Atabegs of Azerbaijan

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The Turkish dynasty of the Eldigüziden (also Ildegiziden) is referred to as the Atabegs of Azerbaijan , which ruled in the 12th and 13th centuries initially under the sovereignty of the Seljuks , then virtually independently over Āzarbāydschān , Arrān and parts of Persian Iraq ( Jibal ).

Shams ad-Din Eldigüz

In 1136, Sultan Mas'ud ibn Muhammad , the Seljuk ruler of both Iraqs , appointed the military slave ( Mamluk ) Shams ad-Din Eldigüz as Atabeg - that is, educator and guardian - of the Crown Prince Arslan-Shah. Eldigüz received the Azerbaijani province of Arran as an Iqta (fiefdom) and chose Bərdə as his residence. In 1161 Eldigüz extended his rule so that the Seljuk princes of Hamadan fell under his control. After the death of Sultan Mas'ud ibn Muhammad, Eldigüz was embroiled in the succession of the throne in 1152. In 1160 the emirs of the empire called on him to bring his protégé Arslan-Shah to Hamadan in order to appoint him there as the new ruler. As the Atabeg of a Sultan, Eldigüz received the title Atabak-i azam ("Grossatabeg"), which was later adopted by his successors, and at times controlled not only Azerbaijan, Arran and the province of Jibal, but also Kerman , Fars , Khuzestan , Gilan , Shirvan , Mazandaran , Ahlat , Erzurum and Maragha . According to the medieval historian Sadr al-Din al-Husaini, his area of ​​influence extended "from the gates of Tbilisi to Makran ". Georgia , with its large army, in which 40,000 Kyptschaks also served, was Eldigüz's great opponent: in 1138 the Georgian King Dimitri I attacked the city of Gəncə and captured the famous iron gate of Gəncə as a trophy, which is still in the Gelati Monastery today . From 1161 the Georgians began raiding to Ani , Dvin , Gəncə, Naxçıvan and other areas of the Atabegs. Eldigüz founded a union among the Seljuks and fought against Georgia, so that King Giorgi III. 1163 was defeated. Thereupon the Georgians occupied Gəncə again in 1165 and temporarily penetrated to Naxçıvan and Beyləqan . In 1173 Eldigüz began a major campaign against Georgia, but was defeated and died in 1174 in Naxçıvan.

Muhammad Jahan-Pahlavan

Mausoleum of Mumina-Chatun , the wife of Muhammad Jahan-Pahlavan, in Naxçıvan

After Eldigüz 'death, the Arslan Shah tried to break away from the control of the Atabegs in 1175. That failed and he was poisoned by Eldigüz 'son and successor Muhammad Jahan-Pahlavan. Pahlavan ruled from 1174 to 1186 and moved the capital from Naxçıvan to Hamadan. His younger brother Qizil-Arslan Uthman was named ruler of Azerbaijan. In 1174, Qizil-Arslan captured Tabriz , which became the new capital. Jahan-Pahlavan defeated all rebellious emirs and put loyal Mamluks in their places. He gave each of them a fief. His twelve-year reign is considered the most peaceful period of the Atabegs of Azerbaijan. Under his rule the central power was strengthened and no foreign enemy invaded the empire. Friendly relations were established with the Central Asian Khorezm Shahs . All of this had a positive influence on the development of the sciences, handicrafts, trade and the arts.

Qizil-Arslan

After Muhammad Dschahan-Pahlavan's death, his brother Qizil-Arslan (r. 1186–1191) became the new ruler. He maintained control over the sultans, even if the central power became weaker because of the rebellious Mamluks. Even the formerly loyal Shirvan Shah Ahsitan I ibn Manutchihr invaded the area of ​​the Atabegs in 1186, but was defeated, whereupon Qizil-Arslan occupied the area between Şamaxı and Derbent . As 1191 with Toghril III. the last Sultan of the Great Seljuks was killed, Qizil-Arslan appointed himself with the support of the Caliph in Baghdad as the new Sultan, but was murdered that same year. Power was divided between his three sons Abu Bakr, Qutluq Inanj and Amir Amiran: Abu Bakr ruled Azerbaijan and Arran, his brothers Khorasan and other neighboring areas. But soon there were disputes between the three, from which Abu Bakr emerged victorious. The power struggle weakened the empire so much that the hostile Georgians and Khorezm Shahs attacked and hastened the fall of the Atabegs.

Uzbek

The fall of power accelerated under Atabeg Uzbek, who succeeded Abu Bakr in 1210 and showed little interest in state affairs. The empire was attacked by various powers, in particular the Georgians conquered several cities under Queen Tamar . In 1217 Uzbek recognized the supremacy of the Khorezm Shahs , in 1220 he had to deal with the Mongols, whereby he could only save his capital Tabriz from plundering by paying money. On July 25, 1225, the last Khorezm Shah finally conquered Jalal ad-Din Tabriz and then took Uzbek's wife as his wife. When Atabeg, who fled to the fortress of Alindja (near today's Chanegah ), found out about it, he is said to have died out of grief and shame. His entire empire fell to Sultan Jalal ad-Din, who in turn lost Azerbaijan to the Mongols in 1231.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ "Atabakan-e Adarbayjan" from Encyclopedia Iranica
  2. ^ Antoine Constant. L'Azerbaïdjan , KARTHALA Editions, 2002, ISBN 2845861443 , p. 96
  3. ^ Houtsma, MT EJ Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936 , BRILL, 1987, ISBN 9004082654 , p. 1053

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