Shamakhi (, ) is a city in
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
and the administrative centre of the
Shamakhi District. The city's estimated population was 31,704. It is famous for its traditional dancers, the
Shamakhi Dancers, and also for perhaps giving its name to the
Soumak rugs.
Eleven major earthquakes have rocked Shamakhi but through multiple reconstructions, it maintained its role as the economic and administrative capital of
Shirvan and one of the key towns on the
Silk Road
The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over , it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the ...
. The only building to have survived eight of the eleven earthquakes is the landmark
Juma Mosque of Shamakhi, built in the 8th century.
History

Shamakhi was in antiquity part of successive
Persian empires and was first mentioned as ''Kamachia'' by the ancient Greco-Roman Egyptian geographer
Claudius Ptolemaeus in the 1st to 2nd century AD. Shamakhi was an important town during the Middle Ages and served as a capital of the
Shirvanshah realm from the 8th to 15th centuries.
Shamakhi maintained economic and cultural relations with India and China in the 12th century, and the excavation of pottery containers prove that Shamakhi also had relations with the Central Asian cities at around the same time. Copper coins found in Shamakhi during archaeological excavations, porcelain containers produced in China, caravanserais serving international trade, prove the role of ancient Shamakhi in the
Silk Road
The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over , it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the ...
.
The Catholic friar, missionary and explorer
William of Rubruck
William of Rubruck (; ; ) or Guillaume de Rubrouck was a Flemish Franciscan missionary and explorer.
He is best known for his travels to various parts of the Middle East and Central Asia in the 13th century, including the Mongol Empire. His accoun ...
passed through it on his return journey from the Mongol Great Khan's court. In 1476 Venetian diplomat
Giosafat Barbaro, while describing the city, stated: "This
ammachi
Sri Mātā Amritānandamayī Devi (born Sudhamani Idamannel; 27 September 1953), often known as Amma ("Mother"), is an Indian Hindu spiritual leader, guru and humanitarian, who is revered as 'the hugging saint' by her followers. She is the ...
is a good city; it has from four to five thousand houses, it produces silk, cotton as well as other things according to its tradition.".
In 1500–1501, it was taken by the
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty (; , ) was one of Iran's most significant ruling dynasties reigning from Safavid Iran, 1501 to 1736. Their rule is often considered the beginning of History of Iran, modern Iranian history, as well as one of the gunpowder em ...
. Following the
conquest of the area by the first Safavid ruler
Ismail I
Ismail I (; 17 July 1487 – 23 May 1524) was the founder and first shah of Safavid Iran, ruling from 1501 until his death in 1524. His reign is one of the most vital in the history of Iran, and the Safavid period is often considered the beginn ...
, he allowed the descendants of
Farrukh Yassar to rule Shamakhi and the rest of Shirvan under Safavid suzerainty. This lasted until 1538, when his son and successor, king
Tahmasp I (r. 1524–1576), turned the territory into a full Safavid province and appointed its first Safavid governor. From then on, Shamakhi functioned as the capital of the
Shirvan province. In 1562 Englishman
Anthony Jenkinson described the city in the following terms: "This city is five days' walk on camels from the sea, now it has fallen a lot; it is predominantly populated by Armenians..."
According to Carmelite monks who visited the city in 1607, its population was made up of Persians and Armenians. Armenians were actively engaged in trade. In addition to ordinary taxes, the Armenian people paid tribute to other religions.
Adam Olearius, who visited Shamakhi in 1637, wrote: "Its inhabitants are in part Armenians and Georgians, who have their particular language; they would not understand each other if they did not use Turkish, which is common to all and very familiar, not only in Shirvan, but also everywhere in Persia". The Ottoman traveller
Evliya Çelebi
Dervish Mehmed Zillî (25 March 1611 – 1682), known as Evliya Çelebi (), was an Ottoman Empire, Ottoman explorer who travelled through his home country during its cultural zenith as well as neighboring lands. He travelled for over 40 years, rec ...
