Ahar ( fa, italic=yes,
اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of
Ahar County
Ahar County ( fa, شهرستان اهر) is located in East Azerbaijan province, Iran. The capital of the county is Ahar
Ahar ( fa, italic=yes, اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Acc ...
,
East Azerbaijan Province
East Azerbaijan Province ( fa, استان آذربایجان شرقی ''Āzarbāijān-e Sharqi''; az-Arab, شرقی آذربایجان اوستانی) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is located in Iranian Azerbaijan, bordering Armenia, ...
,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. According to the 2016 census, Ahar was the fourth most populated city of the province with a population of 100,641 in 20,844 families.
Ahar was the capital of
Karadag Khanate
Karadagh Khanate (), was a khanate established in the 18th century, with its capital at Ahar.
Khanate
The khanate was founded in 1747 by Kazim khan Karadakhlu as an independent entity. Its territory had bordered with Talysh to east, Ardabil, Ta ...
in 18th and 19th centuries.
Situation
In the wake of
Russo-Persian War (1804–13)
The Russo-Persian Wars or Russo-Iranian Wars were a series of conflicts between 1651 and 1828, concerning Iran, Persia (Iran) and the Russian Empire. Russia and Persia fought these wars over disputed governance of territories and countries in th ...
Ahar, with 3500 inhabitants, was the only city of
Qaradağ. Around the mid 1830s the population was estimated to be from five to six thousand inhabitants in about six hundred houses. By 1956 the population had increased to 19816. At the 2016 census, its population was 100,641, in 20,844 families.
Despite this population boom the city has been losing its former importance to the much smaller neighboring
Kaleybar
Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
city as the later is gaining nationwide fame as a tourist destination.
History
Ahar is one of the ancient cities of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
, its name before Islam was "meimad". In the 12th-13th centuries, Ahar was a minor and short-lived, but prosperous
emirate
An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a caliphate. It can be considered equivalen ...
ruled by the
Pishteginid dynasty
The Pishteginids (Bishkinids, Pishkinids) were a dynasty of maliks in Iran which ruled, from 1155 to 1231, Ahar and its adjacent district as vassals to the Shaddadids of Arran. The family descended from a Georgian nobleman captured by the Seljuqi ...
of
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
origin (1155—1231).
Yaqut al-Hamawi
Yāqūt Shihāb al-Dīn ibn-ʿAbdullāh al-Rūmī al-Ḥamawī (1179–1229) ( ar, ياقوت الحموي الرومي) was a Muslim scholar of Byzantine Greek ancestry active during the late Abbasid period (12th-13th centuries). He is known fo ...
, writing in early thirteenth century, describes Ahar as ''very flourishing despite its small extent''.
[Yaqut ibn 'Abd Allah al-Rumi al-Hamawi, Charles Adrien Casimir Barbier de Meynard, Dictionnaire géographique, historique et littéraire de la Perse et des contrees adjacentes, 1851, Paris, p. 57]
The city lost most of its importance during the rule of
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm, ...
.
Hamdallah Mustawfi
Hamdallah Mustawfi Qazvini ( fa, حمدالله مستوفى قزوینی, Ḥamdallāh Mustawfī Qazvīnī; 1281 – after 1339/40) was a Persian official, historian, geographer and poet. He lived during the last era of the Mongol Ilkhanate, and ...
, writing in mid fourteenth century, describes Ahar as a little town. He estimates the tax revenue of the town to be comparable to that of
Mardanaqom
Mardanaqom ( fa, w:fa:مردانقم, مردانقم, also Romanized as Mardānāqom; also known as Mard Agham, Mardānqom, Mardenaum, and Merdenaum) is a village in Dizmar-e Sharqi Rural District, Minjavan District, Khoda Afarin County, East Azer ...
, which presently is a medium-sized village.
