Azerbaijan at the Crossroads of Eurasia

Table Of Contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• About the author
• About the book
• This eBook can be cited
• Contents
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Chapter I – The first States on the territories of Azerbaijan
• 1.1. The Mannaean Kingdom
• 1.2. Atropatena
• 1.3. The Kingdom of Caucasian Albania
• Chapter II – The Arab conquest of Azerbaijan
• 2.1. Military success and undeniable influence, in spite of Byzantine and Khazar ambitions
• 2.2. The conversion process of Azerbaijanis
• 2.3. The Khurramite movement and Babek’s armed struggle
• Chapter III – The emergence of new Azerbaijani feudal States
• 3.1. The States of northern Azerbaijan
• 3.1.1. The Shirvanshah State
• 3.1.2. The principality of Khachen
• 3.1.3. The Shaddadid State
• 3.2. The Sajid, Salarid and Ravvadid States of southern Azerbaijan
• Chapter IV – The reign of the Seljukids
• 4.1. The emergence of a new imperial power
• 4.2. The establishment of direct rule by the Seljukids and the preservation of the Shirvanshah State’s autonomy
• 4.3. The decline of the Seljukids
• Chapter V – The Azerbaijani State of the Atabegs
• 5.1. The promotion of Shamsaddin Eldegiz, founder of the Atabegs of Azerbaijan
• 5.2. The rise in power of the Eldegizid dynasty
• 5.3. The decline of the State
• 5.4. The wars with Georgia
• Chapter VI – The domination of the Mongols
• 6.1. The invasion of Azerbaijan and the creation of the Ilkhanate
• 6.2. Azerbaijan: a strategic target between the Ilkhanate and the Golden Horde
• 6.3. Gradual improvement in the situation in Azerbaijan
• 6.4. Ghazan Khan’s attempted reforms and the end of the Mongol State
• Chapter VII – The Timurid Empire
• 7.1. Tamerlane’s conquest of Azerbaijan and the alliance with the Shirvanshah
• 7.2. The resistance of Alinja fortress
• 7.3. The Hurufi movement
• 7.4. The decline of Timurid influence and the Azerbaijani State of Kara Koyunlu
• Chapter VIII – Azerbaijan: a place of trade between Europe and Asia
• 8.1. Azerbaijan’s role in trade
• 8.2. Trade with the Russians
• 8.3. Trade with the Europeans
• Chapter IX – The Azerbaijani State of Ak Koyunlu
• 9.1. The rise to power of the Ak Koyunlu State
• 9.2. Sara Khatun, the country’s first female diplomat
• 9.3. Eliminating threats on the eastern borders
• 9.4. War and diplomacy: relations with the Europeans and Ottomans
• 9.4.1. Closer ties with Europe
• 9.4.2. The alliance with Venice
• 9.4.3. Clashes with the Ottomans
• 9.5. The disappearance of the Ak Koyunlu State
• Chapter X – The Safavid State: a new regional power
• 10.1. The creation of a new State by the Azerbaijani Safavid dynasty
• 10.1.1. The first failed attempts
• 10.1.2. The decisive role of Ismail Safavid
• 10.2. A profoundly Azerbaijani State
• 10.3. The Safavid-Ottoman wars
• 10.3.1. Deteriorating relations
• 10.3.2. A state of ongoing warfare
• 10.3.2.1. The first Safavid-Ottoman war
• 10.3.2.1.1. The battle of Chaldiran
• 10.3.2.1.2. Rear alliances
• 10.3.2.2. Azerbaijan once again the focus of conflict
• 10.3.2.2.1. The defensive strategy of the Safavids
• 10.3.2.2.2. The Ottoman conquest of Azerbaijan
• 10.3.2.2.3. The Safavids regain control of Azerbaijan
• 10.3.2.2.4. Battlefield Azerbaijan
• 10.4. Reorganising the administrative system
• 10.5. The Safavids’ diplomatic ties
• 10.5.1. Ties with the Europeans
• 10.5.2. Ties with the Russians
• Chapter XI – The era of the khanates, independent and sovereign feudal States
• 11.1. The emergence of khanates on the territories of Azerbaijan
• 11.2. The policies of the main players in Azerbaijani politics
• 11.2.1. The khanate of Sheki: traditional power-based politics
• 11.2.2. Rivalry between the khanates of Karabakh and Guba and the development of a bipolar system
• 11.2.2.1. The khanate of Karabakh: policies designed to maintain the balance of power
• 11.2.2.2. Khanate of Guba: policies designed to achieve unification
