Page 9 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

7
was killed together with his supporters when he
tried to escape. Some of his supporters took his
baby Huseynali khan secretly to Akhti village and
kept it.”17 After the killing of Sultan Ahmad, Guba
was occupied by the rebels.
The tsarist attack of Russia on Guba, Azerbaijan. Fol-
lowing preparations, Tsar Peter I began military
operations in Azerbaijan. In August 1722, Russian
troops entered Darband and occupied Mushkur.
Following changes in the occupation plan by Peter
I, some of the troops returned to Russia, as did the
Tsar. In June 1723, General Matyushkin occupied
Baku. Azerbaijani lands were distributed according
to the Saint Petersburg Peace Treaty (August 1723)
and the Treaty of Istanbul (June 1724). The Guba re-
gion and the lands on the border of the Caspian Sea
were occupied by tsarist Russia. The heritable estate
of Huseynali khan, son of Sultan Ahmad khan, was
now given over to Russian power, thus increasing
their strength. Until Russia left the territories oc-
cupied under the Treaty of Ganja (1735), Guba re-
mained under its power.
The reign of Nadir shah (1736-1747 ). After Nadir
saved the Safavid territory from attacks and occu-
pations, he declared himself shah. Huseynali khan
also had established good relations with Nadir
shah. A.A. Bakikhanov wrote, “Huseynali khan
gained respect for his fidelity and services in the
reign of Nadir shah. Nadir shah granted him the
district of Salyan for his previous determination.”18
But the power of Nadir shah did not last for long; he
was killed in 1747. Independent and half-indepen-
dent khanates were then established in Azerbaijan.
The Guba khanate. After the death of Nadir, Husey-
nali khan achieved independence for the khanate.19
The khanate located in the northeast of Azerbaijan
bordered the Kura lands and the khanates of Dar-
band, Shaki, Shamakhi, and Baku. During the exis-
tence of the khanate, Huseynali khan (1720-1758),
Fatali khan (1758-1789), Ahmad II (1789-1791), and
Sheikh Ali (1791-1820) dominated. Huseynali khan
began to expand the territory of the khanate and in
1757 Salyan was occupied.
The expansion of the khanate continued in the
period of Fatali khan, son of Huseynali khan. At
first, the lands on the right bank of the Samur River
(Mushkur, Niyazabad, Shabran, and others) were
subordinated then the Darband khanate (1759), the
Baku khanate (1767), and finally the Shamakhi and
Javad khanates (1768). In this way, an “ulka” cover-
ing the northeastern lands of Azerbaijan was estab-
lished. Resistance against the Guba khanate intensi-
fied and a fight occurred at Gavdushan field (near
Khudat) between the governors of Karabakh, Shaki,
and Dagestan and the Guba khanate in 1744. Fatali
khan was defeated together with his united forces.
Guba and Shamakhi were occupied and Darband
was blockaded. Tuti Bika, Fatali khan’s wife, led the
blockade of Darband while he went to Salyan.
Guba khanate (Second half of 18th century)
Source: Azərbaycan tarixi atlası, s. 33
Map 2
Azerbaijani carpets / GUBA GROUP
Guba: landscape.