2. KHANATES PERIOD IN AZERBAIJAN Ganja and Sheki Khanates
1.2. Ganja Khanate
It was completely separated from Iran in 1722 and was administered as a province under the Ottoman Empire until 1735. During this period, 100 of the 1,344 villages of the Ganja-Karabakh principality were within the Ganja khanate. In 1747, it was declared as an independent khanate by Shahverdi Khan, a member of the Ziyatoğlu dynasty. Due to its narrow borders and limited territory, Ganja was weak in terms of political, military and economic power. For this reason, the Ganja khanate was frequently attacked by the Tiflis and Karabakh khanates. It was subject to the Karabakh khanates in 1750 and the Tbilisi khanates between 1750-1760. However, Javad Khan Ziyadhanoğlu, who became the head of the Ganja Khanate in 1786, established a solid control in the region and took precautions against the attacks of the neighboring khanates and prevented their pressures.
Javad Khan Grave
There is not enough information about the population of this khanate in the periods before the Russian occupation. Three quarters of the people living here consist of Azerbaijani Turks. The borders started from the Kazakh Sultanate and extended southwards along the Kur river.
The khans who ruled the Ganja Khanate are; Shahverdi Khan (H:1160-M:1747), Muhammed Hasan Khan (H:1174-M:1760), Hacı Bey Khan (H:1198-M:1783), Cavad Khan (H:1200-M:1785). The khanate, which was constantly exposed to invasion by its neighbors, had to fight against the Karabakh khanate, Georgia, Iran and Russia. Russians invaded the lands of the khanate despite the resistance of Javad Khan, the Khan of Ganja. After coming under Russian control, the name of Ganja was changed to Elizavetopl in honor of the tsarina in 1804.
General Sisyanov, the commander of the Russian armies, set out from Tiflis and besieged Ganja in 1803. Among the Azerbaijani khanates, the Ganja Khanate fought the hardest against the Russian occupation. During the attacks in 1804, Ganja resisted the Russian troops for a long time. However, the city was defeated as a result of the betrayal of the non-Muslim community in Ganja. Javad Khan and his family members were also killed in this war. Thus, the existence of the Ganja Khanate was ended.
1.3. Sheki Khanate
Geographically, the Sheki khanate was settled on a wide area extending from the Salavat Mountain to the Kur River. It is surrounded by Kuba and Shirvan in the east, and Ganja and Karabakh khanates in the west.
XV-XVI. For centuries, it was governed as a small emirate separate from the state of the Shirvanshahs. Over time, it also lived under the rule of neighboring khanates. The foundations of the Khanate were laid by Hacı Çelebi Khan in 1747. The rulers of the Sheki khanate are respectively; Hacı Çelebi Khan (H:1160-M:1747), Muhammed Hasan Han (H:1212- M:1797), Mustafa Han (H:1219- M:1804), Cafer Kulu Han (H:1221- M:1806) , became Ismail Khan (H:1231- M:1815). After the death of Ismail Khan, the Sheki Khanate was subjected to Russian invasion.
Hacı Çelebi Khan
During the reign of Hacı Çelebi khan, the Sheki khanate managed to become one of the most important khanates of the region in terms of politics, military and geography. The city of Sheki took shelter in the Gelersen-Göresen castle to protect itself from its enemies during the wars. After Çelebi's death, the khan's son Ağakishi came to the throne first, and after his death, Hüseyin Khan took the throne. However, the most important khan who left his mark on the history of Sheki was Muhammad Hasan Khan. During his reign, the city was surrounded by walls and the social life of the khanate, especially the tax system, was regulated. During his reign, a system of laws called 'Düsturü'l-âlem' was created for the first time. Apart from this, Muhammed Hasan Khan built a castle in the city center named after him and moved the khanate's treasury, divan and his own harem there.
As in many khanates, there were fights for the throne in the Shaki khanate. The fights for the throne between Muhammad Hasan Khan, the heirs of the Sheki khans, and his brother Selim Khan were particularly harsh. Sheki Khan Agha Muhammad punished Shah Muhammad Hasan Khan and ordered his eyes to be removed. (Mihayloviç, 1823: 380) Muhammed Hasan Khan was blinded and sent to Tabriz, and then his brother Selim Khan took over. Selim Khan also executed all of Muhammad Hasan Khan's children. Selim Khan's dominance lasted until the Russians took over the region. As a result of the war between Selim Khan and the Russians in 1806, this khanate was defeated by the Russians in the conflict around Sheki. However, Selim Khan escaped from there and took shelter with Abbas Mirza of Qajar. Thereupon, due to the conflict between the Qajars and Russia, Khoylu Cafer Kulu Khan claimed the Sheki khanate. His rule in Sheki lasted until 1819.
The Sheki khanate was known for its world-famous silk production. The Khanate exported the silk it obtained to different countries. In 1790-1800, it was considered one of the khanates with high commercial income. In the city of Sheki, there were 147 shoemakers, 33 felt makers, 178 tanners, 39 dyers, 36 stone carvers, 56 iron workers, 22 tinsmiths, 154 tailors, 42 carpenters, and 41 jewelers. These show the development of the city of Sheki.
