Nowa Polityka Wschodnia 2018, nr 2 (17) ISSN 2084-3291 DOI: 10.15804/npw20181703 s. 45–56 www.czasopisma.marszalek.com.pl/pl/10-15804/npw A LIYEV S HIRINBEY H A JI A LI O GHLU PhD in history, associate professor Islam in North-Western Azerbaijan in the Early Medieval Ages Islam in North-Western Azerbaijan in the Early Medieval Ages Abstract This article, which we would like to include in the scientific circulation, deals with the religious situation in the North-Western Azerbaijan in the early medieval ages and presents the stages of the spread of Islam in the conditions of the religious-ide- ological struggle in the region and its position. Keywords: medieval ages, North-Western Azerbaijan, Sheki, Islam Ислам в северо-западном Азербайджане в раннем средневековье Аннотация Эта статья, которую мы хотели бы включить в научный оборот, касается ре- лигиозной ситуации в Северо-Западном Азербайджане в раннем средневе- ковье и представляет собой этапы распространения ислама в условиях рели- гиозно-идеологической борьбы в региона и его положения. Ключевые слова: средневековые века, Северо-Западный Азербайджан, Шеки, Ислам 46 A R T Y K U ŁY The study of the first sources revealed that among the North-Western Azerbaijani tribes, Christianity spread relatively late, at the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries B.C, during the religious reforms carried out by the Al- banian tsar III Believer Vachagan (Kalankatuklu, 1993, pp. 7, 19, 22, 29, 50– 55, 72–75, 185, 224). According to the Georgian sources, Northern- Western Azerbaijani tribes, who had adopted monophysitism – which was the ruling religious trend in Albania – following a sharp fight between monophysites and diophisites remained to be monophysites to the mid-10th century (Картлиса, 1976, pp. 4, 6, 34, 53, 127). According to the Armenian and Albanian sources, however, it was true until the end of the 12th cen- tury (Hacıəli, 2007, pp. 196–197). Although in the 5th and 6th centuries the Christianity was widely practiced among the North-Western Azerbaijani tribes, such factors as the fight between monophysites and diophisites, the partial preservation of the remains of ancient idolaters and fire-worship- pers, and the rapid spread of Islam in Albania during the Caliphate and the penetration of the new religion into the region did not allow either side to strengthen their religion. It is known that at the beginning of the 8th century Islam was the domi- nant religion in Azerbaijan (Bünyadov, 1989, pp. 87–89). In the South Cau- casus, Tiflis was considered to be the “border city of Islam” (Сведения арабских писателей о Кавказе, Армении и Адербейджане: I..., 1901, p. 15). However, the process of Islamization among the Arran population, who were the “people of the book”, particularly the population of the moun- tainous Arrans, was relatively weak compared to other parts of Azerbaijan. There are different reasons for which the new religion failed to spread in North-West Azerbaijan in the Caliphate era. In the first stage of the oc- cupation, in other words, during the rule of the Amavites (661–750), the peoples of the invaded countries were free in their beliefs. Those who re- mained in their previous religious faith and those who did not accept Is- lam had to pay farming tribute to tax payers (Azərbaycan tarixi, 1994, p. 249). However, there were some exceptions. For example, in the period under the Amavities, it was ordered that taxes should not be collected from priests. The reason for such an attitude toward the priests was that the Ar- abs protected churches in Arran, Armenia and other Christian countries, and recognized their right to inviolability and tax exemption (Bünyadov, 1989, p. 114). A.S.H. OGHLU ISLAM IN NORTH-WESTERN AZERBaiJAN IN THE EARLY MEDIEVAL AGES 47 On the other hand, the Arabs used the peoples they subjugated during their military campaigns as warriors. According to academician Z.M. Bu- nyadov, military units consisting of Christians (Zimmites) also played an important role in these military campaigns and were involved in opera- tions as detached units. When the local units of the Zimmites helped the Arabs to provide armed assistance, the Arabs freed them from paying tax- es because military service replaced taxes (Bünyadov, 1989, pp. 83–84). The North-West Azerbaijani tribes, who were still in the knighthood, also took active part in Arab marches against the Khazars. The sources provide us with valuable information about military units of the ancient Gells participating in these marches. The Gells are considered to have been autochthon ethnoses of North-Western Azerbaijan. According to Balazuri, the king of the Gells – Filanshah was ordered to be involved only in the at- tacks of Muslims (Баладзори…, 1927, p. 19). According to Balazuri, Filan- shah, who was in the subordination