visited the town in 1647 and described it as having
In the 1670s, the Spanish traveler Pedro Cobro Sebastian wrote that the inhabitants of Shamakhi were Persians, Armenians, and Georgians. According to John Bell, an English tourist, Turkish was the common language of the people of 1715, but the city's elites spoke
Persian and there were many Georgians and Armenians in the city. The locals were mainly engaged in winemaking, animal husbandry and carpet weaving. In 1721, the
Lezgins
Lezgins ( or ) are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group native to southern Dagestan, a republic of Russia, and northern Azerbaijan, who speak the Lezgin language. Their social structure is firmly based on equality and deference to individuality ...
of the Safavid provinces of Shirvan and
Dagestan
Dagestan ( ; ; ), officially the Republic of Dagestan, is a republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, along the Caspian Sea. It is located north of the Greater Caucasus, and is a part of the North Caucasian Fede ...
, aided by the (rest of the) Sunni inhabitants of the area,
sacked the city. They massacred thousands of its
Shia
Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...
inhabitants, apart from looting the city and robbing the property of its Christian inhabitants and foreign nationals, the latter which were mostly the city's many
Russian merchants.
The Russian forces first entered Shirvan in 1723, as they invaded the
Safavid Iran
The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...
ian territories in the
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus, or Ciscaucasia, is a subregion in Eastern Europe governed by Russia. It constitutes the northern part of the wider Caucasus region, which separates Europe and Asia. The North Caucasus is bordered by the Sea of Azov and the B ...
and
Transcaucasia
The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and West Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Armenia, ...
during the
Russo-Persian War (1722–1723)
The Russo-Persian War of 1722–1723, known in Russian historiography as the Persian campaign of Peter the Great, was a war between the Russian Empire and Safavid Iran, triggered by the tsar's attempt to expand Russian influence in the Caspian ...
, using the attack on their subjects in Shamakhi shortly before by the rebellious Lezgins as one of the pretexts. They however soon retired from the city, leaving it to Ottomans who possessed it in 1723–35, until
Nader Shah
Nader Shah Afshar (; 6 August 1698 or 22 October 1688 – 20 June 1747) was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran and one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian history, ruling as shah of Iran (Persia) from 1736 to 1747, when he was a ...
s rise. In 1742 Shamakhi was taken and destroyed by Nader Shah of
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
reincorporating it back to Iran, and, who, to punish the inhabitants for their Sunnite creed, built a new town under the same name about to the west, at the foot of the main chain of the
Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains
*
* Azerbaijani: ,
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
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*
* is a mountain range at the intersection of Asia and Europe. Stretching between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, they are surrounded by the Caucasus region ...
. The new Shamakhi was at different times a residence of the
Shirvan Khanate, ruled by semi-independent khans, but it was finally abandoned, and the old town rebuilt. In the mid-1700s, the population of Shamakhi was about 60,000, most of whom were Armenians. At this time it was one of the best and most populous cities of Persia, before it was destroyed by an earthquake.
The Shirvan Khanate was finally annexed by Russia in 1805 during the Russo-Persian War and
Qajar Iran
The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic peoples, Turkic origin,Cyrus G ...
was forced to irrevocably cede the sovereignty over the town to Russia, under the
Treaty of Gulistan
The Treaty of Gulistan (also spelled Golestan: ; ) was a peace treaty concluded between the Russian Empire and Qajar Iran on 24 October 1813 in the village of Gülüstan, Goranboy, Gulistan (now in Goranboy District, the Goranboy District of Azerb ...
of 1813.
The British
Penny Cyclopaedia
''The Penny Cyclopædia'' published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge was a multi-volume encyclopedia edited by George Long (scholar), George Long and published by Charles Knight (publisher), Charles Knight alongside the ''Penn ...
stated in 1833 that "The bulk of the population of Shirvan consists of the Tahtar, or, to speak more correctly, Turkish race, with some admixture of Arabs and Persians. . . . Besides the
Mohammedans, who form the mass of the population, there are many Armenians, some Jews, and a few Gipsies. According to the official returns of 1831, the number of males belonging to the Mohammedan population was 62,934; Armenians, 6,375; Jews, 332; total males 69,641. The prevalent language of Shirvan is what is there called Toorkee or Turkish, which is also used in Azerbijan". The same source also states that according to the official returns of 1832, the city of Shamakhi was inhabited by only 2,233 families, as a result of devastation from the sack of the city "in the most barbarous manner by the highlanders of Daghestan" in 1717. The Encyclopædia Britannica stated that in 1873 the city had 25,087 inhabitants, "of which 18,680 were Tartars and Shachsevans, 5,177 were Armenians, and 1,230 Russians". Silk production continued to be the main output, with 130 silk-winding establishments, owned mostly by Armenians, although the industry had considerably declined since 1864.
