Talk:History of Azerbaijan/Azarbaijan

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Azarbaijan, the previous province (c. 104,000 km²), northwest of Iran, which was bounded by Aras river in the north, to Turkey and Iraq in the west, to Kurdistan and Khamseh [Zanjan] in the south, and to Guilan and Talesh in the west. (For different spellings of the name of the province, please see Aturpatkan). [...]

[edit] History

Azarbaijan was a part of the Median lands in the ancient times and a part of the Achaemenid empire during the dynasty's power. At the time of Alexander of Macedon, its Iranian [Persian] ruler was Aturpat [Atropates], who proclaimed independence for the state (328 BCE), and these land got called Aturpatkan after him. After that, Azarbaijan went to the Ashkanid [Parthians], and later the Sassanid. The capital of Azarbaijan was Shiz (southeast of Rezaieh [Urumieh] lake) which had a very famous temple. The victory of the Arabs over Azarbaijan happened in the years 18-22 AH in the caliphate of Umar [~ ibn al-Khattab]. The revolt of Babak Khorramdin weakened the Caliph. Later, Azarbaijan went to Seljuks, Atabaks of Azarbaijan, and the Mongols. With the arrival (654 AH) of Hulagu Khan, Azarbaijan became the center of a vast empire extended from Amu Darya to Syria. The seat of the Mongol emperors was Maraghe at first, and was later transferred to Maraqe. After that, Azarbaijan went to the Aq Quyunlu and Qara Quyunlu Turks. In the Safavid it became very important, and although it was attacked by the Ottomans a few times, Shah Abbas I of Safavid established the Iranian rule there. At the time of Afghans' revolt (1135-1142 AH), the Ottomans conquered Azarbaijan and some of the western regions of Iran, but Nadir Shah of the Afsharid forced them out. In the early years of Karim Khan's rule, the Afghan Azad Khan revolted, and then local chieftains ruled different parts of the region for while.

In the Qajar era it was the seat of the Crown Prince. The northern border with Russia was stabilized according to the Torkaman-Chay Treaty (February, 1828) and the western border with Turkey was stabilized in 1914, at the time of Reza Shah the Great [Reza Pahlavi]. The Revolution of Azarbaijan was an important level of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution, and the Azarbaijanis has an important part in the movement. On April 3, 1908, the Russians, according to a previous agreement with the British, and under the pretension of protecting the foreigners living in Tabriz, entered Azarbaijan, and kept being there under various pretensions. They finally left during the 1917 Revolution. The establishment of Iranian rule was stabilized at the time of Reza Shah the Great. After the events of Shahrivar of 1320 AP [September, 1941], the Soviet Russia occupied Azarbaijan, according to a previous agreement with the British, and the hums of autonomy "inside the Iranian government" started. The Russians, who were supposed to leave Iran until March, 1946, evacuated Azarbaijan in May, 1946. Later, Ghavam-os-Saltaneh recognized the autonomy of Azarbaijan in the agreement dated June 13, 1946, but it was taken back by the Iranian army on December 11, 1946, and the previous status was re-established.

The above article is based on the 1966 Persian Encyclopedia and may be a copyright violation. Please don't use for anything but reference.