Sara Ashurbeyli, sometimes known as Sara Ashurbayli ( az, Sara Balabəy qızı Aşurbəyli), (27 January 1906 – 17 July 2001 in

Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...

) was an eminent Azerbaijani historian, orientalist and scholar. She was an expert in the early and medieval history of Baku and published many papers and books.

Biography

The daughter of a rich oil magnate, Sara Ashurbeyli had a perfect education and finished Jeanne D’Arc College in Constantinople in 1925 and entered Baku State University in 1930 this time in Soviet Azerbaijan. She graduated as an orientalist, she also studied European languages in Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute, thus besides her native

Azerbaijani language Azerbaijani () or Azeri (), also referred to as Azeri Turkic or Azeri Turkish, is a Turkic language from the Oghuz sub-branch spoken primarily by the Azerbaijani people, who live mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan where the North Azerbaija ...

she knew Arabic, Persian,

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, Russian, and English. She was also an artist and became a member of the Union of Azerbaijan's Artists in 1946. During her lifetime she also taught in various institutions and was a dean for a while. She got her Ph.D. in 1966. A Doctor of History Sciences she was an Azerbaijan State prize laureate. Her famous works include “History of Baku: Mediaeval period” and “Shirvanshah State”. She has postulated that the origin of the name of "Baku" has its origins from Zoroastrianism, taken from the word “baga” which means “the Sun” or “the God” in several ancient middle-eastern languages. She died in 2001 at age 95.

References

Azerbaijani orientalists Azerbaijani nobility 1906 births 2001 deaths Writers from Baku Azerbaijani women artists Azerbaijani women writers 20th-century Azerbaijani historians 20th-century women writers Women orientalists Ashurbeyli family {{Azerbaijan-historian-stub