Bayat Castle
Encyclopedia
Bayat Castle is located in Kebirli village of Tartar Rayon of Azerbaijan
.
s one of which was the Karabakh Khanate
founded by Azerbaijan
i ruler Panah Ali Khan Javanshir
. The first capital of the khanate was the Bayat Castle built in 1748 in Kebirli mahali (province). The name of the Bayat castle was given in honour of the Turkic Bayat clan. The castle included all strategic defense structures such as walls warfare trenches
and had a market, bath house and a mosque. It was built with hard burned brick
s. When the construction of the castle was finalized Panah Ali Khan moved all of his court to the castle.
in 1748 who recognized Panah Ali as khan
by a decree and sent him gold, diamond-decorated sword which reached the Bayat castle by a messenger. However, the actual first recognition of Panah Ali Khan's authority over Karabakh
was from the ruler of Shaki Khanate
Haji Chalabi Khan
in 1748 following his unsuccessful attack of Bayat Castle. The alliance of Shaki-Shirvan
khanates and Armenian meliks led by Haji Chelebi sieged the castle for more than a month. Every two-three days, Panah Ali Khan exited the castle with his cavalry and attacked the enemy camp outside of the castle. Suffering heavy losses the allied forces led by Shaki khan retreated back to their regions. Haji Chalabi Khan later wrote: "Panah Ali Khan was an unpolished silver. And we came and forged
it and returned. Panah Ali had declared himself a khan, but I acknowledged his rule with my defeat." The courage of Panah Ali Khan during the Battle of Bayat reaffirmed his rule and peacefully subordinated all Karabakh tribes. At the same time, the battle of Bayat disclosed the weaknesses of khanate
's defense and soon Panah Ali Khan ordered construction of a new castle at Shahbulag
.
The capital was therefore soon moved to the newly constructed Shahbulag Castle
located in lowland Karabakh
in 1752. Eventually, with an intent to secure the state from external threats, especially from Iran, Panah Ali Khan moved the capital to its final location, Shusha
, a more reliable natural fortress located on a hardly penetratable mountain rock.
.
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...
.
History
After the death of Persian ruler Nadir Shah, Azerbaijan split into several khanateKhanate
Khanate, or Chanat, is a Turco-Mongol-originated word used to describe a political entity ruled by a Khan. In modern Turkish, the word used is kağanlık, and in modern Azeri of the republic of Azerbaijan, xanlıq. In Mongolian the word khanlig is used, as in "Khereidiin Khanlig" meaning the Khanate...
s one of which was the Karabakh Khanate
Karabakh khanate
The Karabakh khanate was a semi-independent khanate on the territories of modern Azerbaijan and Armenia established in about 1750 under Persian suzerainty in Karabakh and adjacent areas. The Karabakh khanate existed until 1805, when the Russian Empire gained control over it from Persia...
founded by 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 ruler Panah Ali Khan Javanshir
Panah Ali Khan
Panah-Ali khan Javanshir was the founder and first ruler of Karabakh khanate, initially under nominal Persian suzerainty and by 1748 an independent feudal state that existed in 1747–1822 in Karabakh and adjacent areas..-Origins and early life:Panah Ali Khan was from the Sarijali branch of the...
. The first capital of the khanate was the Bayat Castle built in 1748 in Kebirli mahali (province). The name of the Bayat castle was given in honour of the Turkic Bayat clan. The castle included all strategic defense structures such as walls warfare trenches
Trench warfare
Trench warfare is a form of occupied fighting lines, consisting largely of trenches, in which troops are largely immune to the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery...
and had a market, bath house and a mosque. It was built with hard burned brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s. When the construction of the castle was finalized Panah Ali Khan moved all of his court to the castle.
Bayat Castle in siege
First official recognition of independent Karabakh Khanate came from Adil ShahAdil Shah
Adil or Adel Shah Afshar or Ali Qoli was Shah of Persia from 1747 until 1748.Subsequent to the assassination of Nader Shah in Fathabad , his nephew Ali Qoli declared himself Adil Shah , and shah of Persia...
in 1748 who recognized Panah Ali as khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
by a decree and sent him gold, diamond-decorated sword which reached the Bayat castle by a messenger. However, the actual first recognition of Panah Ali Khan's authority over Karabakh
Karabakh
The Karabakh horse , also known as Karabakh, is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the geographic region where the horse was originally developed, Karabakh in the Southern Caucasus, an area that is de jure part of Azerbaijan but the highland part of which is currently...
was from the ruler of Shaki Khanate
Shaki Khanate
Shaki khanate was an Azerbaijani khanate on the territory of modern Azerbaijan between 1743 and 1819 with its capital in the town of Shaki.-History:...
