The Talysh Khanate or Talish Khanate (, ) was an
Iranian khanate of
Talysh origin that was established in
Afsharid Persia and existed from the middle of the 18th century till the beginning of the 19th century, located in the south-west coast of the
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...
.
It comprised the southeastern part of the modern-day
Republic of Azerbaijan and the eastern tip of north-western
Iran
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 ...
. The capital of the khanate was its chief city,
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 ...
. As a result of the Persian defeat in the
Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828, the khanate was dissolved and absorbed by 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 ...
.
The uncertainty surrounding the history of Talysh Khanate is not due only to the paucity of sources, a further problem is the rarity of studies about it. Several studies and short surveys appeared in Russian, Azerbaijani, Turkish, and Persian. Regrettably, some of these studies are tenuous and contain erroneous and biased interpretations.
Historiography
Because of the paucity of primary sources, the study of the Talysh Khanate faces serious obstacles. The primary sources for the study of the Khanate are roughly divided into three groups:
chronicle
A chronicle (, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events ...
s,
documentary material, and
travel accounts. Many facts related to the history of the Khanate are scattered throughout various chronicles produced by local and Qajar historians.
The first Persian chronicle about the Talysh Khanate is ''
Javāher Nāmeh-ye Lankarān'' (1869) (i.e., ''The Jewel Book of Lankaran''), written by Saeid-Ali ibn Kazem Beg Borādigāhi (1800–1872). There are two copies of ''The Jewel Book of Lankaran'', and both are retained at the
Institute of Manuscripts of Azerbaijan. The second Persian chronicle is ''
Akhbār Nāmeh'' (1882) (i.e., ''The Chronicle''), written by Mirza Ahmad ibn Mirza Khodāverdi, whose father served as the ''
vizier
A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...
'' for the second and the third Khans of Talysh.
Another primary source that may be added to the chronicle-type sources is the Russian survey entitled ''The History of the Talysh Khanate'' (1885) written by
Teymur Bayramalibeyov (1863–1937).
A nonspecific but relevant chronicle which written in Persian is ''
Gulistan-i Iram'' (1845) (i.e., ''The Heavenly Rose-Garden'') from
Abbas-Qoli Aqa Bakikhanov (1794–1847). Although not dealing directly with the Talysh Khanate, it contains useful information on the region up to the year in which it was completed.
The major body of correspondence of the Khans of Talysh is preserved in Russian archives and has been published in various collections of documents. The most important of these collections is the ' (1866–1886).
Travelogues and reports by merchants, agents, and informers, are another type of primary source that is potentially useful for the study of the Talysh Khanate. Among this type of source, one may mention accounts written by two Poles in Russian service:
Jan Potocki (1761–1815), and
Aleksander Chodźko (1804–1891). Another account relating to Talysh, is a report made by
Camille Alphonse Trézel (1780–1860), a French officer who served under
Claude-Matthieu Gardane (1766–1818),
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
's envoy to the Persian court.
Background
In
Safavid
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 ...
era, the population of
Safavid Talish was a mixture of
Iranian
Iranian () may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Iran
** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran
** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia
** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...
and
Turkic elements. Generally, the
Talyshis, an ethnic group speaking the Iranian language of
Talysh, were
Indigenous people
There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...
of the region. At the end of the 15th century, many Talysh leaders provided solid support to the
Safavids
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 ...
, who rewarded them with honours and land. Theoretically, the local rulers were not hereditary lords.
Khansuvarov believed that Mir Abbas was the grandson of Seyyed Abbas. His father's name was Seyyed Yūsef, who succeeded his grandfather in religious affairs. Seyyed Yūsef was buried at
Yuxarı Nüvədi village of Lankaran.
Administration
The
Talysh region comprised lands in the southwestern part of the current
Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as some territories in modern
Iran
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 ...
. The exact definition of Talysh boundaries has varied over time. Present-day, Talysh is a mountainous region located between
Gilan province
Gilan Province () is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, in the northwest of the country and southwest of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is the city of Rasht. The province lies along the Caspian Sea, in Iran's Regions of Iran, Region 3, west of ...
and the
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...
in the east and
Ardabil province in the west. It is a narrow strip of land extending from
Rudbar in the south to
Astara in Iranian territory and on to the north of
Lankaran District
Lankaran District () is one of the 66 Administrative divisions of Azerbaijan, districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the south-east of the country, in the Lankaran-Astara Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Astara District, A ...
, located in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The northern half of Talysh is one of the seventeen provinces that were cut from Iranian territory as a result of the treaties of
Gulistan (1813) and
Turkmenchay (1828).
The Talysh Khanate was bordered by the from the south,
Ardabil Khanate from the southwest,
Karadagh Khanate in the northwest,
Javad Khanate from the north, and Salyan Sultanate from the north-east. Most of the eastern borders of the Khanate were bound to the
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...
.
Talysh Khanate was divided into administrative districts. According to the Saeid-Ali's book, there were eleven s () in the territory of the Khanate:
Asalem (),
Karganrud (), Astara (),
Vilkij (),
Zuvand (),
Chayichi-Lankaran (), (), Uluf (), Dashtevand (), Sefiddasht (), ().
However, the territory of the Khanate did not always remain stable but underwent significant changes under the influence of various events.
The largest territorial transformation in the Khanate took place during the Russo-Persian Wars. According to the treaties concluded between these states, all of Asalem, Karganrud and Vilkij districts and some parts of the Ujarud, Safidasht, Astara and Zuvand districts were given to
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 ...
.
History
According to Mirza Ahmad Mirza oglu Khudaverdi, the founder of the Talysh Khanate, Seyyid Abbas, his ancestors were members of 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 ...
