Panah Ali Khan Javanshir (, ; 1693 – 1759 or 1763) was the founder and first ruler of the

Karabakh Khanate The Karabakh Khanate was a semi-independent Turkic Caucasian khanate on the territories of modern-day Armenia and Azerbaijan established in about 1748 under Iranian suzerainty in Karabakh and adjacent areas. The Karabakh Khanate came under ...

under Persian suzerainty.

Ancestry

Panah Ali Khan was from the Sarijali branch of the clan of

Javanshir Javanshir (alternate spellings: Javansher, Juansher, Ĵovenšēr, Jivanshir; '' pal, Juvānšēr''; literally "young lion"), was the prince of Caucasian Albania from 637 to 680, hailing from the region of Gardman. His life and deeds were the subje ...

, who with their associate clan of ''Otuz-Iki'' (meaning ''thirty-two'' in Azerbaijani) had for long been rivals of the ''Yirmi-Dört'' (meaning ''twenty-four'' in Azerbaijani) and Ziyadoghlu Qajars of Ganja, whose chiefs had been official rulers of Karabakh since

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 consid ...

times. His father's name was Ibrahim Agha Javanshir but information on his further ancestry is quite complicated. According to Mirza Adigozal bey, Panah Ali's paternal great-grandfather and namesake Panah Ali bey served at the headquarters of the governors (''beglarbegs'') of the Karabakh-Ganja province in the early 17th century, at the time when the region was directly controlled by the

Safavid Empire 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 ...

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 Tu ...

. He soon retired, married a woman from the Javanshir clan of

Karabakh Karabakh ( az, Qarabağ ; hy, Ղարաբաղ, Ġarabaġ ) is a geographic region in present-day southwestern Azerbaijan and eastern Armenia, extending from the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus down to the lowlands between the rivers Kura and A ...

and had a son by the name of Ali (nicknamed ''Sarija Ali''). They lived in their estate located in Arasbar (

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 ...

) but also owned land in

Tartar Tartar may refer to: Places * Tartar (river), a river in Azerbaijan * Tartar, Switzerland, a village in the Grisons * Tərtər, capital of Tartar District, Azerbaijan * Tartar District, Azerbaijan * Tartar Island, South Shetland Islands, ...

and the northern shores of the

Aras River , az, Araz, fa, ارس, tr, Aras The Aras (also known as the Araks, Arax, Araxes, or Araz) is a river in the Caucasus. It rises in eastern Turkey and flows along the borders between Turkey and Armenia, between Turkey and the Nakhchivan exc ...

. The Arasbar estate was rebuilt into a castle during Sarija Ali's son Ibrahim Khalil's lifetime and has been known as Ibrahim Khalil Galasi since.Mirza Adigozel-Bek, Karabakh-name (1845), Baku, 1950, p. 54 However, the aforementioned information is contested by different sources, namely Mir Mehdi Khazani who names Panah Ali khan's grandfather as Ibrahim Sultan (head of tribe ) and great-grandfather as Budagh Sultan (head of tribe ). Azerbaijani historian E. B. Shukurzade proposes Panah Ali Agha (I) as his grandfather and Ibrahim Khalil Agha (I) as his great-grandfather. However, in all versions his father is the same. Panah Ali had two brothers, elder Fazlali bey, and younger Behbud Ali bey.

Early life

After the dethronement of the

Safavids 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 consid ...

in 1736 by

Nader Shah Nader Shah Afshar ( fa, نادر شاه افشار; also known as ''Nader Qoli Beyg'' or ''Tahmāsp Qoli Khan'' ) (August 1688 – 19 June 1747) was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran and one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian ...

, the landed classes of Ganja and Karabakh (including the Javanshirs) gathered in

Mughan Mughan plain ( az, Muğan düzü, مغان دوزو; ) is a plain stretching from northwestern Iran to the southern part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The highest density of irrigation canals is in the section of the Mughan plain which lies in ...

and decided to oppose the new shah and agreed to try to restore the Safavids to the throne. When this news reached Nader Shah, he ordered all Muslim landowners of the region and their families deported to Khorasan (northeastern

) as punishment. Panah Ali was among the deportees. His elder brother and former master of ceremonies () of Nader, Fazlali bey, was murdered c. 1738. This was when Panah Ali found himself displeased with Nader Shah's attitude towards him. In 1747, having gathered many of those previously deported from Karabakh in 1736, Panah Ali returned to his homeland. The shah sent troops to bring back the runaway, but the order was never fulfilled, as Nader Shah himself was killed in Khorasan in June of the same year. The new ruler of Persia, Adil Shah, issued a ''

firman A firman ( fa, , translit=farmân; ), at the constitutional level, was a royal mandate or decree issued by a sovereign in an Islamic state. During various periods they were collected and applied as traditional bodies of law. The word firman com ...

'' (decree) recognizing Panah Ali as the Khan of Karabakh.