Ahar was in the focus of
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty (; fa, دودمان صفوی, Dudmâne Safavi, ) was one of Iran's most significant ruling dynasties reigning from 1501 to 1736. Their rule is often considered the beginning of modern Iranian history, as well as one of th ...
's agenda for casting of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
as a
Safavid
Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
dominion. Thus,
Shah Abbas rebuilt the mausoleum of Sheikh Sheikh Shihab-al-din in Ahar.
Ahar suffered enormously during
Russo-Persian War (1804–13)
The Russo-Persian Wars or Russo-Iranian Wars were a series of conflicts between 1651 and 1828, concerning Iran, Persia (Iran) and the Russian Empire. Russia and Persia fought these wars over disputed governance of territories and countries in th ...
and
Russo-Persian War (1826–28)
The Russo-Persian Wars or Russo-Iranian Wars were a series of conflicts between 1651 and 1828, concerning Persia (Iran) and the Russian Empire. Russia and Persia fought these wars over disputed governance of territories and countries in the Cau ...
. Western travelers in 1837-1843 period had found Ahar, a city with around 700 households, in wretched condition. Their impression was that the
Qajar
Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
princes, who were dispatched as the governors of
Qaradagh hastened to collect as much wealth as possible before their removal.
Ahar was one of the epicenters of
Persian Constitutional Revolution
The Persian Constitutional Revolution ( fa, مشروطیت, Mashrūtiyyat, or ''Enghelāb-e Mashrūteh''), also known as the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, took place between 1905 and 1911. The revolution led to the establishment of a par ...
due to the involvement of
Arasbaran tribes in armed conflicts; the revolutionary and ati-revolutionary camps were headed, respectively, by
Sattar Khan and
Rahimkhan Chalabianloo
Rahimkhan Chalabianloo or Rahim Khan Chalabianlu, was a government official in power around the turn of the 19th century in Iran. He was from the Chalabianlu (tribe), Chalabianlu tribe and executed in 1911.
Biography
According to the official do ...
, both from Qaradağ region. When in 1925
Rezā Shāh
,
, spouse = Maryam Savadkoohi Tadj ol-Molouk Ayromlu (queen consort)Turan AmirsoleimaniEsmat Dowlatshahi
, issue = Princess Hamdamsaltaneh Princess Shams Mohammad Reza Shah Princess Ashraf Prince Ali Reza Prince Gholam Reza Pri ...
deposed
Ahmad Shah Qajar
Ahmad Shah Qajar ( fa, احمد شاه قاجار; 21 January 1898 – 21 February 1930) was Shah of Persia (Iran) from 16 July 1909 to 15 December 1925, and the last ruling member of the Qajar dynasty.
Ahmad Shah was born in Tabriz on 21 Janu ...
and founded the
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty ( fa, دودمان پهلوی) was the last Iranian royal dynasty, ruling for almost 54 years between 1925 and 1979. The dynasty was founded by Reza Shah Pahlavi, a non-aristocratic Mazanderani soldier in modern times, who ...
, Ahar's gradual decline started. The new king insisted on
ethnic
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
nationalism
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a in-group and out-group, group of peo ...
and cultural unitarism and implemented his policies with forced
detribalization
Detribalization is the process by which persons who belong to a particular Indigenous ethnic identity or community are detached from that identity or community through the deliberate efforts of colonizers and/or the larger effects of colonialis ...
and
sedentarization
In cultural anthropology, sedentism (sometimes called sedentariness; compare sedentarism) is the practice of living in one place for a long time. , the large majority of people belong to sedentary cultures. In evolutionary anthropology and ar ...
. He renamed Qaradağ as
Arasbaran
Arasbaran ( fa, ارسباران ''Arasbârân'') or shortened to Arasbar ( fa, ارسبار ''Arasbâr''), meaning "The Banks of the Aras/Araxes river," also known as "Qaradagh" or "Karadagh" ( az, Qaradağ / , meaning ...
to deny the
Turkic identity of the inhabitants. This policy, in particular, resulted in suppression of ethnic
Azeris
Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the second-most numer ...
