Qakh Rayon

Qakh (Qax) is a rayon of Azerbaijan.

History

THIS IS A GEORGIAN TOWN IN GEORGIAN PROVINCE HERETI/SAINGILO. THE CORRECT NAME OF THIS TOWN IS `KAKHI`. `QAKH` IS AN AZERBAIJANIZED FORM. The region Gakh is one of the ancient lands with historical past and one of the centres of culture inhabited by the primitive tribes engaged in Azerbaijan in sedentary cultivation, animal-breeding and art. The archaeological digs revealed many habitations and tumulus referred to the Eneolit, Bronze and early Iron Age. According to the historical sources the territory of Gakh was under ruling of Skif kingdom at early 7th century B.C. One could notice the traces of Skif kingdom and its founders-skif and sak tribes.

Christianity started to be spread about the territory of the Caucasus Albania at the beginning of our era. Some Christian temples built in the territory of the region Gakh at that time. The state of Albania regressed under Arabic occupation and beginning with the 11th century first Oguz-Seljug Turks and later Gipchag Turks inhabited the territory of today's Gakh. At that period the territory of Gakh was joined to the states of Atabegs and Shirvanshahs. The region was shortly occupied by Georgians in 12th century.

In the 13th century the territory of Gakh was under the control of the state Hulakus and Turk-Mongol tribes started to move to the southern part of the territory.

In 1562 the ruler of Safavis King Tahmasib I issued a decree that depended the northern part of Gakh to a big feudal Adi Gorklu bey from sakhur. Thus established the sultanate of Ilisu.

The power of Ilisu sultanate reached so high in the 18th century that the empire of Osmanids gave to Ali Sultan bey the greatest title for that time--pasha "Iki Sanjigli" and recognised him as a beylerbeyi(title) of Sheki.

In 1803 the sultanate of Ilisu annexed to Russian empire. The ruler of the sultanate sultan Daniyal rose people against Russian empire in 1844 for disagreement between him and the government of Russia. Sultan Daniyel lost near the village Ilisu and continued his struggle together with the leader of national movement for freedom Sheykh Shamil. Russians burnt the village Ilisu and divided the territory of the sultanate into mahals (territorial unit) and annexed them to daire (territorial unit)Jar-Balaken and turned to the colony of tsarist Russia.

For the first time in 1918 in the history of Moslem countries of the east established an independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. The region was claimed by Georgian Democratic Republic and shortly occupied by them in 1919. After attack of the Bolshevik Russia in 1920 the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan regressed and established Azerbaijan SSR.

In 1930 in the north-west of the Republic of Azerbaijan appeared the region of Gakh occupying the land about 1494 km2.

Demographics

Villages

Sarıbaş, Cəlayer, İlisu, Qaşqaçay, Ağçay, Yeni İlisu, Qaxingiloy, Qaxbaş, Böyük Alatəmir, Kiçik Alatəmir, Meşəbaş, Uzuntala, Xələftala, Keşqutan, Qımır, Qarameşə, Bağtala, Əmircan, Əmbərçay, Qaratala, Qum, Çinarlı, Süskən, Fıstıqlı, Ləkit, Ləkit Kötüklü, Ləkit Malax, Zərnə, Güllük, Qapıçay, Tasmalı, Lələpaşa, Qarabaldır, Zəyəm, Lələli, Qındırğa, Qorağan, Şotavar, Almalı, Dəymədağlı, Şıxlar, Turaclı, Marsan, Çüdüllü, Əlibəyli (Qax), Kötüklü, İbaxlı, Qıpçaq, Qaysarlı, Amanlı, Oncallı, Baydarlı, Qazmalar, Tanqıt, Ağyazı, Üzümlü, Armudlu, Malax, Qaxmuğal.