In the face of the increasing conflict on the Baku-Tehran line, it is worth looking at its sources – in order to realize what this is all about, you gotta go back a long way. Not a fewer – respective years, but much deeper...
In the late 7th century B.C.E., the Medes state grew into the first power in the area, the center of which was in north-western Iran. Around 550 B.C.E., it was occupied by the Persians, who had previously been forced to admit his sovereignty. The Kurds, now surviving in northern Syria, northern Iraq, southeastern Turkey and northwest Iran, are most likely descended from ancient Meds.
On the another hand, erstwhile it comes to the Persians, in the distant past, they were able to build a large empire twice – first through the Achemenid dynasty (the years 550 - 330 BC), and later through the Sasanid dynasty (the years 224 - 651 AD). The Ahemenid Empire was conquered by Alexander Macedonian, and the end of the Sasanid state brought about the arabian expansion. The second "bringed" Islam with them, with Shiite Islam being the main thing in Iran.
In the 7th century, in the south-eastern part of Iran, in the area of the present-day last of Sistan and Balochistan, the tribes of the Belugians settled. Where did they come from? According to their own tradition, the Belujs were originally to reside in the Syrian area of Aleppo, while the linguists thought that they would be based in the area east or southeast of the Caspian Sea before arriving in Sistan. In time, they besides settled much of today's Pakistan and confederate Afghanistan. Unlike most of Iran's population, the Belujs profess Sunni Islam.
In the 9th century, the Persians freed themselves from arabian rule, and for the next 2 centuries in Iran governments ruled local dynasties. In the east part of the present Republic of Azerbaijan, however, the Szyrwan State was created, ruled by the arabian dynasty. His rulers were called chirvanas.
In the late 9th century, Christian Armenia besides became independent. Within its borders, outside the area that is now part of the Republic of Armenia, there was besides a western part of present-day Azerbaijan, including, among others, the full of what has late been composed of the Archae Republic, or Mountain Karabach with its adjacentities, as well as the areas that lie west of the city of Gandhi (Azerb. Gəncə) and Nachichewan; there were besides east regions of Turkey and tiny parts of Iran and Iraq.
In the 11th century, following the expansion of the Seljuks, the dominant position in Iran and the South Caucasus region was gained by the Turks who conquered the area. Let us remind you, for the sake of order, that the Seljuces came from the Turkish people of Oguz, who in time began to be Turkmens. During the reign of Sultan Malekshah (1072 – 1092) The Seljuks managed to build a immense empire.
After Malekshah's death, the Seldjutsky state began to become a loose confederation in semi-independent provinces, which yet became completely independent of each other, subjecting to subsequent divisions. The territory of modern northwestern Iran, almost all modern Azerbaijan, and tiny fragments of Armenia (south part), Turkey (northeast part) and Iraq (eastern part) were controlled by the Turkish Atabakan dynasty, which was originally founded by Eldiguz (he ruled from 1136 to 1175), originating in Kipczak. After the death of Sultan Toghrul III in 1194, they actually ruled there as independent rulers, although they formally inactive recognized the Seljuks' sovereignty. At the tallness of their territory, it extended from Isfahan to the borders of the Kingdom of Georgia and Shivan to the north. However, at the end of their reign, in the midst of continuous conflicts with the Kingdom of Georgia, this territory shrunk and covered only a greater part of present-day Azerbaijan and the east Caucasus.
Perhaps it was during the Seljutsky era that the Turkmen (Ogusian) tribe of Bayandur appeared in Azerbaijan, around which the federation of Ağqoyunlular tribes formed. In the "Kitabi-Dədə Qorqud", a celebrated Turkish era, which depicts, among others, the past of Oguz's arrival from Central Asia to the Caucasus, Bayandur Chan is named Khan of Khans, while "Oğuz еli" was to be the head of the state structure.
The shepherds / warriors of the Bayandur tribe, as shown by the toponymia, had their nomadic villages in the South Caucasus, in peculiar between the Caucasus and the Araks River, and besides in the mountainous Karabach, in the (present) regions of Laçın, Kəlbəcər, Gəncə and Bərdə, around Lake Sewan (in the territory of present-day Armenia) and in the Zangezur region (mostly owned present by Armenia, between Nachichevian Rep. and Mountainous Karabach). many toponyms referring to the name Bayandur are besides found in east Anatolia. Ağqoyunlular besides nodded in South Azerbaijan.
Probably at that time it appeared in an area extending between Kirkuk (today Iraq) and Kermanshah (today Iran) Ogusian (turkmene) Boyat tribe. In the future, it was expected to play an crucial function in the process of turking Szyrvana, the east part of today's Republic of Azerbaijan, to which we will return.
