Western Azerbaijan
Encyclopedia
Western Azerbaijan is a political concept used in the Republic of Azerbaijan to refer the present-day territory of Armenia
. The term is mostly used by the Yeraz
who were forced to leave their homes in Armenia SSR since 1988-1991. Azerbaijan considers the territory of the modern Armenian republic as lands that belonged to them. But the present-day territory of Armenia
and the western part of Azerbaijan
is historically known as Armenian Highland
. Its claims are primarily hinged over the contention that the current Armenian territory was under the rule of various Turkic tribes, empires and khanates from the ancient periods to the Treaty of Turkmenchay
, which was signed after the Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828
. The theory itself has received official backing from the government of Azerbaijan, including its current president, Ilham Aliyev
, who has repeatedly stated that the land Armenia occupies is a part of "ancient Turk
and Azerbaijani land."
and Ak Koyunlu
held sway in the region. Afterward the area was under the control of the Safavid Empire.
From the 17th-19th centuries, the area was administered by the Khans of the Qajar tribes which were of Turkic origin, while Armenians had autonomy under the immediate jurisdiction of the melik of Erevan. Later on in 1828, the khanate was dissolved and became a part of the Russian Empire
as an outcome of the Treaty of Turkmenchay
.
From 1795 to 1804 during the clashes between the Russian and Persian Empire Armenians were taken as captive in Iran. There were also 20,000 Armenians who moved for Georgia. The Armenian-American historian George Bournoutian
gives a summary of the ethnic makeup after those events:
After the incorporation of the Erivan khanate
into the Russian Empire
, Muslim majority of the area gradually changed, at first the Armenians who were left captive were accouraged to return. As a result of which an estimated 57,000 Armenian refugees from Persia returned to the territory of the Erivan
khanates after 1828, while about 35,000 Muslims (Persians, Turkic groups, Kurds, Lezgis, etc.) out total population of over 100,000 left the region. Russia also had some anti-Armenian policies which included their removal.: Migrations, albeit on a lesser scale, continued until the end of the 19th century. While the territory of Erivan khanate
had a notable Muslim majority since the Armenian population was brought in Iran and left captive during the clash against the Russian Empire, the situation had been reversed under Russian rule by 1832.
In the beginning of 20th century, there were 149 Azerbaijani, 91 Kurdish and 81 Armenian villages in Zangezur.
According to the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
, by the beginning of the 20th century a significant population of Azeris still lived in Russian Armenia
. They numbered about 300,000 persons or 37.5% in Russia
's Erivan Governorate
(roughly corresponding to most of present-day central Armenia
, the Iğdır Province
of Turkey
, and Azerbaijan
's Nakhichevan
exclave). Most lived in rural areas and were engaged in farming and carpet-weaving. They formed the majority in 4 of the governorate's 7 districts, including the city of Erivan (Yerevan
) itself where they constituted 49% of the population (compared to 48% constituted by Armenians). At the time, Eastern Armenian cultural life was centered more around the holy city of Echmiadzin
, seat of the Armenian Apostolic Church
. Traveller Luigi Villari reported in 1905 that in Erivan the Azeris (to whom he referred as Tartars) were generally wealthier than the Armenians, and owned nearly all of the land.
Some Azeri sources claim that currently there is not a single Azerbaijani in Armenia.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. The term is mostly used by the Yeraz
Yeraz
The Yeraz people, sometimes called Yer-az or Yerazi, are an Azerbaijani sub-group, also referred to as a clan, consisting of Azeris originally from present-day Armenia...
who were forced to leave their homes in Armenia SSR since 1988-1991. Azerbaijan considers the territory of the modern Armenian republic as lands that belonged to them. But the present-day territory of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and the western part of 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...
is historically known as Armenian Highland
Armenian Highland
The Armenian Highland is the central-most and highest of three land-locked plateaus that together form the northern sector of the Middle East...
. Its claims are primarily hinged over the contention that the current Armenian territory was under the rule of various Turkic tribes, empires and khanates from the ancient periods to the Treaty of Turkmenchay
Treaty of Turkmenchay
The Treaty of Turkmenchay was a treaty negotiated in Turkmenchay by which the Qajar Empire recognized Russian suzerainty over the Erivan khanate, the Nakhchivan khanate, and the remainder of the Talysh khanate, establishing the Aras River as the common boundary between the empires, after its...
, which was signed after the Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828
Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828
The Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828 was the last major military conflict between the Russian Empire and the Persian Empire.After the Treaty of Gulistan concluded the previous Russo-Persian War in 1813, peace reigned in the Caucasus for thirteen years...
. The theory itself has received official backing from the government of Azerbaijan, including its current president, Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee...
, who has repeatedly stated that the land Armenia occupies is a part of "ancient Turk
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
and Azerbaijani land."
History
Prior to the Caucasian khanates (in Azerbaijani sources typically referred to as the "northern Azerbaijani khanates"), the Oghuz Turkic tribal federations such as the Kara KoyunluKara Koyunlu
The Kara Koyunlu or Qara Qoyunlu, also called the Black Sheep Turkomans , were a Shi'ite Oghuz Turkic tribal federation that ruled over the territory comprising the present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, north-western Iran, eastern Turkey and Iraq from about 1375 to 1468.The Kara Koyunlu Turkomans at one...
and Ak Koyunlu
Ak Koyunlu
The Aq Qoyunlu or Ak Koyunlu, also called the White Sheep Turkomans , was an Sunni Oghuz Turkic tribal federation that ruled parts of present-day Eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, northern Iraq, and Iran from 1378 to 1508.-History:According to chronicles from the Byzantine Empire, the Aq Qoyunlu...
held sway in the region. Afterward the area was under the control of the Safavid Empire.
