A Truthful History

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THE ORIGIN OF THE KHANS OF KARABAGH AND THEIR RISE

They descend from sub-tribe Sarijallu, an offshoot of Javanshir tribe. Others say they were from a Tatar tribe: one of the significant members of the tribe lefthis native land, came to Georgia and settled in the fortress of Lori. He served the khansof Ganje, when they were still powerful. Afterwards he came and joined the tribe ofJavanshir in Karabagh. There he married and a son was born to him, who was namedAli. Since Ali was yellowish, he was called Sarije Ali. He was wealthy, therefore a great number of workers and servants gathered around him. Their group was alsocalled Sarije 'Ali. His son Ibrahim Aqa inherited all his fortune and increased it. Their inheritance included the garden at Aghdam, a land estate and pastures in Arasbar anda large number of cattle. The name of Ibrahim Khalil is inscribed at the summer quarter ofQalaq.

When Nadir Shah conscripted a troop from Javanshir tribe, he took FazlAli beg, the eldest son of Ibrahim Khalil, named as a soldier of his ishikaqasi. Soon he was killed in a battle, so [Nadir] summoned his younger brother, Panah Aliand appointed him at the post of a herald. Some time afterwards Panah Ali left hisservice and ran away to Karabagh. He lived there hiding. The infuriated Nadir Shah orderedthe amirs and beglarbegs of Azerbaijan, Shirvan, and othercountries to catch him and send him back, but they failed to catch him. [Panah Alistayed in this situation] until the year of 1161, when the news about Nadir Shah'smurder spread. Panah Ali Beg came out of his refuge, surrounded by a crowd of histribesmen and relatives and began committing unauthorized actions. He treated theJavanshir, Otuziki, Kiabirli tribes, returned from Khorasan together with the tribes ofGeorgia, well, gave them areas to live and kept under his protection. He gathered a groupof eminent young men and started to skirmish with everybody.

Ali-qoli Khan, Nadir Shah's nephew reigned after hisuncle's death. He appointed Amir Aslan Khan Qirqillu to the post of governorand Commander-in-Chief of Azerbaijan. When the new governor heard of Panah Ali Beg, he wanted to see him. They met and he suggested to him [Panah Ali] to submit toAli Shah. Panah Ali found it expedient to admit. Amir Aslan Khan reportedabout this to Ali Shah and brought him khal'at, swords and raqam ofkhanate.

Then Panah Khan thought, that as he had just begun to rule, he needed afortress to serve as a safe refuge in cases of danger. That is why, in 1752/1162 he put upa fortress at Bayat, fortified its walls and settled there. At the meantime, those whoenvied him: the people of Otuziki, Javanshir and Khamsa meliks of Karabagh, sent an appealto Haji Chelebi, the governor of Shirvan from Shirvanshahs' family. They explicatedto him, that Panah Khan had become the ruler of Karabagh, was building a fortress andstrengthening his hands. They incited war, warning him not lose the time or else he wouldnot be able to resist him in future.

Responding to their appeal, Haji Chelebi recruited a big army from Jar, Baylakan (Balakan) and Shirvan, and began a campaign against Panah Khan. The latterdemonstrated resistance with his men in the fortress of Bayat. It was a hard war and HajiChelebi was unable to defeat Panah Khan, so he returned without attaining his aim. On hisway back, he said the following: "Until now Panah Khan was merely a gold, we came andminted a coin of the gold".

These words turned to a proverb among the people.

Afterwards in 1165/1755 Panah Khan found a better spot for new fotressShahbulagh in Tarnakiut and came there to build it on the slope of a hill. He designed theproject of its buildings, mosques, markets, and bathhouses, and built a safe refuge. Thenstarted to find fault with the meliks of Jraberd and Talish and clashed with them.

At that time there were disagreements between the meliks of Khamsa onaccount of the election of their chief, to whom the others had to obey. Melik Shahnazarassassinated his Uncle Melik Huseyn seized from him the post of melik and became the headof Varanda district. Khamsa meliks, enraged by this, made their forces ready to attackhim. Melik Shahnazar fortified himself in Avetaranots village: he fenced it off with wallsto defend himself. Meliks being unable to seize Avetaranots, plundered the district ofVaranda and came back with the intention to attack it the next year and punish MelikShahnazar.

Melik Shahnazar felt his weakness against the united power of meliksand, to escape from meliks' rage, was compelled to rely on Panah Khan and submit tohim.