Aghabeyim agha Javanshir

Aghabeyim agha Javanshir
Born 1780
Shusha, Karabakh Khanate, Azerbaijan
Died 1832
Tehran
Residence Azerbaijan
Fields Poet

Aghabeyim agha Javanshir (Azerbaijani: Ağabəyim ağa Cavanşir) was an Azerbaijani poet, daughter of the second khan of Karabakh Ibrahim Khalil khan, a wife of Iranian shah Fath-Ali Shah Qajar, and aunt of poet Khurshidbanu Natavan. She wrote under the alias Aghabaji.[1][2][3]

Early life

In her younger years, Aghabeyim agha fell in love with her cousin Muhammad bey when she was young. Muhammad bey was in charge of her father the khan's army. Returning to Shusha to Ibrahim Khalil khan for the settlement of the marriage issue, Muhammad bey had to go on a trip on that day. Aghabeyim agha wrote on this occasion:

Original in Azerbaijani

Əfsus ki, yarım gecə gəldi, gecə getdi,
Heç bilmədim ömrüm necə gəldi, necə getdi...

 English Translation

What a pity that my lover came at night and left,
I did not notice how my life stated and ended.

After Agha Mohammad shah Qajar's homicide in Karabakh, in 1797, Ibrahim Khalil khan married his daughter Aghabeyim agha to new the shah, Agha Mohammad shah's nephew Fath-Ali Shah to ensure the normalization of political relations and sent her to Tehran.

Life as a queen-consort

Fath-Ali Shah's wives had a right to choose any dress from shah's rich salon when they entered into harem. Aghabeyim agha knew that the shah's mother's dress was also there. Therefore when she was brought to the salon she directed her steps to that dress and put it on. Seeing Aghabeyim agha in his mother's dress, Fath-Ali Shah was surprised and never touched her.

Due to her intellect, Aghabeyim agha was liked by shah, and he appointed her as harem's head wife and granted her gorgeous dress with pearls.

Aghabeyim agha was homesick and expressed her anguish in her poems-bayati(quatrains):[4]

Original in Azerbaijani

Mən aşiqəm, Qarabağ,
Şəki, Şirvan, Qarabağ.
Tehran cənnətə dönsə,
Yaddan çıxmaz Qarabağ

 English Translation

I fell in love, Karabakh,
Shaki, Shirvan, Karabakh.
Even if Tehran becomes paradise,
I'll never forget Karabakh.

[5]

Aghabeyim agha died in 1832, in Tehran and was buried in Qom.

Aghabeyim agha in art

In 2008, a film "Sovereign's fortune" was shot about the history of Karabakh khanate during Ibrahim Khalil khan's reign. The role of Aghabeyim agha was played by Gunash Aliyeva.

References