Karabakh in the Middle Ages Gasim Hajiyev Doctor of History
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Karabakh Karabakh in the Middle Ages Gasim HAJIYEV Doctor of History 4-7th centuries The territory of the Caucasian Albania in the 4-7th centuries was enormous. It covered lands from the Greater Caucasus in the north to the confluence of the Kura and Aras rivers in the south, from the Caspian Sea in the east to Iberia in the west. There were 11 historical regions in the Albanian state: Chola (south- ern Dagestan with the city of Der- bent as residency of the Albanian Catholicos), Lpinia (south of the Samur river), Kambisena (on the border with Iberia), Kabala (pre- sent-day Gabala District; Kabala was the first capital of the Albanian state), Edzheri (south of Kabala), Sheki (Zagatala-Sheki zone), Payta- karan, Caspiana or Balasakan (part The Khotaveng monastery. Kalbajar District. of the Mil and Mughan steppes), 4 www.irs-az.com The Khotaveng monastery. Kalbajar District. Uti (with the city of Partav, present- Gargars and Tsavdeys lived in Uti, wheat, barley and millet. Grain was day Barda, which was the capital Paytakaran and Artsakh. Written stored in pits and jugs4. of Albania and residency of the Al- sources also suggest that there Eighth century historian Moses banian Catholicos), Gardman (on were also nomadic tribes on the of Kalankatuyk writes in his book the border with Iberia), Artsakh territory of Karabakh and in Cauca- “History of the Albanians” that in (present-day Nagorno-Karabakh sian Albania as a whole. The same addition to agriculture, the Kara- and part of the Mil steppe), Sunik, sources point to the presence of bakh population was engaged in Sisakan or Zangezur (south of Art- the Maskuts, Saks and Gels here. gardening. People grew grapes, sakh)1. Turkic-speaking tribes were peaches, cherries, plums, pome- Karabakh, i.e. the area between one of the ethnic components of granates, cornelian cherries, wal- the Kura and Aras rivers, included Karabakh in the 4-7th centuries. nuts, chestnuts, figs, water-melons, the regions of Uti, Gardman, Saka- This period went down in history as pumpkins and other crops, as well sena, Artsakh, Sunik and Payta- one of assimilation: 1) among local as olives, saffron, madder and cot- karan with the capital city of Partav tribes; 2) among alien tribes; and ton. and the summer residency, the city 3) between local and alien tribes. Also quite developed in Kra- of Khalkhal. Eventually, Turkic-speaking tribes bakh in the early middle ages were According to Greek, Byzantine, became dominant3. livestock breeding and fishing. Georgian, Albanian, Syrian and The main occupation of the There were other popular crafts Arab sources, the autochthons of Karabakh population in the early as well: pottery, jewelry, weav- Albania were Albans, Utis, Lpins, middle ages was land cultivation. ing, glassmaking, metalworking, Caspiys, Chilbs, Gargars, Legs, Fields were watered by rivers and manufacturing of various tools and Gardmans and Tsavdeys2. The Utis, irrigation ditches and people grew instruments, stone-sawing, wood www.irs-az.com 5 Karabakh The Agoglan monastery. Zeyva settlement, 6th century and bone carving. For the level of Europe. Therefore, Karabakh cit- its economic development, Kara- ies used the Caspian Sea and the bakh was not behind any other Kura river to engage in trade with region of Asia. As was the case in various handicraft and trade cent- other parts of Albania, various cit- ers of the East and West. Taken out ies of Karabakh thrived as handi- of Karabakh were mainly livestock, craft and transit trade centers. The fish, silk, saffron, madder, carpets cities were also noted for being the and dried fruits, while different concentration of public and politi- silk fabrics, gems, glassware, silver- cal life5. ware and various decorations for Cities were surrounded by walls women were imported. Karabakh’s with towers and had various struc- extensive bilateral relations with tures inside, including adminis- the outside world are confirmed by trative buildings and palaces. The the Sassanid, Byzantine and other most significant were Kabala, Cho- coins discovered in Azerbaijan7. la, Barda, Paytakaran, Amaras, Tsri6. Albania had its own script in Particularly developed in Kara- which various compositions were bakh was trade, which was largely written. The script was developed due to the passage of well-known by Benjamin and Jeremiah on the trade routes through the Caucasus. basis of the Gargar language which 8 Inside of the Caucasian cities were linked to the was rich in guttural sounds . The Agoglan monastery. Great Silk Way which originated in Albanian alphabet consisted of 52 6th century the far east and stretched as far as graphemes. Many books, primar- 6 www.irs-az.com ily religious, were translated from and foreign policies. To reinforce wars. However, on seeing the impo- ancient Syrian and Greek languag- his own power, he strengthened tence of