.
For further information on the history of Ahar and
Arasbaran
Arasbaran ( fa, ارسباران ''Arasbârân'') or shortened to Arasbar ( fa, ارسبار ''Arasbâr''), meaning "The Banks of the Aras/Araxes river," also known as "Qaradagh" or "Karadagh" ( az, Qaradağ / , meaning ...
region one may consult the following scholarly books (all in
Persian language
Persian (), also known by its endonym Farsi (, ', ), is a Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. Persian is a pluricentric language predominantly spoken and ...
):
* H. Bayburdi "The history of Arasbaran",
[سرهنگ حسین بایبوردی، "تاریخ ارسباران"، ابن سینا، تهران ۱۳۴۱]
* Ḥusayn Dūstī, "The history and geography of Arasbaran",
* N. Sedqi, "The contemporary political and social history of Arasbaran",
* S.R. Alemohammad, "The book of Arasbaran".
Two concise English language articles are the following:
* "The Tribes of Qarāca Dāġ: A Brief History" by P. Oberling.
* The entry "AHAR", in Encyclopædia Iranica.
Economy
Until the early 1960s Ahar was the economic hub of
Arasbaran
Arasbaran ( fa, ارسباران ''Arasbârân'') or shortened to Arasbar ( fa, ارسبار ''Arasbâr''), meaning "The Banks of the Aras/Araxes river," also known as "Qaradagh" or "Karadagh" ( az, Qaradağ / , meaning ...
region.
Arasbaran nomadic tribes bartered their produce in Ahar's bazaar. The charcoal produced in villages adjacent to
Arasbaran
Arasbaran ( fa, ارسباران ''Arasbârân'') or shortened to Arasbar ( fa, ارسبار ''Arasbâr''), meaning "The Banks of the Aras/Araxes river," also known as "Qaradagh" or "Karadagh" ( az, Qaradağ / , meaning ...
forests was carried by muleteers to Ahar and from there was transported to
Tabriz
Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
. In addition, Ahar was a distribution center for the
Arasbaran rug. The gradual settlement of nomads, widespread use of fossil fuels, changing life-styles, and establishment of new marketplaces such as
Kaleybar
Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
through facilitated transportation, have diminished Ahar's economical importance.
Tourism
The main tourist site in the city is the mausoleum of Sheikh Shaabe-deen, who was the teacher of
Safi-ad-din Ardabili
Safi-ad-din Ardabili ( fa, شیخ صفیالدین اردبیلی ''Ṣāfī ad-Dīn Isḥāq Ardabīlī''; 1252/3 – 1334) was a poet, mystic, teacher and Sufi master. He was the son-in-law and spiritual heir of the Sufi master Zahed Gila ...
, the founder of the family of
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty (; fa, دودمان صفوی, Dudmâne Safavi, ) was one of Iran's most significant ruling dynasties reigning from 1501 to 1736. Their rule is often considered the beginning of modern Iranian history, as well as one of th ...
. The monument has been described by James Morier in early nineteenth century as the following, "''The mausoleum is of brick, with a foundation of stone, and faced by an elevated portico, flanked by two minors or pillars encrusted with green tiles. A little wooden door was opened for us in the back of the building, which introduced us into the spot that contained the tomb of the Sheikh, which was enclosed by a stone railing, carved into open work, and surrounded by a sculptured arabesque ornament, of very good taste. The tomb is distinguished by a marble cover, on which is an Arabic inscription in relieve''.".