Shamakhi was the capital of the
Shemakha uezd of the
Shemakha Governorate of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
until the devastating
earthquake of 1859, when the capital of the province was transferred to
Baku
Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
. The importance of the city declined sharply afterwards. According to the
Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
The ''Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopaedic Dictionary'' (35 volumes, small; 86 volumes, large) is a comprehensive multi-volume encyclopaedia in Russian. It contains 121,240 articles, 7,800 images, and 235 maps.
It was published in the Russian Em ...
(vol. 77, p. 460, published in 1903), Shamakhi had 20,008 inhabitants (10,450 males and 9,558 females), of which 3% were Russians, 18% were Armenians, and 79% "Azerbaijani Tatars" (later known as
Azerbaijanis
Azerbaijanis (; , ), Azeris (, ), or Azerbaijani Turks (, ) are a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group living mainly in the Azerbaijan (Iran), Azerbaijan region of northwestern Iran and the Azerbaijan, Republic of Azerbaijan. They are predomin ...
). With regard to religion, 79% of the population was Muslim, of which 22% was Sunni and the rest Shia; the remaining 21% was
Armenian Apostolic and
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
.
Weaving and rug making in Shamakhi
Historically, Shamakhi was famous for its carpets of which decoration using the buta motif dominate as with other Shirvan carpets. Shirvan carpets are on display at some of the world's famous museums. Example of these are Shirvan (13th century) kept in Istanbul's Turkish and Islamic museum, Shirvan (15th century), kept in the East Region of the Berlin Art Museum, and Shamakhi (17th century) carpets kept in the Pennsylvania Museum of America.
Other artistic products include copper craft, pottery, tailoring, jewellery, woodworking, sculpture, and blacksmithery (blacksmiths were very popular in Alsahab). also developed in Shamakhi.
Geography
Seismicity
The city is located in the most
seismic
Seismology (; from Ancient Greek σεισμός (''seismós'') meaning "earthquake" and -λογία (''-logía'') meaning "study of") is the scientific study of earthquakes (or generally, quakes) and the generation and propagation of elastic ...
area of the Caucasus and was hit by powerful
earthquake
An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...
s in 1191 and
1859, which was so destructive that the capital of Shirvan was transferred to
Baku
Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
twice. In 1872, the earthquake triggered emigration to Baku, where oil production had started in industrial proportions.
The
1667 earthquake is considered to have been the worst with a death toll of 80,000, with one-third of the city collapsed, according to the
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
n merchants' reports.
The last catastrophic earthquake was
recorded in 1902, which destroyed the 10th-century Juma Mosque. Shamakhi is near the
boundary of three plates.
Rivers
Shamakhi is located in the central part of Shirvan, at an altitude of about above sea level, in a favorable geographical position. In the south of Shamakhi flows to Zongalavay, and in the east Pirsaatchay. The city is surrounded by Binasli, Gushhan from the north, Pirdiraki, and Maiden Tower-Georgia from north-west and Meysari Mountains from the west. These mountains can be considered as the city's natural defense fortifications. There are many springs that provide urban population and people of surrounding villages with drinking water because of located at the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains.
Climate
Shamakhi is a relatively humid city to its area, and has a
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
(''Csa''). With a nice amount of precipitation throughout most of the year, and two relatively dry summer months.
Demographics
Ethnic groups
From the 16th century up until the 18th century,
Armenians in Shamakhi formed the majority of the population.