Most likely, in the early 13th century, Turkmenistan left another group of Ogusian tribes, namely Qaraqoyunlular, which henceforth had its nomadic areas south of Lake Wan (southeastern Turkey). This information is besides worth remembering...
In the cities and villages of South and North Azerbaijan, as well as the neighbouring countries, more and more settled those of the Turkmens who abandoned the nomadic way of life. This process began long before the Seljutsky conquest.
Let us add that among the Turkmens who settled in the South Caucasus, east Anatolia, and Iraq and Iran in those days, Shiite Islam spread, as had already happened with the Persians, while the Armenians were Christians and the Kurds were Sunni. any Arabs surviving there professed Shiite Islam and any Sunni Islam. Thus the cultural and spiritual mosaic that continues to be in this area has developed.
Meanwhile, at the turn of the 12th/XIII century, almost the full territory of Iran and a crucial part of Azerbaijan were under the authority of the Croatian Turks, the creators of another – the large and simultaneously ephemeral – Turkish empire.
In 1220, the Turkish Croezmian Empire struck the Mongols with a deadly blow. Since then, their country, territorially heavy depleted, was only dying, no longer playing a prominent function in order to yet succumb to invaders in 1231.
This is how the conquest of Mongolian Iran took place. Meanwhile, the Mongols occupied almost all of Georgia, which had previously conquered the territory of large Armenia, and in 1265 Hulagu-chan, the grandson of Genghis-chan, subjugated Szyrwan. Since then, the Mongols have been politically dominant in Iran and the Caucasus. The area of interest we are curious in was part of a state ruled by the Ilchanid dynasty, which began with the mentioned Hulagu-chan. It is worth noting here that the Persian language, which gained the position of court language, was popular among the Mongolian elite, not only in Iran.
Since the end of the 13th century, central power in the State of Ilchanids has started to lose its importance, but local Mongolian, Arab, Persian and Turkish dynasties have begun to be obtained. After the death in 1335 of Abu Sa’ida, the last ruler of the Ilchanid dynasty, the state fell apart.
Qaraqoyunlular, a Turkmenic federation of nomadic tribes in the area south of Lake Wan, utilizing general chaos shortly struck independence, for which nevertheless it had to fight the Mongolian states, periodically being forced to consider itself as a vassal of 1 of them, which usually did not last long.
At the same time, Qaraqoyunlular expanded the area of their state, first moving their expansion southwards, where they captured Mosul, and besides westwards, where they reached the Diyrbakıru region in their conquests (about 150 km west of Lake Wan). In turn, they moved north-east, so that shortly within their borders there were, among others, a large part of Armenia (within its current borders) and a fragment of the territory of the modern Republic of Azerbaijan. They then headed north, extending their country's borders to Erzunum. But they did not halt there, in turn incorporating much of confederate Azerbaijan, now owned by Iran, into their country.
In the last 14th century, Qaraqoyunlular had to fight fiercely against Timur's troops, the leader of the Mongolian Barlas tribe, who created a immense empire from 1370 to 1405. Eventually, these fights ended with the defeat of Qaraqoyunlular, and their chief, Kara Jusuf, in 1400 he was forced to emigrate.
After Timur's death, his country fell apart. Qaraqoyunlular, over whom Kara Jusuf again assumed power, not only dropped their dependence on Timurids, but besides importantly expanded them at the expense of their territory.
After capturing the full of confederate Azerbaijan, Kara Jusuf defeated Sultan Baghdad, after which he turned north in 1412 – against the chirwanshach of Ibrahim I, whose state then included most of the present-day Republic of Azerbaijan and which, after Timur's death, besides became independent. In the conflict of the Kura River, the chirwanshacha army was defeated, and he himself was taken prisoner. He was freed from it after paying a immense ransom, with from then on Szyrwan being lenne Qaraqoyunlular.
Kara Jusuf at the conflict of the Kura River 1412/
Qaraqoyunlular was the first country in which the full of Azerbaijan was located and whose center was in Azerbaijan. Its capital was Tebriz, a town in confederate (Iranian) Azerbaijan. Let us stress that it was a country created and ruled by the Turkmens.
The Qaraqoyunlular State survived until 1468, erstwhile it was conquered by the Federation of Turkmen tribes Ağqoyunlular, which had already been mentioned and which formed their state in east Anatolia. They were led by Sultan Uzun Hasan at the time.