to the Arabs, was not subjected to any tax for his kindness towards the Muslim army, military enthusiasm, hero- ism, and praiseworthy acts (Баладзори…, 1927, p. 19). Another important factor influencing the non-dissemination of Islam in North-Western Azerbaijan was of the fact that the Khazar Turks regu- larly attacked and occasionally took control of those lands. In the Arab- Khazar confrontation, which began in the mid-7th century and lasted un- til the end of the 8th century, the Arabs could not consolidate their rule in North-Western Azerbaijan. According to A.Y. Krimskiy, the Khazars had ruled in Arran for a hundred years (Bünyadov, 1989, p. 113). If we refer to concrete facts, then we will see that North-Western Azerbaijan lands were under the control of the Khazars (Bünyadov, 1989, p. 106) when Caliph II Yazid (720–724) pursued harsh policies against the Christian population (Bünyadov, 1989, pp. 116–117). In this sense, the Khazars have fallen into history as a serious force preventing the advancement of Islam, not only in North-Western Azerbaijan, but also in the North Caucasus. The sharp turning point in the adoption of the Islamic religion took place only after the Abbasids came to power in the Caliphate (750 AD). In the mountains and foothills of Albania, where Christianity was wide- spread (mainly west and northwest of the country), Islam did not gain as much popularity as in the plain areas and did not become the ruling reli- 48 A R T Y K U ŁY gion. According to Ibn Khaldun, the Arabs sought to attack the plain, not the mountainous places (Bünyadov, 1989, p. 87). During the Caliphate, Islam was able to take an important position among the North-Western Azerbaijani tribes. The 12th century Arab au- thor Al-Garnati (1080–1170) mentioned that in the 8th century Masma- la ibn Abdulmalik “made many peoples to adopt Islam” in the Caucasus, noting the Gells among the peoples who adopted Islam, and in particular Filan (Vəkixanlı, 1974, p. 160). However, Al-Garnati’s information is not confirmed by other sources (Arabic, Georgian and Armenian). In the second half of the 9th century, as a result of the political upheaval in Azerbaijan that followed the collapse of the Caliphate, the Sheki king- dom (886–1104) was formed in the North-Western Azerbaijan. In 886, the “devout Prince Hammam restored the decayed Albanian kingdom” (Kalankatuklu, 1993, pp. 18, 200, 234; Крымский, 1938, p. 337; Bünyadov, 1989, p. 181). The Sheki kingdom, which emerged as the successor of Al- bania and kept the title of “Albanian Czar”, existed in the years 886–1104 (Картли, 1982, pp. 5, 6, 7, 38, 47–48, 66, 127), for more than 230 years (Hacıəli, 2007, pp. 116–173). This state established by Hammam is present- ed in Arabic sources as Sheki and Albanian kingdom, in Armenian sources as Albania, and in Georgian sources as Hereti kingdom (Мусхелишвили, 1982, p. 38). The territory of the Sheki kingdom included the Kur River in the south, up to the Turdos khev – Shtoris khev – Samebis khev Rivers in the west, and the areas up to Gabala in the east (Леонти, 1979, pp. 10, 22– 24, 100–101, 125–126). In other words, the territory of the Sheki King- dom, stretching from the Kura River Gabala and Telavi in the north, after the political unification with the Kakheti princedom in 1014 was extended to the Araqvi River in the west (6, pages 128, 11, pp. 161, 8, pp. 138–139). Among the feudal states (Shirvanshahs, Sajids, Salaris, Ravvadis, Shaddadis) that emerged in Azerbaijan at that time, the Sheki Realm was distinguished owing to the fact that most of its population were Christian – monophysites (Багратиони, 1976, pp. 5, 6, 34, 53, 219). It was this factor that had a serious impact on the political, economic and religious-spiritual approximation of the Sheki Realm, which was encircled by Muslim states, including Georgia. Moreover, in contrast to the other feudal states that were waging the “sacred war against the giaours” (Минорски, 1963, p. 56), A.S.H. OGHLU ISLAM IN NORTH-WESTERN AZERBaiJAN IN THE EARLY MEDIEVAL AGES 49 the Sheki Realm was the target of this policy along with the neighboring Christian states. The Arab author of the 10th century, Ibn Rusta, wrote that there was a tsar called Adzarnarse (Adarnerseh – A.Sh.) in the town of Khaizan who worshipped three religions. He prayed together with Muslims on Fri- day, with Jews on Saturday, and with Christians on Sunday (Сведения арабских писателей о Кавказе, Армении и Адербейджане: III…, 1903, p. 49). Masudi, who wrote about a tribe of Shekins (Shekinians – A.Sh.) near the Sanariya Realm, pointed out that there were many Muslims living there and who were engaged in trade and various crafts. Moreover, when Masudi wrote his book, that’s to say, in 944, the tsar of the Shekins was Adernerse ibn Hammam (Сведения арабских географов…, 1908, p.