History of Shamakhi

The history of Shamakhi covers the history of Azerbaijani city Shamakhi from ancient times to the present day.
Antique period.
As a result of archaeological excavations carried out in the north-western part of Shamakhi in the XX century, a settlement that dates back to the V-IV centuries BC was discovered. Being one of the cities of Caucasian Albania, Shamakhi is mentioned by the ancient geographer Ptolemy (II century) under the name of Kemaheya or Mamakheya. In 1958, hoards of coins minted during the Caucasian Albania were found on the territory of the present city.
There are the remains of an ancient city with an area of over 50 hectares to the west of the modern city of Shamakhi. At the end of the IV century BC, a new settlement appeared on this territory, which later acquired city features.
Medieval period.
In the year 861 Mazyadid Heysam Ibn Khalid founded state of Shirvanshahs. In 918, Shamakhi was declared the capital of this state.
In 1032–1033 years Shamakhi was sacked as a result of invasions of the slavic tribes.
In 1123-1124, the city was captured by the Georgian king David IV.
In 1222, during the Mongol invasion of Azerbaijan, Shamakhi was captured and destroyed. The medieval Shamakhi is mentioned in the Persian anonymous work "Ajaib ad-Dunya" (XIII century).
Being one of the major trade and craft centers in the middle East, the city had an important place in the silk trade. The trade relations of Shamakhi and Venetian merchants are mentioned written sources of the XV-XVI centuries
In 1500, the city was captured by the founder of the Safavid dynasty, Shah Ismail Khatai.
In 1607, the Safavid Shah Abbas I occupied Shamakhi.
Early modern period.
In 1721, Shamakhi was attacked by the troops of the leader of the Lezgins, Haji Davud of Mushkur.
In 1734, after the sacking of the city by Nader Shah, inhabitants were resettled in Agsu, renamed "Yeni Shamakhi". After the death of Nader Shah in 1747, Shamakhi was declared the capital of the Shamakhi Khanate.
In 1768, the Shamakhi khanate was annexed to the Quba khanate. After the death of Fatali Khan of Quba in 1789, the khanate regained its independence. This did not last long: in 1796, the Russian army took Shamakhi. Russian troops were withdrawn only after the order of the new Emperor – Paul I.
In 1805, Mustafa Khan of Shamakhi became a subject of Russia with the condition of transferring the Northern khanates under his control and non-payment of tribute. The accession of the Shirvan khanate to Russia in 1805 was confirmed by the Gulistan treaty of 1813. In 1820, the Khan's administration in Shirvan was abolished. In the period from 1840 to 1846, Shamakhi was the administrative center of the Caspian region, and from 1846 to 1859 - the administrative center of the Shamakhi province. A strong earthquake that occurred on December 2, 1859, contributed to the fact that the center of the province was moved to Baku. The city itself became the administrative center of the Shamakhi uyezd in the Baku province.
Contemporary period.
As a result of the massacre in March 1918 committed by Armenian and Bolshevik armed forces, more than 7,000 Muslims were killed in Shamakhi.
In April 1920, Soviet power was established in Shamakhi, as in all cities of Northern Azerbaijan.
Culture.
Shamakhi is the homeland of many prominent Azerbaijani intellectuals (Mirza Alakbar Sabir, Fazlullah Naimi, Imadeddin Nasimi, Seyid Azim Shirvani, Falaki Shirvani, Khagani Shirvani, Haji Zeynalabdin Shirvani, Mohammad Hadi, Abbas Sahhat, Ali Alizadeh, Aziza Jafarzadeh, Alim Qasimov, etc.).
At the initiative of the well-known pharmacist of Cafeeine Omar Ibn Osman (uncle of Khagani Shirvani) there was a medical school founded in the XII century in Shamakhi.
In the 19th century, county schools, schools for shiites and sunnis (1847-1849), art clubs and literary majlises (assemblies) were opened in Shamakhi.
In 1906, the women's costume from Shamakhi was transferred to the Caucasian Museum in Tbilisi as a Museum exhibit.
In 2010, a monument to a lone Turkish officer of the Caucasian Islamic army was erected in Shamakhi.
Sightseeing places.
Despite the increased seismicity of the region (a number of devastating earthquakes in 1192, 1607, 1669, 1859 and 1902), most of the historical monuments are still preserved:
In world culture.
Shamakhi is mentioned by the Russian poet A. S. Pushkin in the "Tale of the Golden Cockerel” ("give me a maiden, the Queen of Shamakhi") and is depicted in the paintings of the Russian artist G. Gagarin: “Shamakhi Bayadere"," The dancer from Shamakhi"," the Nisa Dancer", written in 1847
The city is also mentioned in the work of the French playwright Alexandre Dumas "Caucasus" (1847).
See also.
Shamakhi