History
Khanate was founded as a feudal mulk (landholding) given to Qajar-related Ziyadoglu family in 1606. The founder of the independent khanate was Panah Ali khan from the clan of Javanshir (1693-1761). Following the death of Nadir shah Afshar in 1747,the central government in Iran collapsed and the Iranian state has split into numerous small independent khanates.
Panakh-khan took advantage of the enmity between the five Armenian meliks (princes) of the region, who were referred to as Khamsa (five in Arabic), and subordinated them.[2] The capital of the khanate was first a castle of Bayat in 1748, followed by newly build town of Panahabad in 1750-1752. It was established to control Karabakh meliks with support of Melik Shah-Nazar of Varanda, who was the first to accept suzerainty of Panah Ali khan. Panahabad during Ibrahim-Khalil khan's reign, son of Panah Ali khan, became a large town and was renamed Shusha, apparently after the name of the nearest village of Sh?sh?kent. Panah Ali khan expanded the territory of Karabakh khanate subjugating territory of Karabakh, Megri, Tatev, Sisian, Gafan in Zangezur and Nakchivan Khanate.
In less than a year after Shusha was founded, the Karabakh khanate was attacked by Muhammed Hassan khan Qajar, one of the major claimants to the Iranian throne. During the Safavid Empire Karabakh was for almost two centuries ruled by the Turkic-speaking clan of Qajar, and therefore, Muhammed Hassan khan considered Karabakh his hereditary estate.
Muhammed Hassan khan besieged Shusha (Panahabad at that time) but soon had to retreat, because of the attack on his khanate of his major opponent to the Iranian throne Kerim khan Zend. His retreat was so hasty that he even left his cannons under the walls of Shusha fortress. Panah Ali khan counterattacked the retreating troops of Muhammad Hassan khan and even briefly took Ardebil across the Araks River in South (Iranian) Azerbaijan.
In 1759 Shusha and the Karabakh khanate underwent a new attack from Fatali khan Afshar, ruler of Urmia. With his 30,000-strong army Fatali khan also managed to gain support from the meliks (feudal vassals) of Jraberd and Talish (Gulistan), however melik Shah Nazar of Varan continued to support Panah Ali khan. Siege of Shusha lasted for six months and Fatali khan eventually had to retreat.
After Panah Ali khan's death his son Ibrahim Khalil khan became the ruler of the Karabakh khanate. Under him Karabakh khanate became one of the strongest state formations in 18th century Azerbaijan and Shusha turned into a big town. According to travellers who visited Shusha at the end of 18th-early 19th centuries the town had about 2,000 houses and approximately 10,000 population, which was mostly Musim Azeri.
In summer 1795 Shusha underwent major attack of Aga Muhammad khan Qajar, son of Muhammad Hassan khan who attacked Shusha in 1752. Aga Muhammad khan Qajar's goal was to end with the feudal fragmentation and to restore the old Safavid State in Iran and Azerbaijan. For this purpose he also wanted to proclaim himself shah (king) of Iran. However, according to the Safavid tradition, shah had to take control over the whole of South Caucasus before his coronation. Therefore, Karabakh khanate and its fortified capital Shusha were the first and major obstacle to achieve these ends.
Aga Muhammad khan Qajar besieged Shusha with his 80,000-strong army. Ibrahim Khalil khan mobilized the population for long-term defense. The number of militia in Shusha reached 15,000. Women fought together with men. The Christian Armeno-Albanian population of Karabakh (which historically formed as a result of ethnic mixture of local Caucasus Albanians and Armenians) also actively participated in this struggle against the invaders and fought side by side with Muslim population jointly organizing ambushes in the mountains and forests.
The siege lasted for 33 days. Not being able to capture Shusha, Agha Muhammad khan ceased the siege and advanced to Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi), which despite desperate resistance was occupied and exposed to unprecedented destruction.
In 1797 Agha Muhammad shah Qajar, who by that time has already managed to declare himself Shah (albeit he did not succeed in conquering the Caucasus as the tradition required) decided to carry out a second attack on Karabakh.
Trying to revenge for the previous humiliating defeat Qajar devastated the surrounding villages near Shusha. The population could not recover from the previous 1795 attack and also suffered from serious draught which lasted for three years. The artillery of the enemy also caused serious losses to the city defenders. Thus, in 1797 Aga Muhammed shah succeeded to seize Shusha and Ibrahim Khalil khan was forced to flee to Dagestan.
However, several days after seizure of Shusha, Aga Muhammed shah was killed in enigmatic circumstances by his bodyguards. The Iranian troops left without head run away and soon afterwards, Ibrahim Khalil khan returned to Shusha and restored his authority as khan of Karabakh.
During the rule of Ibrahim-Khalil khan, the Karabakh khanate grew in importance and established ties with other neighbouring khanates as well as with Iran, Ottoman and Russian Empires. In 1805, a Kurekchay Treaty was signed between the Karabakh khanate and the Russian Empire. According to the Kurekchay Treaty, the Karabakh khan recognized supremacy and dominance of the Russian Empire, gave up his right to carry out independent foreign policy and took obligation to pay the Russian Treasury 8 thousand gold roubles a year. In its turn, the Czarist government took obligation not to infringe upon the right of the legitimate successors of the Karabakh khan to administer the internal affairs of their possessions.
However in the same year, Russians reneged on the treaty, apparently acting on suspision that Ibrahim-Khalil Khan was a traitor. His family was executed in Shusha by Major Lisanevich and he had to flee.
Russian Empire consolidated its power in Karabakh, following the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813 and Treaty of Turkmenchay of 1828, when following two brief Russo-Persian Wars, Iran recognized belonging of the Karabakh khanate, along with many other Azerbaijani khanates, to Russia.
In 1822 Russian Empire abolished Karabakh khanate, just like all other Azerbaijani khanates it subdued by the early 19th century. A Karabakh province was created in its place, administered by Russian officials.
Rulers
1 Khans - Ziyad oghlu Qajar dynasty -
1722-1728 Davud Khan
1728-1730 Makhitar
1730-1738 Ughurlu Khan
Javanshir dynasy
1747-1761 Panah Khan Ali Bey
1761-1806 Ibrahim Khalil Khan
1806-1822 Mehdi Qulu Khan Muzaffar
1822- khanate abolished
