Tsakhur people

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tsakhur йихъбы (Yiqby)
Total population
45,000 (est.)
Regions with significant populations
Azerbaijan 16,000, Russia 29,000
Languages
Tsakhur, Azerbaijani, Russian, Lezgian
Religions
Sunni Islam

The Tsakhur (or Caxur, in romanization) people are an ethnic group of northern Azerbaijan and southern Dagestan (Russia). They number about 45,000 and call themselves yiqy (pl. yiqby), but are generally known by the name Tsakhur, which derives from the name of a Dagestani village, where they make up the majority.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Language
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

Tsakhurs are first mentioned in the 7th century Armenian and Georgian sources where they are named Tsakhaik. After the conquest of Caucasian Albania by Arabs, Tsakhurs formed a semi-independent state (later a sultanate) of Tsuketi in what is now Zagatala and southwestern Dagestan. By the 11th century, Tsakhurs who had mostly been Christian, converted to Islam. In the 18th century the capital of the state changed from Tsakhur to Ilisu.^[1] The sultanate was in the sphere of influence of the Shaki Khanate. It became part of the Russian Empire by the beginning of the 19th century.

[edit] Geography

Tsakhurs live in Azerbaijan's Zagatala region, where they make up 14% of the population, and in Gakh, where they constitute less than 2%. In Dagestan, they live in the mountainous parts of the Rutul district. According to Wolfgang Schulze, there are 9 villages in Azerbaijan, where Tsakhurs make up the majority of the population, all of them in Zagatala. 13 more villages in Zagatala and Gakh have a significant Tsakhur minority.^[2]

[edit] Language

Most Tsakhurs speak the Tsakhur language as a mothertongue. The rate of bilingualism in Tsakhur and Azeri is high. Other languages popular among Tsakhurs include Russian and Lezgian.