From the 17th-19th centuries, the area was administered by the Khans of the Qajar tribes which were of Turkic origin, while Armenians had autonomy under the immediate jurisdiction of the melik of Erevan. Later on in 1828, the khanate was dissolved and became a part of the 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...
as an outcome of the Treaty of Turkmenchay
Treaty of Turkmenchay
The Treaty of Turkmenchay was a treaty negotiated in Turkmenchay by which the Qajar Empire recognized Russian suzerainty over the Erivan khanate, the Nakhchivan khanate, and the remainder of the Talysh khanate, establishing the Aras River as the common boundary between the empires, after its...
.
Demographic basis
George Bournoutian
George A. Bournoutian is a Senior Professor of History at Iona College. He is the author of numerous books on Armenian history and has taught Armenian history at Columbia University, Tufts University, New York University, Rutgers University, the University of Connecticut, Ramapo College, and...
gives a summary of the ethnic makeup after those events:
After the incorporation of the Erivan khanate
Erivan Khanate
The Khanate of Erivan , was an administrative territory that was established Safavid Persia in the early 17th century. It covered an area of roughly 7,500 square miles, and corresponded to most of present-day central Armenia, most of the Iğdır Province of present-day Turkey, and the Sharur and...
into the 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...
, Muslim majority of the area gradually changed, at first the Armenians who were left captive were accouraged to return. As a result of which an estimated 57,000 Armenian refugees from Persia returned to the territory of the Erivan
Erivan Khanate
The Khanate of Erivan , was an administrative territory that was established Safavid Persia in the early 17th century. It covered an area of roughly 7,500 square miles, and corresponded to most of present-day central Armenia, most of the Iğdır Province of present-day Turkey, and the Sharur and...
khanates after 1828, while about 35,000 Muslims (Persians, Turkic groups, Kurds, Lezgis, etc.) out total population of over 100,000 left the region. Russia also had some anti-Armenian policies which included their removal.: Migrations, albeit on a lesser scale, continued until the end of the 19th century. While the territory of Erivan khanate
Erivan Khanate
The Khanate of Erivan , was an administrative territory that was established Safavid Persia in the early 17th century. It covered an area of roughly 7,500 square miles, and corresponded to most of present-day central Armenia, most of the Iğdır Province of present-day Turkey, and the Sharur and...
had a notable Muslim majority since the Armenian population was brought in Iran and left captive during the clash against the Russian Empire, the situation had been reversed under Russian rule by 1832.
In the beginning of 20th century, there were 149 Azerbaijani, 91 Kurdish and 81 Armenian villages in Zangezur.
According to the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
The Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary is, in its scope and style, the Russian counterpart to the Encyclopædia Britannica. It contains 121,240 articles, 7,800 images, and 235 maps...
, by the beginning of the 20th century a significant population of Azeris still lived in Russian Armenia
Russian Armenia
Russian Armenia is the period of Armenia's history under Russian rule beginning from 1829, when Eastern Armenia became part of the Russian Empire to the declaration of the Democratic Republic of Armenia in 1918...
. They numbered about 300,000 persons or 37.5% in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
's Erivan Governorate
Erivan Governorate
Erivan Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire, with its centre in Erivan . Its area was 27,830 sq. kilometres. It roughly corresponded to what is now most of central Armenia, the Iğdır Province of Turkey, and Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave...
(roughly corresponding to most of present-day central Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, the Iğdır Province
Igdir Province
Iğdır Province is a province in eastern Turkey, located along the border with Armenia, Azerbaijan , and Iran. Its adjacent provinces are Kars to the northwest and Ağrı to the west and south...
of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and 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...
's Nakhichevan
Nakhichevan
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a landlocked exclave of Azerbaijan. The region covers 5,363 km² and borders Armenia to the east and north, Iran to the south and west, and Turkey to the northwest...
exclave). Most lived in rural areas and were engaged in farming and carpet-weaving. They formed the majority in 4 of the governorate's 7 districts, including the city of Erivan (Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
) itself where they constituted 49% of the population (compared to 48% constituted by Armenians). At the time, Eastern Armenian cultural life was centered more around the holy city of Echmiadzin
Echmiadzin
Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is a 4th century Armenian church in the town of Ejmiatsin, Armenia. It is also the central cathedral of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church....
, seat of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
. Traveller Luigi Villari reported in 1905 that in Erivan the Azeris (to whom he referred as Tartars) were generally wealthier than the Armenians, and owned nearly all of the land.
Some Azeri sources claim that currently there is not a single Azerbaijani in Armenia.
See also
- Azeri and other Turkic peoples in Armenia
- Khanates of the CaucasusKhanates of the CaucasusKhanates of the Caucasus were Persian ruled principalities on the territory of modern day Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Dagestan from the Safavid dynasty era to 1806. These principalities arose during the domination of Iran. During the period of Iranian domination, head of principality was a Khan...
- Khanate of Erevan
- History of AzerbaijanHistory of AzerbaijanAzerbaijan or Azarbaijan is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. It's bounded by Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's Daghestan region to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the southwest, and Iran to the south...
- Whole AzerbaijanWhole AzerbaijanWhole Azerbaijan is an irredentist Azerbaijani concept that propagates the political union of territories currently inhabited by Azerbaijanis or historically controlled by them. -History:...