History of Great Azerbaijan

The cave of Azykh is located in the territory of the Fizuli district. It is one of the most ancient proto-human habitations in Eurasia. Some predict that it is at least 700,000 years old. Azerbaijan is also home of Aveidag, Taglar, Damjily, Yatagery, Dash Salakhly and some other sites. 

Gobustan Landscape is home of more than 6,000 rock engravings bearing testimony to 40,000 years of rock art. The site features the remains of inhabited caves, settlements and burials during the wet period that followed the last Ice Age, from the Upper Paleolithic to the Middle Ages.

Damjili Cave in Gazakh district was an ancient habitat for Stone Age people who made various kinds of stone tools which date from the Middle Paleolith - Mousterian period (70-35 thousand years ago), Upper Paleolith and Neolith. During this period, other human settlements such as Shomutepe in Aghstafa, Kuptepe in Nakhchivan, Toyretepe and other settlements were also established. 

Goytepe is located in Ganja-Gazakh region,  10 km east of Tovuz city. Goytepe approximately dates back to the 6th millennium cal. BC. is one of the largest settlement sites of the Shomutepe culture.

Baba-Dervish is an ancient settlement in the western part of Gazakh near the Khanlyglar village. Its lower cultural layer dates back to the V Millennium BC. It includes round semi-underground houses, grain-grinding stones, needle, awl, bones of various animals, etc. 

Garakopaktapa is an ancient multilayer settlement that dates back to the Middle Bronze Age. It is located in a basin of the Guruchay and Kondalanchay Rivers, near Fizulli district. The Garabulag kurgan cemetery located on the right coast of the Kondalan River was also typical in this settlement. 

In the III-II millenniums, the Kuti (quti) State was one of the most powerful union in the South and South-West of the Urmia Lake in Azerbaijan. They secured the alliance with Sumer and were against the politics of the Akkad officials.

Turukki or Turuk lived in  XX – XIX BC. in Azerbaijan after the disintegration of the Quti State. In Assyrian texts, the name of turukku  has been also spelled as türük//török//turuk//türki.

Lullubi tribes were one of the first ethno-political associations that existed in Azerbaijan in III-II millenniums BC. In 2300 B.C., the Akkad sources called them lulubum.

Manna/mana/manqa is one of the Turkic states established in the territory of Azerbaijan. Manqas were also one of the ancient Turkic tribes in Altays. The Manna State existed around the 10th to 7th centuries BC. At that time they were neighbors of the empires of Assyria and Urartu, as well as other small buffer states between the two, such as Musasir and Zikirta. After Manna, Midia State was established in South Azerbaijan.

Caucasian Albania existed in in the North of Azerbai 2nd century BC  – 8th century AD. The world “Alban" refers to the origin of the word which comes from the ancient Latin world “albus” meaning “whiteness” and “light”, and the second meaning refers to the ancient Turkic word “alb”,”alp” meaning “courage” and “heroism.” Ancient Greeks also used the word “Albion” that meant “courage” and “hero.” Uygur Turks still use this word to mean “height”. 

Atropatena is one of the ancient states in South Azerbaijan in 321 B.C.– 224 A.D. The famous  cities of Atropatena were Ordbil, Tavresh (Tubriz), Qazaka, Fraaspa, Aqnazana, Maragha. Qazaka in Atroparena was the important religious centre of Zoroastrians during the Sassanid empire. 

In the 7th century, Azerbaijan was occupied by Arabs. The country was Islamized, however, some tribes including Qipchak Turks in Garabagh and Western Azerbaijan and Udins remained Christians. Later on, due to economic, political and cultural oppression, the movement led by Babek for more than 20 years (816-837) became one of the most famous people's liberation movement in history and had a major impact on the weakening of the Caliphate. 

In the 9th-11th centuries, the most famous states in Azerbaijan were Shirvanshahs, Saji, Salari, Ravvadi, etc.  During the Ravvadis, Tabriz became the first historical capital of Azerbaijan. The Khudaferin Bridge and the ancient gates of Ganja were a masterpiece of craftsmanship  of the 10th to 11th centuries. In 1139, the Georgian Tsar Demetrius I (1125-54) took advantage of the big earthquake inthe gate to Georgia (Kelati Monastery).