["Shamaki, reckoned the capital of this province, stands on a river which falls into the Caspian sea, and is about sixty-six miles from Derbent towards the south, and ninety-two from Gangea to the south-east. This city was one of the best and most populous of Persia, before it was destroyed by an earthquake. It is, however, supposed to contain near 60,000 inhabitants, chiefly Armenians and strangers, whom the pleasantness of the country and traffic have invited thither" (An Universal History: From the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time, by George Sale, George Psalmanazar, Archibald Bower, George Shelvocke, John Campbell, John Swinton, vol. 43, London, 1765, p. 138)] According to the 1917 publication of ''
Kavkazskiy kalendar'', Shamakhi—then known as Shemakha—had a population of 27,732 in 1916, including 14,811 men and 12,941 women, 27,259 of whom were the permanent population and 493 were temporary residents. Its ethnoreligous composition was as follows:
The majority of the population is Azerbaijani, while
Russians
Russians ( ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Eastern Europe. Their mother tongue is Russian language, Russian, the most spoken Slavic languages, Slavic language. The majority of Russians adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church ...
,
Lezgins
Lezgins ( or ) are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group native to southern Dagestan, a republic of Russia, and northern Azerbaijan, who speak the Lezgin language. Their social structure is firmly based on equality and deference to individuality ...
and
Tats constitute other minorities. They speak the
Azerbaijani language
Azerbaijani ( ; , , ) or Azeri ( ), also referred to as Azerbaijani Turkic or Azerbaijani Turkish (, , ), is a Turkic languages, Turkic language from the Oghuz languages, Oghuz sub-branch. It is spoken primarily by the Azerbaijanis, Azerbaij ...
,
Russian language
Russian is an East Slavic languages, East Slavic language belonging to the Balto-Slavic languages, Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family. It is one of the four extant East Slavic languages, and is ...
,
Lezgian language
Lezgian, also called Lezgi or Lezgin , is a Northeast Caucasian language. It is spoken by the Lezgins, who live in southern Dagestan (Russia); northern Azerbaijan; and to a much lesser degree Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan; Kazakhstan; Turkey, and ...
and
Tat language respectively.
Religion
The
Juma Mosque of Shamakhi is the biggest religious building in the city. Through its history the mosque has been demolished or destroyed few times, but each time it has been rebuilt, most recently in 2009. It is the oldest mosque in the territory of Azerbaijan, and was built in 743–744. It is second in age in the South Caucasus after Derbent Juma mosque (built in 734). The mosque was registered by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a historical and cultural monument of the country.
The mosque was restored several times in the Middle Ages Century during the Shamakhi earthquake in 1856 and 1902 was destroyed. First reconstructed was done by Gasim Hajibababayov and later by Iosif Ploško. The last restoration work at the mosque was carried out in 2010–2013.
Economy
After the Decree "On measures to accelerate socio-economic development in the Republic of Azerbaijan", signed by Ilham Aliyev on 24 November 2003 and the "State Program on Socio-Economic Development of the Regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan" approved by the head of state, began to increase living standards in Shamakhi along with other regions.
Thus, at Shamakhi carpet shop where were installed 40 pieces of machine tools, which belongs to "Star" LTD, weave carpets such as "Guba-Shirvan", "Nakhchivan", "Garabagh" and "Tabriz". In 2005, at the Shamakhi TV Production Plant built by "Star" LTD, "Star" branded 37, 54, 72, 74 "LCD", "Plasma", "CV" and digital "Receivers" are produced based on spare parts of Toshiba "VCD".
"Star" LTD has invested $10 million in the construction of the
AzSamand mini-car production plant.
The building of the Historical-Ethnographic Museum named S.Shirvani was renovated and the bust of 12 great figures from the Shamakhi region was laid in the yard of the museum.
Culture
In the 19th century the town became famous due
Shamakhi dancers, the principal dancers of the entertainment groups, similarly to
tawaifs. The city is home to
Shirvan Domes, a 15th-century mausoleum and graveyard located at the foot of
Gulistan Fortress.
Music and media
One can trace the music scene in Shamakhi back to ancient times and to the villages of Baku, generally revered as the fountainhead of
mugham
Mugham () or Mughamat () is one of the many classical compositions from Azerbaijan, contrasting with tasnif and ashik.
It is an art form that weds classical poetry and musical improvisation in specific local modes. Mugham is a modal system. ...
in Azerbaijan.