Reign

Adil Shah's murder in 1748 left Panah Ali virtually independent. He campaigned against the Five Melikdoms of Karabakh as part of his plan to solidify his rule in Karabakh. He forged an alliance with new Melik of Varanda, Melik Shahnazar II, who had recently killed his uncle or elder brother Hovsep and usurped rule. Melik Shahnazar II's daughter Hurizad was wed to Panah Ali's son Ibrahim Khalil and the melik swore fealty to the khan. The other meliks forged an alliance and raided Shahnazar's lands but couldn't take his fortress in Avetaranots. Karabakh khanate

Taking advantage of the power vacuum in the region, Panah Ali campaigned to the west and south against the khanates of Nakhchivan and Karadagh, taking

Tatev The Tatev Monastery ( hy, Տաթևի վանք, Tat'evi vank') is a 9th-century Armenian Apostolic monastery located on a large basalt plateau near the village of Tatev in the Syunik Province in southeastern Armenia. The term "Tatev" usually ref ...

and Sisian from the former and Bargushat, Meghri and

Göynük Göynük is a town in Bolu Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It is the seat of Göynük District.Ghapan and

Zangezur Zangezur ( hy, Զանգեզուր) is a historical and geographical region in Eastern Armenia on the slopes of the Zangezur Mountains which largely corresponds to the Syunik Province of the Republic of Armenia. It was ceded to Russia by Qajar ...

from

Ebrahim Afshar Ebrahim Mirza or Ebrahim Shah Afshar ( fa, ابراهیم‌شاه) (died 1749) was the Shah of Persia during the Afsharid Empire from July to September 1748. Born with the name Mohammad-Ali, he was the son of Ebrahim Khan Afshar (Mohammad-E ...

. To the north, he subdued the Kolani tribe living on the shores of the Tartar River. He also invited a part of the Kangarlu tribe from Nakhchivan as well as the Damirchi Hasanlu and Jinli tribes from

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

to settle in his territory. This was also when Bayat Fortress was built as the khan's first residence. In a short period, external walls were constructed, ditches were dug out, and a bazaar, bath and mosque were built. Craftsmen from surrounding areas were resettled in the castle. Many residents of the area, especially craftsmen of the

Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quru River valley in Iran's historic Azerbaijan region between long ridges of vo ...

district and

Ardabil Ardabil (, fa, اردبیل, Ardabīl or ''Ardebīl'') is a city in northwestern Iran, and the capital of Ardabil Province. As of the 2022 census, Ardabil's population was 588,000. The dominant majority in the city are ethnic Iranian Azerbaij ...

, moved to Bayat Fortress with their families. Panah Ali Khan's growing power faced resistance from the Khanate of Ganja, the Khanate of Shaki and from the remaining

Melikdoms of Karabakh The Five Melikdoms of Karabakh, also known as Khamsa Melikdoms (), were Armenian feudal entities on the territory of modern Nagorno-Karabakh and neighboring lands, from the dissolution of the Principality of Khachen in the 15th century to the ...

, as well as rival branches of the Javanshir clan. The struggle between the khan of Karabakh and Haji Chalabi Khan of Shaki, one of the most powerful rulers of the

South Caucasus The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Arm ...

, started the same year. Haji Chalabi Khan, wishing to stop the growth of Panah Ali Khan's power, allied with Hajji Muhammad Ali Khan of

Shirvan Shirvan (from fa, شروان, translit=Shirvān; az, Şirvan; Tat: ''Şirvan''), also spelled as Sharvān, Shirwan, Shervan, Sherwan and Šervān, is a historical Iranian region in the eastern Caucasus, known by this name in both pre-Islam ...

and surrounded the castle of Bayat. The allies unsuccessfully tried to capture the capital of the Karabakh Khanate for a month. The khans of Shaki and Shirvan withdrew, incurring huge casualties and failing to accomplish their mission. Haji Chalebi Khan said: "Until now Panah Khan was raw silver that was not minted. We came, minted it, and returned." Another 19th century Karabakh historian, Mirza Yusif, renders the same line as: "Until now Panah Khan was merely gold, we came and minted a coin from that gold." Panah Ali was forced to abandon Bayat and constructed

Shahbulag Castle Shahbulag Castle ( az, Şahbulaq qalası, literally "Spring of the Shah") is an 18th-century fortress near Aghdam in Azerbaijan built by the Karabakh Khan Panah Ali. Name and Etymology The castle was named Shahbulag ("Shah's spring") after a ne ...

instead. Using the power vacuum in Persia, he acted to subdue neighboring regions as well. He moved on

Nazarali Khan Shahsevan Nazarali Khan Shahsevan was the khan of the Ardabil Khanate from to 1792. Early life He was born to Badr Khan in Sarikhanlu. However, according to German-Russian explorer Gustav Radde, he was Badr Khan's brother ruling in Ardabil. Reig ...

in 1749 and forced him to marry his sister Shahnisa to his own son Ibrahim Khalil and accept vassalage. The same year he attacked Shahverdi Khan of Ganja and subdued him, forcing Shahverdi's daughter Tuti to marry Ibrahim Khalil as well. According to Mirza Adigozal bey, he also kept his sons as hostage in Shahbulag. However, emergence of new Qajar warlord Muhammad Hasan Khan forced Panah Ali to seek a new fortress. On the advice of Melik Shahnazar II, he built Shusha Castle in 1750-1751 and relocated his capital, thus settling a semi-nomadic populace in the quarters of the new city. Şuşa qalasında Pənahəli xanın sarayı