Ağqoyunlular in the next war defeated Abu Sa’ida Mirza, the rightful man of Timur, as a consequence of which they seized almost all of Iran. After Uzun Hasan's death, the Ağqoyunlular state plunged into chaos and endless battles for leadership. The winner came out of them Isma’il I, which in the won in 1501, Tebriz declared himself chess.
The Safavid dynasty, whose typical was Isma’il I, is worth a fewer words here. It all started in the early 14th century, erstwhile Safi ad-Din, who gave emergence to this dynasty, took over the leadership of the local Tarikat (Suphite Brotherhood) based in Erdebil (today in Iran's confederate Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan. Ərdəbil). This leadership was hereditary, and in time many Turkmens began to gather around the fraternity. In the war during which Qaraqoyunlular were defeated by Ağqoyunlular, the Safawids supported the latter.
After Uzun Hasan's death, which was mentioned just before, there were bloody fights over his legacy. His victim was besides the father of Isma’il I, Hajdar, who had previously married the daughter of Uzun Hasan. The same destiny shortly met the eldest boy of Hajdar, Ali, and Isma’il, then inactive a child, was forced to search refuge with the ruler of Lahijan.
In 1499, Isma’il triumphantly returned to Erdebil, gathering many supporters around him, after which he began the winning march, marked by successive conquests, which besides encompassed all Iran along with its adherences. In the past of Iran and the South Caucasus region, a fresh era arose.
Let us mention at this point that Isma’il I had a list of the Turkmens of the Boyat tribe surviving in Iran and then placed them in the territory of Shivan. This event resulted in the fast turgization of the east part of the territory of the present Republic of Azerbaijan, in which its current capital, i.e. Baku, lies.
And yet specified a curious fact – descendants of those members of the Boyat tribe who remained in the territory of present-day Iraq, to this day have retained their awareness of their distinctness, and yet – unlike those Turks whose ancestors settled in Iraq in Ottoman times and who are represented by the Iraqi Turkmen Front (Irak Türkmen Cephesi) – they are Shiats. During the fresh battles with the muslim State (ISIS), they formed 2 Turkmen brigades (brigades 16 and 52), operating within the Al-Haszd asz-Shabi structures (more than that in the vicinity of Tall Afar, west of Mosul, was formed by the Shiite Turkmen 53rd Al-Haszd asz-Shabi).
But let's go back to what happened in the 16th century...
At that time there were 2 large Turkish states ruled by dynasties originating from Oguzów (Turkmen) – Sunni Osmans and Safavids. Their common relations dominated the rivalry for the territory of present-day Iraq and for east Anatolia. We are not going to dig into the course of this competition, nor into the details of Iran's history, it is crucial for us that, after a period of prosperity since the end of the 17th century, the state created by the Safawids has clearly begun to weaken. The 18th century is simply a time of deep crisis and interior fighting. It was only at the end of this century that Agha Mohammad Chan, leader of the Kadjars, 1 of the Turkmen tribes, led to the consolidation of a country which, however, was not given the same meaning as it had in the time of the Safavid glory.
At the same time, during the 17th and 18th centuries the importance of Russia grew significantly, which in 2 successive wars (in 1804-1813 and 1826-1828) defeated the Fath Ali Shah troops (the successor of Aghi Mohammad Khan Kajar). Following the Treaty of Turkmanchay in 1828, the northern part of Azerbaijan came under Russian rule. Since then, the Persian component has begun to talk more and more in the Kadża country. The country became more Persian and little Turkish. At the same time, his dependence on Russia and large Britain grew.
In the late 19th century, the thought of panturkism was born in the face of a marked decline in the importance of the states ruled by the Osmans and Kadjars. 1 of her spiritual fathers was Əli beəy Hüseyn oğlu Hüseynzadə (Turani), who preached the request to establish the Turkish Union and make 1 Turkish-wide literary language. In particular, he advocated bringing about an alliance that would combine states governed by Sultan Abdülhamida II and Mozaffara ad-Din Shaha Kajar. However, it was a time erstwhile Turkey became a increasing dependence on Germany and Iran became a real protectorate of Britain and Russia.
In 1921, Reza Khan, commander of the Cossack Persian Brigade, following the British's suggestion, made a coup, imposing on Ahmad Shah Kadjar a composition of the government in which he himself assumed the portfolio of the minister of war. In 1923, the last ruler of the Kadjar dynasty went on emigration, and the actual power in the country was taken over by Reza Khan, who 3 years later was crowned, giving – as Reza Shah Pahlavi – the beginning of a fresh dynasty. For the local Turks there is simply a time of persecution and organization reparation – in any case, they perceive this period. The 1979 muslim Revolution, which led to the overthrow of the monarchy, changed small in this matter.
