Aresh uezd

The Aresh uezd,[lower-alpha 1] later known as the Agdash uezd,[lower-alpha 2] was a county (uezd) of the Elizavetpol Governorate of the Russian Empire and later of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic with its center in Aresh (present-day Agdash) from 1874[3] until its formal abolition in 1929 by Soviet authorities.[4][5]

Aresh uezd
Арешскій уѣздъ
Uezd
Coat of arms of Aresh uezd
Coat of arms
Location in the Elizavetpol Governorate
Location in the Elizavetpol Governorate
CountryRussian Empire
ViceroyaltyCaucasus
GovernorateElizavetpol
Established1874
Abolished1929
CapitalAresh
(present-day Agdash)
Area
 • Total2,638.21 km2 (1,018.62 sq mi)
Population
 (1916)
 • Total99,400
 • Density38/km2 (98/sq mi)
 • Rural
100.00%

Geography

The Aresh uezd was located in the northeastern section of Elizavetpol Governorate, on the eastern bank of the Kura River, bordering the Baku Governorate to the east, the Nukha uezd to the north, the Elizavetpol uezd to the northwest and Jebrail uezd to the southwest. The area of the uezd was 2822.9 square verst. The territory of the county was mainly made up of lowlands.[6] The county capital was initially in Uchkovakh, later being moved to Agdash, which was considered the largest cotton-trading center in the lowlands of Transcaucasia.[5]

History

The territory of Aresh uezd was located in the Turyanchay River basin. The area was called Aresh (Azerbaijani: Ərəş) in the Middle Ages and formed a part of Shirvan Baylarbaylik which was gradually made significantly weaker after repeated Ottoman-Safavid conflicts on its territory, eventually being subdued into the Shaki Khanate in the 1750s.

After the establishment of Russian rule, Aresh was a part of Nukha uezd of Baku Governorate, however, in 1874, the territory was detached and established as a separate Aresh uezd of the newly established Elizavetpol Governorate in 1868.

The Aresh uezd was formally abolished by Soviet authorities in 1929, and superseded by the Agdash Rayon, which was established in its place in 1930.[7]

Administrative divisions

The subcounties (uchastoks) of the Aresh uezd in 1912 were as follows:[8]

Name 1912 population Area
1-y uchastok (1-й участокъ) 34,078 575.84 square versts (655.34 km2; 253.03 sq mi)
2-y uchastok (2-й участокъ) 28,410 890.66 square versts (1,013.63 km2; 391.36 sq mi)
3-y uchastok (3-й участокъ) 10,420 851.60 square versts (969.17 km2; 374.20 sq mi)

Economy

The population was engaged primarily in agricultural farming and gardening. During summers, they would take the cattle to the mountains and return only in September. Wool production played an important role in the economy of uezd.[6]

Demographics

Russian Empire Census

According to the Russian Empire Census, the Aresh uezd had a population of 67,277 on 28 January [O.S. 15 January] 1897, including 36,623 men and 30,654 women. The plurality of the population indicated Tatar[lower-alpha 3] to be their mother tongue, with significant Armenian and Kyurin (Lezgian) speaking minorities.[11][12]

Linguistic composition of the Aresh uezd in 1897[11]
Language Native speakers %
Tatar[lower-alpha 3] 47,133 70.06
Armenian 13,822 20.54
Kyurin 5,869 8.72
Russian 155 0.23
Kazi-Kumukh 128 0.19
Avar-Andean 71 0.11
Jewish 34 0.05
Greek 8 0.01
Persian 8 0.01
Georgian 8 0.01
Belarusian 7 0.01
Polish 6 0.01
Udi 4 0.01
German 1 0.00
Other 23 0.03
TOTAL 67,277 100.00

Kavkazskiy kalendar

According to the 1917 publication of Kavkazskiy kalendar, the Aresh uezd had a population of 99,400 on 14 January [O.S. 1 January] 1916, including 53,144 men and 46,256 women, 97,280 of whom were the permanent population, and 2,180 were temporary residents. The statistics indicated Sunni Muslims to be the overwhelming majority of the population of the county with significant Armenian and Shia Muslim minorities:[13]

Nationality Number %
Sunni Muslims[lower-alpha 4] 62,155 62.53
Armenians 19,161 19.28
Shia Muslims[lower-alpha 5] 16,935 17.04
Russians 1,047 1.05
Roma 37 0.04
Asiatic Christians 30 0.03
Jews 15 0.02
Other Europeans 13 0.01
Georgians 7 0.01
TOTAL 99,400 100.00

Notes
  3. Before 1918, Azerbaijanis were generally known as "Tatars". This term, employed by the Russians, referred to Turkic-speaking Muslims of the South Caucasus. After 1918, with the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and "especially during the Soviet era", the Tatar group identified itself as "Azerbaijani".[9][10]
  4. Primarily Turco-Tatars.[14]
  5. Primarily Tatars.[14]

References
  1. "Выпуск 15-й. Арешский уезд." [Part 15. Aresh uezd.]. Азербайджанская сельскохозяйственная перепись 1921 года [1921 Azerbaijani agricultural census] (in Russian and Azerbaijani). Baku: Azerbaijani Central Statistical Bureau. 1922. p. 64 – via State Public Historical Library of Russia.
  2. "Выпуск 1-й. Учебные заведения." [Part 1. Educational institutions.]. Перепись просветительных учреждений Азербайджана 31 января 1922 года: списки просветительных учреждений [Census of educational institutions of Azerbaijan on 31 January 1922: lists of educational institutions. Part 1. Educational institutions.] (in Russian and Azerbaijani). Baku: Azerbaijani Central Statistical Bureau. 1922. p. 13 – via State Public Historical Library of Russia.
  3. Agaian, Tshatur (1956). Крестьянская реформа в Азербайджане в 1870 году [Peasant reforms in Azerbaijan in 1870]. Baku, Azerbaijan: National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan SSR. p. 61. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  4. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Elisavetpol (government)" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 280; see three lines from end. The government is divided into eight districts, Elisavetpol, Aresh......
  5. "Большой энциклопедический словарь Брокгауза и Ефрона. Агдаш" [Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia Dictionary. Agdash]. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  6. "Большой энциклопедический словарь Брокгауза и Ефрона. Арешский уезд" [Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia Dictionary. Areshsky Uyezd]. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  7. Khalafov, M.S. (1964). История государства и права Азербайджанской ССР [History of State and Law of Azerbaijan SSR]. Vol. 1. Baku, Azerbaijan: National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan SSR. Institute of Philosophy and Law. p. 46. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  8. Кавказский календарь на 1913 год, pp. 152–159.
  9. Bournoutian 2018, p. 35 (note 25).
  10. Tsutsiev 2014, p. 50.
  11. "Первая всеобщая перепись населения Российской Империи 1897 г. Распределение населения по родному языку и уездам Российской Империи кроме губерний Европейской России" [First All Russian Imperial Census of 1897. Population split according to languages spoken; uyezds of Russian empire except for governorates in European part of empire]. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  12. "АРЕШСКИЙ УЕЗД (1897 г.)" [Areshskiy Uyezd (1897)]. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  13. Кавказский календарь на 1917 год, pp. 190–197.
  14. Hovannisian 1971, p. 67.

Bibliography

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