Alimardan Topchubashev
Encyclopedia
Alimardan Alakbar oglu Topchubashov ' onMouseout='HidePop("98879")' href="/topics/Tbilisi">Tbilisi
– November 8, 1934, Paris
) was a prominent Azerbaijan
i politician, foreign minister and speaker of the Parliament
of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
.
Alimardan bey Topchubashov descended from Ganja branch of famous Topchubashi family and was born in Tiflis (now Tbilisi
) on May 4, 1862. After studying at Tiflis Gymnasium, he entered Saint Petersburg University and graduated from the law faculty in 1888. He was offered to remain at University and teach law if he would convert to Christianity
, but he refused and returned to the Caucasus
, where he worked at several small positions. He married Pari Malikova, daughter of Hasan bey Zardabi
, founder of the first Azerbaijani newspaper, Akinchi
.
In 1897 oil magnate Zeynalabdin Taghiyev bought Kaspi newspaper and invited Topchibashov to be its editor-in-chief. Starting from that time he was actively involved in politics and quickly became one of the prominent leaders of Azerbaijani
and Muslim
people of Russian Empire
. His main platform was the political equality of all subjects of Russian Crown and the end to discriminations of Turkic and Muslim people. At the brink of the First Russian Revolution Topchubashov was one of the initiators of famous meeting of Azerbaijani intelligentsia and bourgeoisie at Taghiyev’s palace on March 15, 1905. As a result of this meeting a petition was addressed to Tsar asking for:
At the same time Topchubashov was one of the founders of Ittifaq al-Muslimin
(first political party of Russian Muslims) and organized its three conferences. He headed party’s third conference and became its bureau member and chief of its Law Commission. Later he became the leader of Party's Muslim faction at the Russian State Duma
, the new Russian parliament (1906). But after the First Duma was dissolved by Tsar Topchubashov was arrested for three months, lost his right to be ever a parliament member, deprived of his place at Baku Municipality and “Kaspi” newspaper.
During this time Iran invited him to head one of the departments of Iranian Ministry of Justice and reform its judiciary system, but Topchubashov rejected this offer and remained in Russian Empire to continue his struggle for emancipation of Muslim population.
After the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
was proclaimed on May 28, 1918 Topchubashov became its ambassador to Armenia, Georgia and the Ottoman Empire, and was sent to Istanbul. Then he was made minister of foreign affairs at the second cabinet and was elected the head of the Parliament in absentia on December 7, 1918, thus becoming second head of state of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, after Mammed Amin Rasulzade
. Receiving to head Azerbaijani Delegation at Versailles Conference, he left Istanbul for Paris.
At the conference, he managed to meet US President Woodrow Wilson
and achieved the de facto recognition of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in January 1920. But after the Bolshevik takeover of ADR he could not return and stayed in Paris, where he died on November 8, 1934.
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
– November 8, 1934, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) was a prominent Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i politician, foreign minister and speaker of the Parliament
National Assembly of Azerbaijan
The National Assembly , also transliterated as Milli Majlis is the legislative branch of government in Azerbaijan. The unicameral National Assembly has 125 deputies: previously 100 members were elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies and 25 were members elected by proportional...
of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
.
Alimardan bey Topchubashov descended from Ganja branch of famous Topchubashi family and was born in Tiflis (now Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
) on May 4, 1862. After studying at Tiflis Gymnasium, he entered Saint Petersburg University and graduated from the law faculty in 1888. He was offered to remain at University and teach law if he would convert to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, but he refused and returned to the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, where he worked at several small positions. He married Pari Malikova, daughter of Hasan bey Zardabi
Hasan bey Zardabi
Hasan bey Zardabi , born Hasan bey Salim bey oglu Malikov , was an Azerbaijani publicist, founder of the first Azeri-language newspaper Akinchi in 1875.-Early life:...
, founder of the first Azerbaijani newspaper, Akinchi
Akinchi
Akinchi , also transliterated as Ekinchi , was an Azeri-language newspaper, published in Baku between 1875 and 1877...
.
In 1897 oil magnate Zeynalabdin Taghiyev bought Kaspi newspaper and invited Topchibashov to be its editor-in-chief. Starting from that time he was actively involved in politics and quickly became one of the prominent leaders of Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
people of Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. His main platform was the political equality of all subjects of Russian Crown and the end to discriminations of Turkic and Muslim people. At the brink of the First Russian Revolution Topchubashov was one of the initiators of famous meeting of Azerbaijani intelligentsia and bourgeoisie at Taghiyev’s palace on March 15, 1905. As a result of this meeting a petition was addressed to Tsar asking for:
- Implementation of local self-governing and new type of courts (jury) in the entire Caucasus
- Granting of full political rights and freedoms to the Muslim subjects of the Crown
- Distribution of land to the peasants who lack it
- Improvement of fabric legislation to include Muslim workers too.
At the same time Topchubashov was one of the founders of Ittifaq al-Muslimin
Ittifaq al-Muslimin
Ittifaq al-Muslimin was a liberal-democratic party of Muslims in Russian Empire. The party was formed after The First Congress of Muslims of Russia and the party line was similar to Kadets...
(first political party of Russian Muslims) and organized its three conferences. He headed party’s third conference and became its bureau member and chief of its Law Commission. Later he became the leader of Party's Muslim faction at the Russian State Duma
State Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
, the new Russian parliament (1906). But after the First Duma was dissolved by Tsar Topchubashov was arrested for three months, lost his right to be ever a parliament member, deprived of his place at Baku Municipality and “Kaspi” newspaper.
During this time Iran invited him to head one of the departments of Iranian Ministry of Justice and reform its judiciary system, but Topchubashov rejected this offer and remained in Russian Empire to continue his struggle for emancipation of Muslim population.
After the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
was proclaimed on May 28, 1918 Topchubashov became its ambassador to Armenia, Georgia and the Ottoman Empire, and was sent to Istanbul. Then he was made minister of foreign affairs at the second cabinet and was elected the head of the Parliament in absentia on December 7, 1918, thus becoming second head of state of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, after Mammed Amin Rasulzade
Mammed Amin Rasulzade
Mammad Amin Rasulzade was an Azerbaijani statesman, scholar, public figure and one of the founding political leaders of Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan...
. Receiving to head Azerbaijani Delegation at Versailles Conference, he left Istanbul for Paris.
At the conference, he managed to meet US President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
and achieved the de facto recognition of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in January 1920. But after the Bolshevik takeover of ADR he could not return and stayed in Paris, where he died on November 8, 1934.