The establishment of various khanates in the territory of Azerbaijan was an objective result of the development of historical events.
In May 1747, Nadir Shah was killed in a coup d'etat. The establishment of the first independent khanates in the territory of Azerbaijan dates back to the 1840s. If some of them appeared after the fall of Nadir Shah's state, others were formed during the reign of Nadir Shah as a result of the struggle against Iran. Some khanates, on the other hand, date back to the time when they existed as a semi-independent administrative entity within the Safavid state.
Independent and semi-independent Karabakh, Sheki, Guba, Shamakhi, Baku, Nakhchivan, Ganja, Irevan, Talysh, Tabriz, Ardabil, Sarab, Khoy, Urmia, Garadagh, Magara, Maku khanates were established in Azerbaijan. At the same time, small semi-independent state institutions were established in Azerbaijan: Gabala, Arash, Gazakh, Shamsaddil, Ilusu sultanates, Tsar-Balakan community. Karabakh, Sheki, Guba and Urmia khanates were stronger than them.
In 1747, Fatali khan Afshar founded the Urmia khanate. Fatali khan managed to unite the vast majority of the khanates of South Azerbaijan in a short time (except for Ardabil and Maku). Fatali khan was able to prevent the Iranian troops of Karim khan Zand from attacking Azerbaijan.
In 1763, Karim khan united a number of Azerbaijani khans to defeat Zand Fatali khan. With their help, Fatali khan was defeated. In order to destroy the allied khans, Karim khan Zand invited them to visit Shiraz and arrested them (“Shiraz hospitality”).
Haji Chalabi khan was the first to try to unite the northern Azerbaijani khanates around him. He united the sultanates of Gabala and Arash, and made the free community of Tsar dependent. To defeat him, the Georgian tsar Irakli II united a number of Azerbaijani khans around him, but arrested them in a place called Gizilgaya ("Treason of Gizilgaya"). Haji Chalabi defeated the Georgians in the battle near Ganja and released the khans.
Guba khan Fatali khan also fought for the unification of Azerbaijan. Derbent, Baku, Salyan and Javad khanates were united. Fatali khan managed to unite Northeast Azerbaijan. Its strengthening disturbed other khans. In 1774, they united with the rulers of Dagestan and defeated Fatali khan of Guba in the battle of Gavdushan.
In 1748, Panahali khan Javanshir founded the Karabakh khanate. Its first capital was Bayat Fortress (1748), its second capital was Shahbulag Fortress (1752), and its last capital was Shusha (1757). Money called "panahabad" was minted in the khanate. After Panahali khan's death in "Shiraz hospitality", the khanate was headed by Ibrahimkhalil khan. He is trying to unite Azerbaijan through diplomatic means, preventing Russia's aggressive plans.
The Ziyadoghuls were in power in the Ganja khanate. Javad khan, who came to power in 1786, strengthened the khanate.
The Iravan khanate was ruled by representatives of the Gajar dynasty. Huseynali khan was fighting with Georgia, Mahammadhuseyn khan was fighting with Agha Mohammad khan Gajar, Huseyngulu khan was fighting with Russia. The Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (Georgia), which came under the auspices of Russia under the Treaty of Georgievsk in 1783, was in fact pursuing a policy that met Russia's interests. At the same time, Russia tried to attract Armenians by promising to establish an "Armenian kingdom" in the western lands of Azerbaijan.
Representatives of the Kangarli dynasty were in power in the Nakhchivan khanate. The khanate was strengthened during the reign of Kalbali khan.
Agha Mohammad khan Gajar put an end to the chaos in Iran, and then wanted to unite South and Northern Azerbaijan on their lands. In 1795, he marched on the Karabakh khanate. A number of Azerbaijani khans came to the aid of Karabakh, captured Tiflis and left the region. In 1797, he attacked the Karabakh khanate for the second time. This time he was able to capture Shusha, but was killed by his nobles.
At the beginning of the 19th century, South Azerbaijan became part of the Gajar state. Shah's son Prince Abbas Mirza ruled these territories and tried to carry out reforms.
During the khanate period, there were the following forms of land ownership: state lands, estates, tiuls, foundations, public lands.
The population was divided into two main classes - feudal lords and peasants. In addition, merchants and artisans lived in the cities. The feudal class included khans, sultans, kings, hereditary and titular nobles, and clergy. All of them were exempt from taxes and duties.
The other social class was the amnesties. They defended the khanate in peacetime and took part in wars during wars. The main part of the population was made up of subjects and ranchers.
The subjects had to pay the following taxes and bear the following obligations: maljahat, mustamir-grain, dargalik, holiday, toycu, manchanak money, ilxichi, varizkil, horse barley, jizya, room expenses, garden head, nails, panchikalam, julbashi, peshkesh, , duty, fine, avraz, beer, etc.
The supreme power in the khanate belonged to the khan. All military, administrative, legislative, executive, and judicial power belonged to the khan.
The city administration was headed by Kalantar. The head of the administration, the chief of staff, etc. was included. There were 3 courts: divan, sharia and artisan.
Each khanate had its own money, army and state symbols. Khanates were divided into districts, which were ruled by deputies. The main currency in the khanates was the abbasi. The ruling class consisted of khans and beys, peasants, subjects, ranchers and people. The existence of each khanate's own money, customs service, administration, tax system, internal disputes and disputes weakened the development of the country.
The leading sectors of the economy were agriculture and cattle breeding. In the Sheki khanate, silkworm breeding had a special place in the economy, in Guba - carpet weaving, in Baku - oil and salt.
Crafts and trade flourished in the center of the khanates. Weaving, coppersmithing, weapons, agriculture and jewelry were made. Blacksmiths, coppersmiths, weavers, potters, dyers, tanners, stonemasons, carpenters, shoemakers, etc. work in various Organizations. were united.
The development of trade was hampered by many duties, differences in currencies, weights and sizes. These figures were different in the khanates. Natural economy hindered the development of trade and commodities.
Culture. In the XVIII century, the revival of cultural life in the cities of Azerbaijan began to take into account. There were schools and madrasas in the cities. Science and literature were developing in Azerbaijan. Eighteenth-century Azerbaijani poets created works in a style close to the spirit of folk poetry. The poetic power of the prominent Azerbaijani lyric poets Molla Panah Vagif and Molla Veli Vidadi reached its peak. At the same time, a number of interesting examples of prose have been created in Azerbaijani literature. Among them, "The Epic of Shahriyar" and "The Thief and the Old Man" are considered the most important monuments. In the 18th century, Azerbaijani music, painting and architecture developed. In Azerbaijan, music was enriched with folk melodies. Singers composed new classifications of ancient mughams and songs. Among musical instruments, saz, tar, kamanja, balaban, zurna, tutek, nagara, daf are more widespread. Many cultural monuments created in the XVIII century by Azerbaijani architects and masters of fine arts have been preserved to this day.
The palace of Sheki khans was built in the 60s of the XVIII century and was decorated with nets along the facade and patterns inside. Azerbaijani artists have achieved the highest level of mastery in the field of painting. The patterns they created adorned buildings, utensils, weapons, and tombstones.