Haji Chalabi Khan
Haji Chalabi Khan
Haji Chalabi Khan , was an Azerbaijani statasman, warlord, khan, ruler and founder of Shaki Khanate.-Biography:Haji Chalabi was born in 1703. He was a distant offspring of Darvish Khan, who was head of the revolt in Shaki against Safavi Tahmasib I in 1551...
in 1748 following his unsuccessful attack of Bayat Castle. The alliance of Shaki-Shirvan
Shirvan Khanate
Shirvan Khanate was a self-governing khanate that existed in what is now Azerbaijan in 1748—1805.-History:In 1742 Shemakha was taken and destroyed by Nadir Shah of Persia, who relocated inhabitants into a new town under the same name about 16 miles to the west , at the foot of the main chain of...
khanates and Armenian meliks led by Haji Chelebi sieged the castle for more than a month. Every two-three days, Panah Ali Khan exited the castle with his cavalry and attacked the enemy camp outside of the castle. Suffering heavy losses the allied forces led by Shaki khan retreated back to their regions. Haji Chalabi Khan later wrote: "Panah Ali Khan was an unpolished silver. And we came and forged
Forging
Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which it is performed: '"cold," "warm," or "hot" forging. Forged parts can range in weight from less than a kilogram to 580 metric tons...
it and returned. Panah Ali had declared himself a khan, but I acknowledged his rule with my defeat." The courage of Panah Ali Khan during the Battle of Bayat reaffirmed his rule and peacefully subordinated all Karabakh tribes. At the same time, the battle of Bayat disclosed the weaknesses of khanate
Karabakh khanate
The Karabakh khanate was a semi-independent khanate on the territories of modern Azerbaijan and Armenia established in about 1750 under Persian suzerainty in Karabakh and adjacent areas. The Karabakh khanate existed until 1805, when the Russian Empire gained control over it from Persia...
's defense and soon Panah Ali Khan ordered construction of a new castle at Shahbulag
Shahbulag Castle
Shahbulag Castle , translated as "Spring of the Shah", is located in Agdam Rayon of Azerbaijan, about 10 km away from the city of Agdam.-History:...
.
The capital was therefore soon moved to the newly constructed Shahbulag Castle
Shahbulag Castle
Shahbulag Castle , translated as "Spring of the Shah", is located in Agdam Rayon of Azerbaijan, about 10 km away from the city of Agdam.-History:...
located in lowland Karabakh
Karabakh
The Karabakh horse , also known as Karabakh, is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the geographic region where the horse was originally developed, Karabakh in the Southern Caucasus, an area that is de jure part of Azerbaijan but the highland part of which is currently...
in 1752. Eventually, with an intent to secure the state from external threats, especially from Iran, Panah Ali Khan moved the capital to its final location, Shusha
Shusha
Shusha , also known as Shushi is a town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It has been under the control of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic since its capture in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
, a more reliable natural fortress located on a hardly penetratable mountain rock.
Current state
Bayat castle is among the most valuable historic and cultural monuments of Azerbaijan. It is one of the monuments that partially survived after more than two centuries. It is mostly in ruins after the Nagorno-Karabakh WarNagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
.
See also
- Shahbulag CastleShahbulag CastleShahbulag Castle , translated as "Spring of the Shah", is located in Agdam Rayon of Azerbaijan, about 10 km away from the city of Agdam.-History:...
- ShushaShushaShusha , also known as Shushi is a town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It has been under the control of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic since its capture in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
- Shusha State Historical and Architectural ReserveShusha State Historical and Architectural ReserveShusha State Historical and Architectural Reserve is an Azerbaijani state reserve and is on the Azeri tentative list of future World Heritage Site located in Shusha district of Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.- Historical overview :...