• 11.3. The objectives of the imperial powers
• 11.4. The khanates of Azerbaijan: caught between Russia and Iran
• 11.5. Russia’s annexation of Azerbaijan
• 11.6. The Russo-Iranian wars and the break-up of Azerbaijan
• 11.6.1. The first Russo-Iranian war
• 11.6.2. The second Russo-Iranian war
• Chapter XII – Azerbaijan as part of tsarist Russia
• 12.1. Administrative restructuring and the tsarist regime’s policy of ethnic discrimination against Azerbaijanis
• 12.2. The political involvement of Azerbaijanis
• 12.2.1. The 1905 revolution and liberal reform
• 12.2.2. The advent of political pluralism
• 12.2.3. Participation in the Duma
• 12.2.4. The issue of national identity
• 12.3. Commitments in favour of a free press
• 12.4. Commitments in favour of national education
• 12.5. Armed involvement: the Gachak movement
• 12.6. The political climate after the October Revolution
• 12.6.1. Prior to the October Revolution
• 12.6.2. The restructuring of national political groups
• 12.6.2.1. At a regional level: South Caucasus
• 12.6.2.2. At a national level: Azerbaijan
• 12.6.3. The seizure of power by Bolsheviks in Baku and the massacres of Azerbaijani civilians
• 12.6.4. The formation of the armed forces
• 12.6.5. Peace negotiations with the Ottoman Empire
• Chapter XIII – The first Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan
• 13.1. The birth of the Republic
• 13.1.1. Declaration of independence
• 13.1.2. The June crisis
• 13.1.3. Inauguration of the parliament
• 13.2. The Azerbaijani government’s first steps in dealing with the Turkish, German and British powers
• 13.2.1. Turkish military support and the liberation of Baku
• 13.2.2. The attempt to divide Baku between Germany and Bolshevik Russia
• 13.2.3. The Azerbaijani government and the British authorities
• 13.3. The diplomatic mission at the Peace Conference
• 13.4. The territorial sovereignty of Azerbaijan
• 13.4.1. Rivalries based on territorial claims
• 13.4.2. The failure of Armenia’s claims
• 13.4.3. Normalised relations with Iran
• 13.5. The loss of national sovereignty
• 13.5.1. The threat posed by Denikin
• 13.5.2. The Bolshevik threat
• 13.5.3. The Bolsheviks seize power
• Chapter XIV – The second Republic of Azerbaijan
• 14.1. The creation of an ostensibly independent Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan
• 14.2. Resistance to Bolshevik occupation
• 14.3. The Soviet approach to resolving territorial issues
• 14.4. The well-established nature of the new Soviet policy towards Azerbaijanis
• Chapter XV – The third Republic of Azerbaijan
• 15.1. The national liberation movement and the restoration of independence
• 15.1.1. The emergence of the national movement
• 15.1.2. The January tragedy: an entire people punished
• 15.1.3. The beginning of the end of Soviet power
• 15.1.4. Independence
• 15.1.5. The emergence of political pluralism and the birth of the New Azerbaijan Party
• 15.2. Independent Azerbaijan: the difficult path towards stability
• 15.2.1. The first phase: Ayaz Mutalibov and political instability
• 15.2.2. The second phase: Abulfaz Elchibey and the reasons for his failure
• 15.2.3. The third phase: Heydar Aliyev and the introduction of stability
• 15.2.3.1. Heydar Aliyev’s return to power
• 15.2.3.2. The situation is gradually brought under control
• 15.2.3.3. A new multifaceted foreign policy is implemented
• 15.2.4. Once again on the path to growth and reforms
• 15.3. Exploitation of Azerbaijan’s energy resources
• 15.3.1. The energy sector opens up to international companies
• 15.3.2. Diversification of transport routes
• 15.4. War breaks out between Armenia and Azerbaijan
• 15.4.1. Early 20th century: the first armed clashes
• 15.4.2. Late 20th century: fresh outbreak of war
• 15.4.3. The international legal framework and the search for a peaceful solution
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Index
• Appendices