History of Azerbaijan

Kingdom of Shirvan, 861 CE–1538 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Shirvanshahs were the rulers of Shirvan (in present-day Azerbaijan) from 861 to 1538. The Shirvanshahs ruled from 861 to 1538, one of the most enduring dynasties of the Islamic world. At times they were independent, often they had to recognize the overlordship of neighbouring empires. In 1538 Shah Tahmasp I dismissed Shirvanshah Shahrukh due to his continuous disloyalty, and Shirvan was subsequently made a province of the Safavid realm.

Seat of power: Baku

Rulers

• Ibrahim I of Shirvan, Shirvanshahs, 1382–1418
• Khalilullah I, Shirvanshahs, 1418–1465
• Farrukh Yassar, Shirvanshahs, 1465–1500
• Bahram Beg, Shirvanshahs, 1500–1501
• Sultan Mahmud, Shirvanshahs, 1501–1502
• Gazi Beg, Shirvanshahs, 1501–1501
• Ibrahim II Sheykhshah, Shirvanshahs, 1502–1524
• Khalilullah II, Shirvanshahs, 1524–1535
• Farrukh Yassar II, Shirvanshahs, 1527–1527
• Shahrukh of Shirvan, Shirvanshahs, 1535–1538

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, 1918–1920 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Republic of Azerbaijan, better known in historiography as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, was the first secular democratic republic in the Turkic and Muslim worlds. The ADR was founded by the Azerbaijani National Council in Tiflis on 28 May 1918 after the collapse of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, and ceased to exist on 28 April 1920. Ganja was the temporary capital of the Republic as Baku was under Bolshevik control. Fatali Khan Khoyski became its first prime minister.

Seat of power: Baku

Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, 1920–1991 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union between 1922 and 1991. The Azerbaijan SSR was created on 28 April 1920 following the Red Army invasion of Azerbaijan. In December 1922, the Transcaucasian SFSR became part of the newly established Soviet Union. On 5 February 1991 the Azerbaijan SSR was renamed the Republic of Azerbaijan, and it remained in the USSR for the period before the declaration of independence.

Seat of power: Baku

Azerbaijan, 1991 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In September 1991, the ethnic Armenian majority of the Nagorno-Karabakh region formed the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, which became de facto independent with the end of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994, although the region and seven surrounding districts remained internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. Following the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, the seven districts and parts of Nagorno-Karabakh were returned to Azerbaijani control. An Azerbaijani offensive in 2023 ended the Republic of Artsakh and resulted in the expulsion of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.

Seat of power: Baku

Rulers

• Ayaz Mutallibov, President of Azerbaijan, 1991–1992
• Abulfaz Elchibey, President of Azerbaijan, 1992–1993
• Isa Gambar, President of Azerbaijan, 1992–1992
• Yaqub Mammadov, President of Azerbaijan, 1992–1992
• Heydar Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, 1993–2003
• Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, 2003 to today