[James Morier, A second journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, to Constantinople ..., 1818, p. 234]
Notable people
All notable people from
Arasbaran
Arasbaran ( fa, ارسباران ''Arasbârân'') or shortened to Arasbar ( fa, ارسبار ''Arasbâr''), meaning "The Banks of the Aras/Araxes river," also known as "Qaradagh" or "Karadagh" ( az, Qaradağ / , meaning ...
region would have counted Ahar as their home town. Here we list some prominent figures who have spent parts of their lives in Ahar or the neighboring villages:
*
Sattar Khan was originally from Qaradağ. He is considered as a national hero of Iran and is referred to as سردار ملی (meaning National Commander). He headed Constitutionalist rebels from the Amirkhiz district of
Tabriz
Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
in early twentieth century.
*
Amir Arshad Sam Khan, the headman of Haji-Alilu tribe of Arasbaran, was a legendary military commander in early twentieth century. He was given honorary titles such as Arshad Nezam, Sardar Arshad, Shoja Nezam, Salar Nezam, and Amir Arshad (w:fa:امیر ارش ...
, the headman of
Haji-Alilu Haji-Alilu (ḤĀJI ʿALILU) ( حاج علیلو) is one on the six major Tribes of Arasbaran. It is a Turkic tribe with two branches; one dwelling in the vicinity of Maragheh, and main branch lives north of Varzaqan and Ahar in the Qarājadāḡ ...
tribe, was a legendary military commander in early twentieth century. He is credited with fending off the communism from Iran.
* Qasem Ahari was born in Ahar in 1884. He was the first European trained
ophthalmologist
Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgery, surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders.
An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Followin ...
of Iran. Qasem Ahari served four terms in
National Consultative Assembly
The National Consultative Assembly ( fa, مجلس شورای ملی, Mad̲j̲les-e s̲h̲ūrā-ye mellī) or simply Majles, was the national legislative body of Iran from 1906 to 1979.
It was elected by universal suffrage, excluding the armed for ...
. He was the first representative of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
in
Senate of Iran.
*Abbas Eslami, known with his pen-name Barez, (1932-2011) was a great poet. He described the melancholic demise of Qaradağ in a book titled mourning
Sabalan
Sabalan ( Persian: سبلان ) is an inactive stratovolcano in Ardabil Province of northwestern Iran.
At in elevation, it is the third-highest mountain in Iran. It has a permanent crater lake formed at its summit. On one of its slopes aroun ...
(ياسلي ساوالان).
* Houssein Rezapour a contemporary poet with the pen-name "Razi".
* Prof. Mahmoud Akhondi (محمود آخوندى) was born ii 1933. He is an eminent Swiss-trained law professor. His 10 volume book on criminal prosecution is a major textbook in Iranian law schools.
* Colonel Husein bayburdi (حسين بايبوردي) was born in Ahar and retired from Army in 1959. He wrote and published a book on the history of Arasbaran.
This book is, perhaps, the only comprehensive original source on Arasbaran.
* Ḥusayn Dūstī (حسین دوستی), was born in Ahar. He is a prolific writer of books dealing with
Arasbaran
Arasbaran ( fa, ارسباران ''Arasbârân'') or shortened to Arasbar ( fa, ارسبار ''Arasbâr''), meaning "The Banks of the Aras/Araxes river," also known as "Qaradagh" or "Karadagh" ( az, Qaradağ / , meaning ...
.
References
Photo gallery
File:Arasbaran by Amirgtt64.jpg, Arasbaran
Arasbaran ( fa, ارسباران ''Arasbârân'') or shortened to Arasbar ( fa, ارسبار ''Arasbâr''), meaning "The Banks of the Aras/Araxes river," also known as "Qaradagh" or "Karadagh" ( az, Qaradağ / , meaning ...
forests in the vicinity of Ahar (Kaleibar county)
Image:Sab dalj1.JPG, Ahar town lies on the north-west face of Mount Sabalan
Sabalan ( Persian: سبلان ) is an inactive stratovolcano in Ardabil Province of northwestern Iran.
At in elevation, it is the third-highest mountain in Iran. It has a permanent crater lake formed at its summit. On one of its slopes aroun ...
{{Ahar County
Populated places in Ahar County
Cities in East Azerbaijan Province