, who had moved into the Talish region during the 1720s during a turbulent period in Iranian history. When Seyyid Abbas died in 1747 he was succeeded by his son Jamaladdin, often remembered as ''Gara Khan'' (the 'Black King'), because of his dark skin. Because of his good service to
Nader Shah, Nader officially awarded him the hereditary title of ''khan''.
[ :ru:Талышское ханство] Gara Khan was pro-Russian in his foreign policy which upset the rulers of neighbouring khanates notably
Hidayat Khan of
Gilan. In 1768 Hidayat Khan attacked the Talysh khanate. Seeking aid against the superior enemy, Gara Khan sent his brother Karbalayi Sultan to Fath Ali Khan, ruler of the
Quba Khanate resulting in an alliance between Quba and Lankaran. By 1785 the territory of the Talysh khanate had formally become a dependency of that much stronger
Quba Khanate together with certain other
Azerbaijani khanates. However, in 1789 following Fath Ali Khan's death, the Talysh Khanate regained its independence under Mir Mustafa, the son of Gara Khan who had himself died in 1786.
In 1794–5 the Persian Shah
Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar called on the various
khanates of the South Caucasus to form an alliance against 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 ...
and mounted a military expedition against those who refused to join him. The Talysh khanate refused to do and was attacked in 1795. Mir Mustafa Khan's disparate army was not strong enough to resist and he sent his representatives to General
Gudovich asking for Russian protection. However, the Russians took a long time to respond, only finally arriving in 1802 when the Talysh Khanate became a protectorate of the Russian Empire.
The khanate was to remain a pawn between the Persian and Russian empires over the subsequent two decades. In 1809 as a part of the
Russo-Persian War (1804–1813), Iranian troops took the city of
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 ...
and expelled the Russian-leaning khan. In 1812, with Napoleon was attacking Moscow, the Russians were also battling again in the Caucasus. After a brief siege led by
Pyotr Kotlyarevsky
Pyotr Stepanovich Kotlyarevsky (23 June 1782 – 2 November 1852) was a Russian military officer of Ukrainian origin. He was known for his service in the Russo-Persian War (1804–1813), where he won many battles against Qajar Iran, Iran.
Biogra ...
on January 1, 1813, 2,000 Russian troops managed
to decisively take the citadel of Lenkaran from the Persian army. There were heavy losses on both sides, but this strategic capture of Lankaran led inexorably to September 12, 1813
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 ...
. This forced defeated
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 ...
to cede many of the formerly independent khanates to Russia. In 1814 Mir Mustafa khan died and his son Mir Hassan Khan succeeded him but only in name.
With Russia busy in European wars, Persia attempted to reassert its hegemony in the area and to revert 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 ...
and thus invaded the south
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
, starting the 1826-28 Russo-Persian war. In the campaign of 1826, Persia managed to regain all lost territories, but after the numerous defeats in the campaign of 1827, the war ended up with the even more humiliating
Treaty of Turkmenchay
The Treaty of Turkmenchay (; ) was an agreement between Qajar Iran and the Russian Empire, which concluded the Russo-Persian War (1826–1828). It was second of the series of treaties (the first was the 1813 Treaty of Gulistan and the last, the ...
which permanently ceded the Talysh Khanate to Russia.
Yermolov took over the
khanates of eastern Transcaucasia one by one and deposed their khans:
Shaki in 1819,
Shirvan in 1820, and
Qara-Bagh in 1822. Only Mir Hassan Khan of Talesh was allowed autonomy, Ermolov understanding him and his family to be implacably hostile to Iran. In fact, Mir Hassan threw the Russians out in the year that hostilities reopened, and a strong Iranian force came to help him. He retained control of the khanate, in the name of the
Shah
Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the leaders of numerous Per ...
, until he was forced to abandon it in 1828 by the
Treaty of Turkmenchay
The Treaty of Turkmenchay (; ) was an agreement between Qajar Iran and the Russian Empire, which concluded the Russo-Persian War (1826–1828). It was second of the series of treaties (the first was the 1813 Treaty of Gulistan and the last, the ...
.
After Mir Hasan Khan's death, his children came under
Abbas Mirza
Abbas Mirza (; 26 August 1789 – 25 October 1833) was the Qajar dynasty, Qajar crown prince of Qajar Iran, Iran during the reign of his father Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (). As governor of the vulnerable Azerbaijan (Iran), Azerbaijan province, he played ...
's patronage, with Mir Kazem Khan becoming the governor of Vilkij, Astara, Ujarud, and Namin, forming the Namin Khanate. His rule, and that of his children, over those areas, lasted a century, ending with the fall of the Qajars. Persian Talish was also separated from the khanate, with
Fath 'Ali Shah wanting to limit the power of Mir Mostafa Khan. He divided the area into 5 pieces (
Karganrud,
Asalem, Talesh-Dulab, Shandarmin,
Masal) and created what came to be known as the Khamsa of Talesh ().
In popular culture
The Talysh Khans proved a stimulating subject for famed Azeri poet-playwright
Mirza Fath-Ali Akhundzadeh (1812–1878). A 1938 production of his ''
The Adventures of the Vizier of the Lankaran's Khan'' (1851), starred the future president of Republic of
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 ...
,
Heydar Aliyev
Heydar Alirza oghlu Aliyev (10 May 1923 – 12 December 2003) was an Azerbaijani politician who was a Soviet party boss in the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic from 1969 to 1982, and the third president of Azerbaijan from October 1993 to ...
, then just a teenager.
Rulers
Footnotes
Notes
References
Sources
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Further reading
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{{coord missing, Azerbaijan
18th century in Azerbaijan
Khanates of the South Caucasus
Dynasties in Persia and Iran
States and territories disestablished in 1828