ESTABLISHMENT OF KHANATES IN AZERBAIJAN
Azerbaijani khanates that declared their independence towards the mid-18th century; It consisted of the Ilusu sultanate with Baku, Ganja, Karabakh, Shirvan, Sheki, Kuba, Irevan and Talysh. The political structures of these khanates were generally similar to each other. While the khans first came to power through inheritance, they later began to come to power through elections. Later, the khanate began to pass from father to son.
The Khan was the absolute ruler of the country. The "regents" appointed by the khan helped him with the administration of the country. The security and postal services of the Khanate administrations were carried out by cavalry called "çapar". The social order was based on sharia and custom. The right to accident was adjudicated by sharia courts. Kadis were appointed by the khans. Murder cases were heard respectively by housekeepers, beys, regents and khans. The place where government affairs were carried out was called 'Divanhane'.
The country's lands were considered the property of the khan. Therefore, the khan had the right to take back the conquered lands distributed to the beys. Beys could not sell or inherit these lands. Economically, it was the most powerful inn in the country. The Khanates had an important existence even in terms of national culture. They had mosques, madrasahs and their own literary lives. Literary societies were active in Karabakh, Shirvan, Baku and other provinces.
During the Russian period, the administrative system of the khanates was generally preserved. The same goes for the agricultural system. As a matter of fact, cotton and silk production and irrigation works were carried out in accordance with the Russian water administration regulations, which preserved this method exactly. In addition, after the occupation of Ganja, the Russians established and operated glass and bottle factories and iron furnaces here. Shirvan, which was occupied by the Russians, became a trade center as the Venetians and the British traded silk in the past.
1.1. Karabakh Khanate
According to historical sources, the borders of the Karabakh province at that time extended from the south from the Hudaferin Bridge to the Sinigh Bridge and the Aras River. In the east, it was bordered by the Kur river, which joins the Aras river from the city of Javad and flows into the Caspian Sea. It reached the lands from the north to the Kur river, limited to Elizavetpol of Karabakh. From the west, it was surrounded by the Karadağ mountains called Kuşbek, Salvartı and Erikli.
The lineage of Karabakh Khan Panahali Khan dates back to the Javanshir province of Dizak. He is from the Sarıcalı tribe, a branch of the 'Bahamali' tribe that came from Turkestan in ancient times. Their ancestors were famous, well-known, wealthy and generous people among the province of Javanshir.
Towards the middle of the 18th century, Panahali Khan from the Javanshir tribe took advantage of the revolutions of the Armenian rulers, abolished the emirates and declared himself the Khan of Karabakh. He made Shush the center of the new khanate. Panahali Khan was a very fair and honest ruler. Until the Russian invasion, the Karabakh khanate, which he founded, was ruled by his dynasty. The khans who were active and came to power throughout the history of the Khanate are: Penah Ali Khan (M:1163-H:1749), İbrahim Halil Khan (M:1177-H:1763- M:1211- H:1796), Mehdi Kulu Khan (M:1163-H:1749). :1221-H:1806).
Penah Ali Khan
The Karabakh khanate was one of the oldest and most important khanates of Azerbaijan. The founder of this khanate is Panah Khan. While Panah Khan was leaving Karabakh for Iran, he left the administration of Karabakh to his younger son, Mehreli Bey. He took his eldest son to Shiraz with him. Thus, Panah Khan, fearing that the khanate would disintegrate after his death, returned to Karabakh with a decree prepared as a formality. However, it was not well received by Mehreli khan.
After the death of Panah Khan in 1759, his son Ibrahim Khan saw himself as the legal heir of the khanate's sovereignty. For the sake of dominance, he married the daughter of the Dagestan ruler and received support from her, and declared himself the Karabakh khan in 1760. Mehreli Bey, who escaped from Karabakh, asked for help from the Fetali khan, who was trying to unite the Azerbaijani lands.
Ibrahim Halil Khan
Ibrahim Khan remained on the Karabakh throne from 1756 to 1806. During his rule, he did not obey the sultans of Iran and Rumelia. During the reign of Ibrahim Khan, the borders extended to the provinces of Shirvan, Sheki, Ganja, Yerevan, Nakhchivan, Khoy, Karabakh, Tabriz and Ardabil. In fact, during this period, the borders extended to Merağa and Kaplankuh, which is the border of Iraq and Azerbaijan. Since Ibrahim Khan was related to Avar and Dagestan governor Oman Khan, he obtained military support from Dagestan and Lezgi provinces when he needed it. The khanate, which preserved itself against Iran and Russia, was eventually invaded by the Russians in 1822.