Campaign against Shaki

Next year, in 1752, Teymuraz II of Kakheti attacked Ganja and forced Panah Ali to retreat from area. Teymuraz then allied himself to Haji Chalabi of Shaki to raid Djaro-Belokani, only to be betrayed by the latter, who defeated the Georgian army. Using this opportunity, Panah Ali allied himself with Shahverdi Khan of Ganja, Kazim Khan of Karadagh, Hasan Ali Khan of

Erivan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and ...

, Heydarqoli Khan of Nakhchivan against Haji Chalabi of Shaki the same year and invited

Heraclius II of Georgia Heraclius II ( ka, ერეკლე II), also known as Erekle II and The Little Kakhetian ( ka, პატარა კახი ) (7 November 1720 or 7 October 1721 C. ToumanoffHitchins, KeithHeraclius II. ''Encyclopædia Iranica Online edit ...

to their alliance. During the negotiations near Qızılqaya, the Georgian detachments, hiding in ambush, surrounded and captured five khans along with their retinue. Haji Chalabi, having learned about the conspiracy of Heraclius II, gathered an army and began to pursue Heraclius, attacked him and defeated him in the battle at the river Aghstafa, having freed all the captured khans. Haji Chalabi later invaded the Georgian possessions, where he captured the Kazakh and Borchali regions, leaving his son Agakishi bey as viceroy.

Campaign against the Melikdoms

After returning to Karabakh, Panah Khan began his campaign against the remaining Armenian principalities of Karabakh. He allied with the ''tanuter'' (headman) of Khndzristan village Mirzakhan and promised him the

Principality of Khachen The Principality of Khachen ( hy, Խաչենի իշխանություն, Khacheni ishkhanutyun) was a medieval Armenian principality on the territory of historical Artsakh (present-day Nagorno-Karabakh). The provinces of Artsakh and Utik were ...

if he would kill Melik Allahverdi I Hasan-Jalalyan. Having achieved this, Mirzakhan was made the new Melik of Khachen by Panah Ali in 1755. Soon after the Melik of Jraberd, Allahqoli Soltan, was also arrested and beheaded in Shusha. Panah Ali later signed a separate peace with Yesayi, Melik of Dizak. In 1757, Muhammad Hasan Khan arrived in Karabakh to gather troops to fight against

Karim Khan Zand Mohammad Karim Khan Zand ( fa, محمدکریم خان زند, Mohammad Karīm Khân-e Zand; ) was the founder of the Zand Dynasty, ruling from 1751 to 1779. He ruled all of Iran (Persia) except for Khorasan. He also ruled over some of the Ca ...

. Panah Ali refused to join his armies and battled against the Qajar troops. Muhammad Hasan Khan soon left for Iran and left his cannons in the area, which were later taken by Panah Ali. However, he soon faced another invasion from south, this time by Fath-Ali Khan Afshar, Khan of Urmia, in 1759. The Armenian meliks of Talish and Jraberd, Melik Hovsep and Melik Hatham (brother of Allahqoli), respectively, joined Fath-Ali in his siege of Shusha. Unable to withstand the assault, Panah Ali submitted to Fath Ali, handing over his son Ibrahim Khalil as a hostage. However, Panah Ali had to switch his allegiance to the Zands, who captured Ibrahim Khalil from Fath Ali after a battle in 1760. He left his son Mehrali bey Javanshir in charge of the khanate while he left for battle against Fath-Ali. Penaheli xanin mezar dasi

Death

According to Mirza Adigozal bey, when

took control of much of Iran, he forced Panah Khan to come to his capital,

Shiraz Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the population of the city was 1,565,572 pe ...

, where he died as a hostage in 1763 (although according to his gravestone in Aghdam, he died in July–August 1759.) However Raffi and Mirza Yusuf Qarabaghi offer another version of Panah Ali's death, where he faked his death in order to escape Shiraz but was captured, killed and his stomach was stuffed. Panah-Ali Khan's son Ibrahim-Khalil Khan was sent back to Karabakh as governor. Ibrahim, succeeding his father, not only ruled over most of Karabakh, but also became one of the major potentates in the Caucasus.

Family

Panah Ali was married to a sister of Hajji Sahliyali bey of Kebirlu clan, among other wives, and had several sons: * Ibrahim Khalil Khan * Mehrali bey Javanshir * Talibkhan bey * Kelbali bey * Aghasi bey * Alimadat bey * Nasir bey * Alipasha bey

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Panah Ali 1693 births 1761 deaths Karabakh Khanate 18th century in Azerbaijan 17th-century people of Safavid Iran Prisoners and detainees of the Zand dynasty People of the Afsharid Empire 18th-century people of Safavid Iran Ethnic Afshar people Khans of Karabakh