Byzantium, he announced es into the Albanian. It is known the positions of Christianity in the in 667 that Albania was moving that there was correspondence kingdom, which was why the capi- into the patronage of the Arab ca- between Albanian kings and the tal was moved to Barda. It was un- liphate. The move helped preserve clergy. The existence of the Albani- der his rule that Albanian laws were Albania’s independence and pro- an-language literature is confirmed codified: the Aguen canons regu- tect the country from plundering by the “Canons” of Albanian King lating the state, socioeconomic and raids. Conditions were created for Vachagan III and a unique research religious life of the Albanian king- the development of crafts, trade called “The History of the Albani- dom were approved in 448. and culture in Albania. It was on ans” by Moses of Kalankatuyk. In the 6th century Albania was the instruction of Prince Javanshir There were schools in the Uti at the center of war among the that Moses of Kalankatuyk wrote (Karabakh) region of Albania in the Sassanid, Byzantium and Khazars. the History of the Albanians. Prince 5th century. On orders from King According to a 591 agreement be- Javanshir also provided support to Vachagan III, a special school was tween the Sassanid and Byzantium, a multitude of poets, architects and established to teach writing and Albania found itself under the rule musicians. This is how he contribut- Christianity to pagan children9. Be- of Shahanshahs who eliminated ed to Albania’s cultural renaissance fore the introduction of Christianity the local dynasty. As was the case and turned Karabakh into an im- to Albania, astral cults were wide- elsewhere in the Caucasus, Alba- portant cultural center of Albania. spread throughout Albania, includ- ing Karabakh. Christianity became 8-10th centuries state religion in the 4th century10. By the late 7th century, the Albanian Catholicoses were or- southern part of Azerbaijan was dained at church congregations at- passed into the control of the Arab tended by the king, heads of epar- caliphate, while the north, Albania, chies, princes and noblemen. The became its vassal12. Soon after- most outstanding Catholicos was wards, a new religion, Islam, was Viro who played an important part spread throughout the country, in the political life and foreign rela- including Karabakh. Most of the tions of the Albanian state in the 6th Capital. Early middle population became Muslims, while century. ages. Barda. a minority remained Christians. The 7th century political history Taking advantage of the situation, of Karabakh was rich in complex nia, including Karabakh (Uti, Payta- Armenian Catholicos Ilia told Ca- developments. Starting from the 5th karan and Artsakh), became part of liph Abd al-Maliq that Christian century, Karabakh was the main re- the northern vicariate of the Sassa- Albanians were staging an upris- gion of the kingdom and soon de- nid empire. ing against him. Without bother- veloped into a political, economic, In the early 7th century (603- ing to look into the situation, the cultural and religious center of the 629), there was war between the caliph ordered that Christian Alba- state. In 446, the capital of the Al- Sassanid and Byzantine empires, nians become part of the Armenian banian kingdom was moved from and Albania was caught in it. As a church. This is how the transfor- Kabala to the Karabakh city of Bar- result, Karabakh was plundered mation of Karabakh Albanians da. This is where the Albanian Ca- and serious damage was caused to into confessional “Armenians” tholicos established his residency its cities and villages. began13. as well. Despite the foreign political One of the prominent Albanian The development of commerce turmoil, Albanian kings managed rulers, Prince Javanshir, signed a in the 8-9th centuries fetched sig- to preserve the independence of peace treaty with Byzantine Em- nificant revenue to the caliphate. It the Albanian state. For instance, peror Constantine Augustus11 in its heyday (9-early 12th centuries), one of the most prominent Alba- an effort to preserve the economic Karabakh maintained broad con- nian leaders Vachagan III (487-510) and political stability of the state tacts with its northern neighbors pursued independent domestic and rid the people of wearisome across the Caspian and the Volga, www.irs-az.com 7 Karabakh Bridge. Early middle ages. Barda. the Dnepr and Don14. Karabakh created in Arabic, while Christian In the late 9th century, inde- was a destination for trade cara- schools were superseded by the pendent feudal structures started vans from many countries, mainly Muslim Mekteb and Medrese17. emerging on the outskirts of the Europe and the East. Karabakh Mosques and schools were built caliphate. At the end of the pro- markets were a popular transfer in Karabakh. As was the case else- cess, Karabakh became part of the point and played an important part where in the Muslim world, local Sadjid state.