The 12th century marked the emergence of the powerful state of Atabeys (Eldegizes) and the “age of the Muslim Renaissance’’ in Azerbaijan. This “renaissance” owed its glory, among others, to the literary genius of poets like Nizami Ganjavi, Mahsati Ganjavi, Abu-l Ula Ganjavi, Falaki Shirvani, Khaqani Shirvani, and the architect Ajami Nakhchivani. Azerbaijani literary and architectural masterpieces became an outstanding contribution to the world’s cultural heritage. 

The Mongols first invaded Azerbaijan in 1220. The Mongol commanders plundered and destroyed Azerbaijani Cities. The Monghol Hulakis / Elkhanis ruled in Azerbaijan 101 years between (1256-1357). Later on, they converted to Islam. They built the first and most perfect observatory of the ancient East in the city of Maragha in southern Azerbaijan in 1259. In Garabagh, Hasan-Jalal built a famous Ganjasar Monastery. 

After the Elkhanis, Amir Teymur and Altin Orda continued their attacks on Azerbaijan. However, later on, different states such as Garaqoyunlu, Aghqoyunlu, Shirvanshalar started to emerge in Azerbaijan. During this time, Azerbaijan continued to be a centre of the art, culture and trade in the Arab caliphate and the region. Uzun Hasan of Aghqoyunly expanded the territories of Azerbaijan. The famous Nasimi was born during this time. 

The Safavid Empire stretched across modern-day Afghanistan, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Uzbekistan, and parts of Turkey and Russia.In 1501, Shah Ismail I established the great Safavid Empire. The Safavid shahs made the Turkish as the state language and the Twelver school of Shia of Islam as the official religion of the Empire, marking one of the most important turning points in Muslim history. They sponsored great architectural and art projects. The famous poet Fizuli was born during this time.

Nadir Shah was one of the most powerful Azerbaijani  rulers in the history ruling after the Safavids  from 1736 to 1747. If he was not assassinated, he aimed to unite the Shia and Sunni sects of Islam. Some historians have compared him to  Napoleaon and Alexander. His state also encompassed Iran, the Western Azerbaijan (current Armenia), Georgia, the North Caucasus, Iraq, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Oman and the Persian Gulf.   

After Nadir Shah, Azerbaijan was dividAzerbaijani khanates  -  the name given in historiography to the independent feudal states established in the 40s of the XVIII century in the territory of the present-day Republic of Azerbaijan, Armenia and South Azerbaijan. With the exception of the Sheki and Guba khanates, other khanates emerged mainly after the assassination of Nadir Shah Afshar in 1747, and gradually came under the control of the Gajar state and the Russian Empire in the 1920s and 1930s.

The most devastating part of the Azerbaijan history is the Russian occupation in the 19th century and ended in 1828. The last year represents the fall of the last independent Azerbaijani  khanates -  Irevan and Nakhchevan and with the Turkmenchay Treaty which ended up in finalizing the expansion into the Caucasus. This is also the year of the massive settlements of Armenians from Iran and Ottoman Turkey. The first genocide of Azerbaijanis by Armenians also occurred with the support of Russia.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was declared on May 28, 1918. Despite the fall of the state, the national idea that was fostered during the 23 month independence survived and helped revive an independent Azerbaijan towards the end of the 20th century. The ADR improved the rights of women, established Baku State University, etc. The ADR was the Muslim world’s first parliamentary republic. 

Red Army invasion of Azerbaijan was the continuation of Russian occupation. This period is also known as the Sovietization or Soviet occupation, which was a military campaign carried out by the 11th Army of Soviet  Russia in April 1920. The Soviets killed thousands of Azerbaijani intelligentsia in 1920-1930s. Despite that Azerbaijan helped Russia to win the World War II by manpower, oil, etc. 

In 1991, Azerbaijan regained its independence. However, it has not been easy, but it was necessary as the Armenians started massive genocide of Azerbaijanis in Armenia and Garabagh and Soviets did not take any action. In 1992, Azerbaijan declared its independence. In May 1992, the Milli Majlis approved the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan (music by U. Hajibeyov, lyrics by A. Javad), and shortly afterwards, a tricolor flag and an octagonal star with a flame.