The uprising of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan (after the dissolution of the USSR) sparked large enthusiasm in confederate Azerbaijan. A keen supporter of the unification of confederate and Northern Azerbaijan and the thought of panturkism was the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 1992 to 1993 Əbülfəz Elçibəy. The lost war with tiny Armenia on the Mountain Karabach and the deficiency of political stableness in the country formed north of the River Araks suppressed these moods (as a consequence of the coup of Əbülfəz Elçibəy was removed from power).
However, fresh years and months have brought crucial change. The increasing importance of Turkey in the world, the economical and political successes of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and yet the victorious war on the Mountain Karabach could not leave without affecting the temper in confederate Azerbaijan.
The environment that plays an crucial function in building patriotic attitudes in confederate Azerbaijan is supporters of the Tractor Tebriz football club, the leading Iranian league team. It has a stadium capable of holding 80,000 spectators, who repeatedly exhibited independency slogans during football meetings.
So as shortly as the Mountain Karabach War began, I began to ask myself what impact Azerbaijan's expected triumph would have on Iran. I closely followed events south of the Araks River.
In northwestern Iran presently lives at least 1 3rd more Azerbaijani than in the erstwhile Russian/Soviet part of Azerbaijan, which became an independent state as a consequence of the dissolution of the USSR. Let us add that confederate Azerbaijan is 1 of the most densely populated regions of Iran, it mainly includes the last: east Azerbaijan, Western Azerbaijan, Ərdəbil and Zəncan. In these 4 remnants, the Azers represent the majority of the population, but besides in respective another remnants, further south, they are represented in large numbers, not much giving way to the Persians (according to Turkish sources, in the latters Həmədan and Qəzvin even prevail).
Moreover, as I already wrote in October 2020, erstwhile we look at the map, we see that Turkey and the Nachicheván Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan do not have a connection with Azerbaijan and the Turkish Central Asian countries formed after the dissolution of the USSR. So I felt that there might be a temptation on the Turkish side to win specified a merger at the expense of Iran, especially as it was about territories inhabited by the Azerbaijanes, considered simply as Turks in Turkey.
The Azerbaijanis are not the only Turks surviving in Iran, on the another side of the Caspian Sea, along the border with Turkmenistan, there is simply a compact Turkmen settlement, which sometimes forms the majority of the population there. In turn, a small further south, just a short distance from the Persian Gulf, the Kaszkajów, a group of Azeras, were to be settled there by the Shah Isma’il I in the 16th century.
"We are descendants of the Ağqoyunlular tribe, known for being the only tribe in past capable of defeating Timur. For centuries we lived on the lands surrounding Erdebil, but in the first half of the 16th century we settled in confederate Persia, Shah Isma’il asked our warriors to defend this part of the country from the invasions of the Portuguese" – they tell about themselves Kaszkajów.
Same map in greater resolution:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Ethnicities_and_religionons_in_Iran.png
Let us add that according to Turkish sources, the number of Turks in Iran is importantly higher than indicated by the above map...
During the Baku triumph Parade, which took place on December 10, 2020 and was accepted by the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan recalled in his speech the words of the song “Araks”, which refers to the division of Azerbaijan. As commentators pointed out, the anniversary of the fall of the Autonomous Republic of confederate Azerbaijan in 1946, which was liquidated by the Iranian troops and incorporated into Iran, just that day.
❝Aras’ı ayırdılar, mil ilen doyurdular, mensenden ayrılmazdım zor ilen ayırdılar❞ #iranpic.twitter.com/ImMmgc61Qw
— Selâmi Haktan (@slmhktn) December 11, 2020
These words were read unequivocally as a territorial claim. Erdogan became the number 1 enemy for Iran in 1 moment. The Iranian press, Iranian politicians... – virtually everyone outdone themselves in condemning the president of Turkey. At the same time, the Iranian Turks began mass demonstration of their support for the thought of separating confederate Azerbaijan from Iran...
Today, there is an increasingly crucial voice that confederate Azerbaijan should have the right to self-determination. specified words are besides increasingly spoken in Azerbaijani media. The rights of compatriots surviving on the another side of the river Araks have late begun to talk loudly to the president of Azerbaijan İlham Əliye. Iran, for its part, declares its firm support to Armenia in the event that Azerbaijan decides to take any action on the Zəngəzur corridor, which is raised by the Azerbaijani side and which would enable the Nachichevan Autonomous Republic to connect with the essential territory of Azerbaijan, with which it is Nachichevan not the border, although it forms an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Wojciech Kempa
