 Armenians in the Na-
khchivan district; and 905 Azerbaijanis, 156 pre-1830 Armenians, and
269 post-1830 Armenians in Nakhchivan city. In the Khok district there
were 292 Azerbaijanis, but only 43 Armenians28.
As is evident from the figures, despite the massive resettlement of
Armenians, the majority of the population of Nakhchivan consisted of
Azerbaijanis. Information about Ordubad okrug and Sharur also con-
firm that the plan of changing the ethnic composition in Nakhchivan’s
population in favour of Armenians had not succeeded.
On the eve of the October Revolution in 1917, the population of Na-
khchivan totalled 170,142. 122,208 of them lived in the Nakhchivan
uyezd, 40,000 in Sharur, and 8,934 in the city of Nakhchivan29.
The economy of Nakhchivan also adjusted to the requirements of tsa-
rist colonial policy. Nakhchivan’s industry consisted of salt mines and
several textile manufacturers. Cotton-growing and sericulture fields
were also developed.
The people of Nakhchivan were resolutely fighting against injustice
and national oppression. Extensive peasant revolts broke out during
the 1905-1907 revolutionary period. The population of Nakhchivan
suffered from massive massacres and violence during the 1905-1906
genocide committed against the Azerbaijanis by the Armenians and
struggled heroically against the Armenian bandits and their tsarist sup-
Noah’s grave monument drawn by artist
Bahruz Kangarli from model.
Azerbaijani carpets / NAKHCHIVAN GROUP
Prophet Noah's Tomb. Nakhchivan.