Education
Shamakhi Humanitarian College
*
Şamaxı Humanitar Kolleci
International relations
Twin towns and sister cities
Shamakhi is
twinned with the following cities:
Notable residents
The city's notable residents include: philosopher
Seyid Yahya Bakuvi, poets
Seyid Azim Shirvani,
Khaqani and
Mirza Alakbar Sabir, mugham singers
Alim Qasimov,
Yaver Kelenterli and
Farghana Qasimova, actors
Aghasadyg Garaybeyli and
Abbas Mirza Sharifzadeh, architect
Gasim bey Hajibababeyov, Armenian playwright and novelist
Alexander Shirvanzade, Armenian actor
Hovhannes Abelian and others.
File:AbbasSahhat.jpg, Abbas Sahhat, one of prominent poets in Azerbaijani literature.
File:Muhammad Hadi.jpg, Mahammad Hadi, was an Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
i romanticist poet.
File:Constant Zarian.png, Gostan Zarian, an Armenian writer and poet.
File:Seyid Azim Shirvani.jpg, Seyid Azim Shirvani, continued Fuzûlî's traditions in his love-lyrical poems.
File:Pht-Vugar Ibadov eurovision (2).jpg, Alim Qasimov, UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
Music Prize winning mugham
Mugham () or Mughamat () is one of the many classical compositions from Azerbaijan, contrasting with tasnif and ashik.
It is an art form that weds classical poetry and musical improvisation in specific local modes. Mugham is a modal system. ...
singer.
File:Sabir.jpg, Mirza Alakbar Sabir, one of the founders of the satirical trend in Azerbaijani literature.
Gallery
File:Shemaha.jpg, Şamaxı in 1656. From Adam Olearius book
File:Shemakha 1852.jpg, Şamaxı in 1849
File:Grigory Gagarin. Chirvan. Bayaderes de Chemakha.jpg, Şamaxı female dancers by Grigory Gagarin
Prince Grigory Grigorievich Gagarin (, - ) was a Russian painter, Major General and administrator.[Grig ...]
, 1847
File:Azerbaijani from Shemakha.jpg, Young Azeri girl from Şamaxı, 1883
File:Shemahinskaya boyaderka.jpg, Azerbaijani woman from Şamaxı in the 19th century
File:Scènes, paysages, moeurs et costumes du Caucase dessinés d'aprés nature par le prince G. Gagarine.31.jpg, Dancing in Şamaxı by Grigory Gagarin
Prince Grigory Grigorievich Gagarin (, - ) was a Russian painter, Major General and administrator.[Grig ...]
, 1840
File:Shamakhi_observatory.jpg, Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory
File:Shemakha_pass_azerbaijan.jpg, Şamaxı pass in winter
File:Shamakhi in 19th century (Azerbaijan).jpg, Shamakhi in 19th century
File:Street in Shamakhi, 19th century, Azerbaijan.jpg, Shamakhi in 19th century
File:Ilham Aliyev viewed conditions created at multi-apartment buildings constructed in Shamakhi 11.jpg, Multi-apartment buildings
File:Ilham Aliyev attended opening of orphanage-kindergarten No2 constructed on the initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Shamakhi 04.jpg, Kindergarten
See also
*
Lankaran
Lankaran (, ) or Lánkon () is a city in Azerbaijan, on the coast of the Caspian Sea, near the southern border with Iran. As of 2021, the city had a population of 89,300. It is next to, but independent of, Lankaran District. The city forms a disti ...
*
Qabala
Qabala () is a city and the administrative centre of the Qabala District of Azerbaijan. The municipality consists of the city of Gabala and the village of Küsnət, Qabala, Küsnat. Before the city was known as Kutkashen, but after the Republic o ...
*
Ganja, Azerbaijan
Ganja (; ) is Azerbaijan's List of cities in Azerbaijan, third largest city, with a population of around 335,600.Azərbaycan Respublikası. — 2. Azərbaycan Respublikasının iqtisadi və inzibati rayonları. — 2.4. Azərbaycan Respublikas� ...
*
Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory
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Armenians in Shamakhi
*
Shamakhi Fortress
Notes
References
Sources
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Further reading
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External links
Shamakhi Facebook official pageShamakhi music (02.03.2014)
{{Authority control
Populated places in Shamakhi District